Warriors coach Andrew Webster has sent a clear message to his outside backs as pre-season ramps up: he will make no promises to anyone that their position is safe.
He centre, wing and fullback positions are all up for grabs and Webster laid it all onthe table for his charges to take onus on themselves to grab a jumper.
“I threw all the outside backs in a room the other day and said, ‘Boys, it’s yours to go after here. Someone’s going to be sitting on the sidelines that’s a really good NRL player. So don’t be coming round one saying I didn’t see that coming, you should be competing for it now’.”
Returning superstar Roger Tuivasa-Sheck has added to what is already a sizeable talent pool for Webster to select from, with much discussion since his signing was announced around where he fits into this talented Warriors back line.
Webster was quick to shut down any suggestion Tuivasa-Sheck would return to his Dally M-winning position of fullback and hinted there may be a chance fans see him on the wing as well as centre.
“Obviously he’s not a fullback. The only way he’d play there I think is if he’s third choice. We want him to focus on centre, potentially even wing.”
Roger Tuivasa-Sheck goes through his paces at Warriors training. Photo / Jason Oxenham
Tuivasa-Sheck is no stranger to the duties required to be an NRL-level winger, having played there for the Sydney Roosters through the 2012-14 seasons, scoring 15 tries and winning a premiership.
He also shifted to wing when Reece Walsh played fullback for the Warriors under Nathan Brown.
Hinting that the edge is his likely destination, Tuivasa-Sheck said pre-season so far had been about mastering basics with minimal positional play.
“At the moment it’s all up in the air because all we’ve been doing is working on fundamentals, so we haven’t really done any edge stuff. The best we’ve done is maybe a five v six or a four v five so we haven’t really talked about positions.
“I think that’s a coaches’ question. I’m just here to learn the fundamentals, the basics. Catch, pass, inside shoulders, outside, just learning all of that.”
Another signing that is sure to add immediate impact at Mt Smart is that of Brisbane Broncos forward Kurt Capewell, Webster says what he brings is all of the “little things” that often go unnoticed.
“Kurt is an effort player. He will do all the little things people probably won’t understand or know he’ll also help our young players come through... he’ll do a great job with young back-rowers and when his time is done I’m sure the baton will be handed over to them.”
Capewell offers what Webster calls “a great motor” with an ability to hurt defences as they tire late in games as well as versatility across a number of positions.
“He can play 80 minutes easy. He can play left side, right side even if you threw him in the middle he could. If there was an injury half way through a game, he could play a bit of centre.”
