Roger Tuivasa-Sheck has done it again.
In his second season back at the Warriors, the former captain has claimed the club’s highest accolade – the Simon Mannering Medal for 2025 NRL player of the year. Announced on Tuesday night, it was a double celebration for Tuivasa-Sheck, who also collected the Players’ Player of the Year, as voted by his teammates.
It continues a remarkable run for Tuivasa-Sheck with end-of-year gongs. It is the fourth time the 32-year-old Tuivasa-Sheck has been honoured with the Warriors’ top NRL award, six years after his last in 2019, which completed a treble following recognition in 2017 and 2018. He was the first recipient of the Simon Mannering Medal, minted in 2018 in honour of Mannering, who had just ended his record-breaking 301-game career with the club.
Only Mannering has achieved more personal recognition, the former forward named as player of the year on five separate occasions – 2008, 2011, 2013, 2014 and 2016.
Warriors captain Apii Nicholls was acknowledged on Tuesday night as the NRLW Player of the Year, leading the team in the club’s first year back in the competition, while rookie Kaiyah Atai won the Players’ Player of the Year crown.
The other finalists for the Simon Mannering Medal were Kurt Capewell, Erin Clark, Jackson Ford and Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad. Clark and Nicoll-Klokstad were the other two nominees for the players’ player of the year award.
Tuivasa-Sheck, who moved to the left wing this season after being at centre in 2024, had an exceptional year despite injury forcing him to miss six games early in the campaign. He made a total of 4121m – a staggering 216 a game – while his average of 72.7 post-contact metres is the best of all players in the NRL following the week one finals matches.
He is currently fifth among all players for most average runs a game (21) and he is second behind only Penrith fullback Dylan Edwards (221) for most average metres a game. Tuivasa-Sheck’s 12 tries in 19 matches equalled his career best total achieved in 2015 across 27 appearances for the Roosters.
Boom youngster Leka Halasima picked up two awards – the NRL Rookie of the Year and the People’s Choice honour. In his first full season he played all 25 matches and became the first forward in the club’s 31-year history to top the try scoring list with 13. Sam Healey, Eddie Ieremia-Toeava and Tanner Stowers-Smith were the other finalists in the Rookie of the Year category.
Demitric Vaimauga was named the NRL Clubman of the Year ahead of Bunty Afoa, James Fisher-Harris, Taine Tuaupiki and Nicoll-Klokstad.
In the other NRLW awards, prop Ivana Lauitiiti was named the Rookie of the Year and centre Tysha Ikenasio was acknowledged as the Clubwoman of the Year. Winger Payton Takimoana won the People’s Choice award.
Captain Kalani Going won the New South Wales Cup Player of the Year title, Tanah Boyd was voted the Players’ Player of the Year and Geronimo Doyle was named the NSW Cup Team Man of the Year.
The Jersey Flegg Cup (under-21) awards went to hooker Jaydee Auloa (player of the year), centre Caelys Putoko (emerging player of the year) and loose forward Paea Sikuvea (team man of the year).
NEW ZEALAND WARRIORS AWARDS | 2025
Jersey Flegg Cup Emerging Player of the Year | Caelys Putoko
Jersey Flegg Cup Team Man of the Year | Paea Sikuvea
Jersey Flegg Cup Player of the Year | Jaydee Auloa
New South Wales Team Man of the Year | Geronimo Doyle
New South Wales Cup Players’ Player of the Year | Tanah Boyd
New South Wales Cup Player of the Year | Kalani Going
NRLW Clubwoman of the Year | Tysha Ikenasio
NRLW Rookie of the Year | Ivana Lauitiiti
NRLW Players’ Player of the Year | Kaiyah Atai
NRLW Player of the Year | Apii Nicholls
NRL People’s Choice | Leka Halasima
NRL Rookie of the Year | Leka Halasima
NRL Clubman of the Year | Demitric Vaimauga
NRL Players’ Player of the Year | Roger Tuivasa-Sheck
Simon Mannering Medal | Roger Tuivasa-Sheck
Michael Burgess has been a Sports Journalist for the New Zealand Herald since 2005, covering the Olympics, Fifa World Cups, and America’s Cup campaigns. He is a co-host of the Big League podcast.