Roger Tuivasa Sheck of the Warriors on his way to scoring the match-winning try during golden point extra time during against his former side the Sydney Roosters. Photo/Getty.
Roger Tuivasa Sheck of the Warriors on his way to scoring the match-winning try during golden point extra time during against his former side the Sydney Roosters. Photo/Getty.
Fullback Roger Tuivasa-Sheck believes the Warriors are finally gelling and showing their attacking potential after scoring the match-winning try in their 32-28 win over his former club the Sydney Roosters.
Returning to Australia to play against his old teammates for the first time since leaving Sydney at the end oflast season, Tuivasa-Sheck roasted the chooks a minute into golden point extra time when he accepted Tui Lolohea's inside pass and fended off Shaun Kenny-Dowall to dive over and secure a brave Warriors' win at Gosford's Central Coast Stadium.
A 2013 premiership winner with the Tricolours, Tuivasa-Sheck described the moment as a "pretty cool experience" and was thrilled the Warriors had backed up their Easter Monday victory over Newcastle with a second win for the season.
"I was just lucky to get that ball and I'm just happy with the end result," he said.
"Tui had the courage to go up and take the ball under enormous pressure and he was lucky to get away and was skilful enough to beat those players and get through.
"I just found myself following him and I was lucky, I got the ball off him and saw the line and put my foot down and I'm happy to get over.
Warriors wing Tui Lolohea breaks free in the lead-up to Tuivasa-Sheck's match-winning try. Photo/Getty.
"We won the game and backed up our win over the Knights so we can carry on this momentum hopefully."
Tuivasa-Sheck was again among the Warriors' best contributors with the ball, making 16 runs and 150 metres, to trail only 150-game veteran prop Jacob Lillyman (159m) in the yardage stakes.
The 22-year-old Kiwis international also floated out a long pass for the Warriors' first try through Manu Vatuvei on the left side of the park, and fired another out to put Lolohea clear on the right in the lead-up to their fourth four-pointer through Shaun Johnson.
Listen: Audio highlights of the Warriors' round five golden point thriller
However, he has had his issues on defence so far this season and was again found wanting as the Roosters stormed back from 20-14 down to lead 24-20 early in the second-half. Tuivasa-Sheck was unable to stop former warriors forward Sio Siua Taukeiaho close to the line, and was then caught flat-footed as Mitchell Aubusson out paced him to run in the Roosters' fourth try.
Despite those errors, he believes the Warriors new attacking structures are finally clicking after some teething problems through the early rounds.
"The spine's coming together," he said. "We knew it was going to take some time and it's progress we're happy to move forward with.
"Issac Luke was awesome with his running game and Robbo (halfback Jeff Robson) and Shaun were backing him up.
"We played really bad but we still fought our way back into winning the game so that was awesome for the boys."
The win moves them up four spots to 10th position on the NRL ladder to sit two points out of the top eight behind the Gold Coast and Canberra.
They now look ahead to next Saturday's home clash at Mt Smart Stadium against 13th-ranked Manly, who went down 16-12 to South Sydney on Friday.
