Warriors winger Roger Tuivasa-Sheck says the temptation to try something new was behind his decision to leave the NRL at the end of the season to join Wakefield Trinity in the English Super League.
The 32-year-old has put pen to paper on a two-year deal with the West Yorkshire club, which was announced on his brother’s YouTube channel on Friday, hours before the Warriors clashed with the Wests Tigers in Auckland.
Tuivasa-Sheck said he wanted to get the news out there sooner rather than later so it didn’t serve as a distraction for the Warriors.
The announcement was so low key, Warriors coach Andrew Webster wasn’t even aware it had been publicly announced, when addressing media after their 32-14 defeat to the Tigers.
Tuivasa-Sheck informed teammates of his decision earlier in the week.
In his first interview since the announcement, speaking exclusively to the Herald after the match, Tuivasa-Sheck said there was a sense of relief getting the deal done and he’s excited to move his family to England.
“I feel a little bit better that I tried to sneak it on the morning of game day,” Tuivasa-Sheck said. “Hopefully now it’s yesterday’s news.
“I just wanted to get it out there, make sure it was nice and early for my team, early in the season and we can move on.
“[It’s] just something different, new scenery for me and my family. It’s a new competition, it’s a new lifestyle, so everything’s new and I’m just grateful for the opportunity to be able to do that.”
Tuivasa-Sheck had been linked to R360 last year, but after it was announced that competition was going to be delayed a stay in the NRL seemed likely.
He confirmed there was interest from his old club, the Sydney Roosters, but his focus is on the Warriors and what’s ahead with Wakefield.
There are some familiar faces contracted to Wakefield, with former Warriors duo Jazz Tevaga and Mason Lino there, while Isaiah Vagana, son of former Kiwis prop Joe Vagana, is also on the books.
The signing of Tuivasa-Sheck is being hailed as one of the biggest in recent Super League history, considering Wakefield were playing in the second-tier Championship two years ago.
Tuivasa-Sheck said a chat with the club’s owner, Matt Ellis, and coach Daryl Powell got him over the line.
“It started with good people and I’m fortunate there are a few players there that I have a connection with,” Tuivasa-Sheck said. “They seem like they’re heading in the right direction and I want to go be part of it.”
Webster said he was happy for Tuivasa-Sheck and believes he will enjoy his time in England.
“We’re so proud of Roger, and happy that he gets an opportunity to experience something different,” Webster said. “It’s something that he’ll remember forever.
“We are more celebrating what we get to do this year together. Barney’s [Mitch Barnett] moving on, Roger’s doing the same, we want to try and do something special, so [we’ll] focus on the now and celebrate that we’ve still got him.”
The Dally M Medal winner has played 152 games for the Warriors across two stints, while he also appeared 84 times for the Roosters.
In 2025, he won the Simon Mannering Medal, the player of the year award, for a fourth time.
The move comes with the Warriors set to sign two new wingers for the 2027 NRL season.
They’ve reportedly signed Kiwi winger Will Warbrick from the Melbourne Storm for next season, while the Daily Telegraph claims the Warriors are in advanced talks to secure Grant Anderson from the Brisbane Broncos, as part of the deal of letting co-captain Mitch Barnett depart for family reasons.
Tune into the Big League Podcast on Monday for the full interview with Roger Tuivasa-Sheck
Ben Francis is an Auckland-based reporter for the New Zealand Herald who covers breaking sports news.