Roger Tuivasa-Sheck in action for the Warriors against the Dolphins at Go Media Stadium Mt Smart on Saturday February 24, 2024. Photo / Photosport
Roger Tuivasa-Sheck in action for the Warriors against the Dolphins at Go Media Stadium Mt Smart on Saturday February 24, 2024. Photo / Photosport
Roger Tuivasa-Sheck might be the oldest rookie in the NRL.
He’s not new - of course - after a decorated league career but that was the approach taken at the start of his second Warriors chapter. Tuivasa-Sheck started preparing physically well before pre-season started, then reported fortraining a couple of weeks earlier than required.
That sounds like the enthusiasm of a teenager, though he felt there was no other way. He might be a club legend, a long-time former captain and a Dally M medallist, but there was a lot to prove.
“That was playing on my mind, I’ve got to come in and prove something,” Tuivasa-Sheck told the Big-League podcast. “I’m a rookie, trying to get on the team, at 30 years of age - that was my mindset”
That was also the underlying message from coach Andrew Webster, when they got together during the off-season break.
“He said ‘I want you to be that kid again, I want you to come in and learn and make this team again’ and that’s how I saw it,” said Tuivasa-Sheck.
The first step was physical preparation, with an aerobic and anaerobic base that would enable him to get the most out of pre-season.
“I had to come in fit and ready to go,” explained Tuivasa-Sheck. “I had to show the players and the coaches that I am ready to go. I had to come in and be fitter, be a lot more skillful, so I can catch up a lot quicker and not worry about ‘okay I can’t learn edge defence because I’m not fit enough’, or ‘I can’t learn to beat people if I can’t catch and pass’.”
It’s meticulous but typical of Tuivasa-Sheck. He also reshaped his body. Tuivasa-Sheck was around 95 kilos during his previous Warriors stint but got up to 100 kilos as a rugby midfield back. The sweet spot for centre in the NRL, he thinks, will be 97 kilos.
Roger Tuivasa-Sheck in action for the Warriors against the Dolphins at Go Media Stadium Mt Smart on Saturday February 24, 2024. Photo / Photosport
His main personal goal for the 2024 was simple; to secure a starting spot.
“I was nervous about getting a position here because you look at the boys and how they went last year,” said Tuivasa-Sheck. “I was like, these guys are outstanding, I have to work my butt off to get in the picture.”
His position was never really in doubt but Tuivasa-Sheck has earned it , with his progress demonstrated in the pre-season trials. The real thing - starting with Cronulla on Friday night (8pm) - will be a much bigger challenge, especially as centre is probably the hardest defensive position.
But he should thrive, even if there might be some hiccups along the way. The adjustment has been tough, especially as the game has got faster since 2021, with the various rule changes while defending in the line offering different demands, with the constant need to get back 10 metres after each play.
Tuivasa-Sheck is aware of the talk about his potential as a fullback, especially after his 40-minute cameo there against the Dolphins, but is fixated with succeeding further out in the backline.
“Our coach has created this system and he sees me playing centre,” said Tuivasa-Sheck. “I have bought in and I believe and across two trials it has worked... I’ve got to keep backing that. I believe in what he is trying to put out on the field, if I want to make that starting team and it is at centre, then I have to go for it.”
Roger Tuivasa-Sheck goes through his paces at Warriors training. Photo / Jason Oxenham
Tuivasa-Sheck is in a good place. The process of learning a new position has been stimulating, as someone who likes to “recreate” himself as an athlete each year. And he is enjoying being a senior player, without the burden of captaincy.
“It’s good,” he laughs. “I’m glad, real glad. More because Tohu [Harris] is doing a great job. He’s unreal. I am so happy for him. But the best thing is Tohu is not alone, there is so many of us around, Tohu doesn’t have to speak 24/7.”
At times during his previous stint it felt like Tuivasa-Sheck was carrying the team on his back, such was his capacity for work and determination to succeed. That’s still there but could manifest in a different way.
“This time round, I want to be able to help us win,” said Tuivasa-Sheck. “The last few years I was here I can put my hand up and say I wasn’t doing it the right way maybe, me coming in and just putting it all out there wasn’t maybe the right way about it. I need to help this team and play my role.”
He has noticed a significant difference in the environment, noting the “buy-in and belief” within the squad, compared to previous eras he was involved in.
“The coaches have designed a system that they believe will work,” said Tuivasa-Sheck. “During the whole pre-season, we stuck to it, we believed it and it showed, our seniors have bought in so as a junior, what do you do? You follow, you buy in. There is a huge buy-in and belief about what the coaches are putting on the table.”
Friday is the first litmus test. The return of Tuivasa-Sheck has already created headlines but there could be a lot to come, as he is expected to elevate the Warriors to a new level throughout 2024, allowing the “rookie” to add more lustre to the legend.
Michael Burgess has been a sports journalist since 2005, winning several national awards and covering Olympics, Fifa World Cups and America’s Cup campaigns. He has also reported on the Warriors and NRL for more than a decade.
