Before Monday’s training with the Warriors, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck sat down and wrote some goals. Looking at the session coming up, the winger decided he wanted to focus on taking high balls above his head, and his left-sided tackling.
It’s a little glimpse into the mindset of the 32-year-old, who has been a revelation this year. In his first season as a winger in more than a decade, Tuivasa-Sheck has lit up the NRL again, one of the club’s more consistent performers, with crucial line breaks, massive yardage, key carries and big moments. He has scored 12 tries, his most since 2015 at the Roosters, along with 15 line breaks and about 220 running metres a match.
But there are no secrets to his success. He has natural talent – including that magic sidestep, honed by constant sessions as a child with his father Johnny – but it’s much more than that. Tuivasa-Sheck has a legendary work ethic and is constantly seeking improvement, trying to get the best out of himself in a way that few can match.
After all he has achieved in 231 NRL games across 12 seasons and 20 tests for the Kiwis – as well as two seasons in rugby union with Auckland, the Blues and the All Blacks – no one would blame him for cruising a bit, but that’s not his style.
“Goals are massive,” he told the Herald. “It definitely motivates me, but it just keeps me present. That’s the biggest reason why I do it. It’s a long season - we just go on and on, so it’s easy to just drift [at training] and go through the motions and just play. Because I’ve been playing for so long, I can almost just run out there blind, knowing, okay, these are the drills we’re doing.
“So writing goals keeps me present. Like [on Tuesday] I wrote, catch off the chest, in my hands not the basket, and my low tackle needs to be better, my left to right. Little things like that, so I have details going on to the [training] field. And then doing that every day for 27 rounds, stacking it up.”
His old notebook has been replaced by an iPad for his thoughts, plans and ideas.
“When I went to the All Blacks, they were all using iPads. I thought it was a bit fancy for me, but once I grabbed myself one, I can’t go back now. Everything’s organised, all in order, and I don’t have to keep chucking a book away.”
Tuivasa-Sheck is the quintessential 24-hour athlete, careful with nutrition, with training preparation and with lifestyle balance.
And in 2025, he has rediscovered himself. It’s easy to forget now, but it wasn’t an easy return to rugby league last year. He had to adjust to different training loads, a faster game and a new position (centre), in a team that was struggling for form and fluency. This season, everything has flowed, helped by stability on the wing.
“I found a position. It’s home for me, and I’ve been able to focus on that. Last year I was left wing, right, centre, fullback, and moved around.”
He is also feeling freer, admitting he was overthinking things when he first returned to the NRL.
“To be honest, when I came back from rugby, I was so hesitant, and I questioned a lot. Should I be at this weight? Should I eat more? Should I lose more weight?
“I used to talk with [Warrior’s head trainer] Ballin [Cupples] and say, ‘Hey, what were my metres? What was my running? Am I going faster?’ And then after that hamstring injury [in March], I sort of just let that all go.
“I just went and played at the weight that I felt comfortable and, after doing my research, I was like, okay, I should play it this way and I should be running this much.
“The game has changed, but the training loads have changed too. It’s pretty intense and, when you are at this age, you can overdo it or underdo it, so you’ve got to be doing it at the right pace.”
Now Tuivasa-Sheck faces his greatest test: trying to inspire the Warriors to a shock win over the four-time premiers Penrith on Saturday (6pm). Tuivasa-Sheck lives for the biggest stage, but this will be only his second playoff game as a Warrior, alongside the elimination final defeat at the hands of Penrith in 2018.
“This is what I dreamed of. To come back and get a chance at it, and here we are.”
He is under no illusions about the task, especially given the Warriors’ wobbly finish to the season, dropping seven of their last 11 matches.
“We’ve been up and down. So the focus is us just chasing our game and playing the way we want to play. And if it matches, it matches.”
He has already advised his younger teammates to get all the distractions out of the way early – including the inevitable ticket requests – so they can zone in on the match.
“So that, when it comes to game time, you just play.”
That’s what the evergreen Tuivasa-Sheck will be doing, and his presence will give Warriors fans faint hopes of an unlikely victory.
“It’s a big occasion and we’re pumped for it. We’re really proud to be in this position, but we’re focusing on trying to find our game again.”
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.