Tuivasa-sheck front and centre
Despite a stunning performance from fullback on Sunday, Warriors coach Andrew Webster is adamant that Roger Tuivasa-sheck’s home is in the centres.
Tuivasa-sheck slotted into the starting fullback role against the Knights after Taine Tuaupiki was ruled out with concussion.
The Dally M Medal winner didn’t miss a beat, breaking seven tackles and running for 283 metres while showcasing his notoriously fleet footwork.
This followed a try-scoring cameo the week before against the Raiders.
Webster said while he welcomes the debate surrounding Tuivasasheck’s position, he won’t be swayed, with Charnze Nicoll-klokstad back from injury and named to start in the 1 jersey for Saturday’s NRL clash with the Rabbitohs in Sydney.
Tuivasa-sheck moves back to the centres.
“It’s good noise. Roger brings that because we all know what he’s done in the game. Charnze at fullback is how we want to go. It’s how Roger wants to go.
“It’s not like Roger is coming to me and saying ‘Boss, why aren’t I playing fullback?’ He just wants to win and wants to play his role,” Webster said.
Webster pointed out that Nicollklokstad was a contender for the Golden Boot in 2023 and reiterated that Tuivasa-sheck’s role was in the centres.
“It’s not about the individual and that’s led by Roger, not by me. We’re trying to put the best 17 players out to win a competition.
“It’s a lot of hard work to try and do that and we need a whole squad, not individuals.”
Webster said Tuivasa-sheck feels the NRL is a different beast to when he left for a two-year rugby union stint, but has reacclimatised well.
“He hasn’t done a lot of reps at fullback, we’ve been concentrating on centre. It’s such a cool thing to have a guy that’s played a lot of fullback in his career but he is nailing his role at centre.”
Following last weekend’s win, the Warriors are now two from four and sitting 10th on the NRL ladder.
They welcome back Kiwis international Nicoll-klokstad from a hamstring injury, though they’ll be without Dylan Walker, Kurt Capewell and Luke Metcalf for their fifthround match against Souths.
Nicoll-klokstad
Roger Tuivasa-sheck hasn’t had a game since his man of the match performance in the Kiwis’ record 30-0 win over the Kangaroos in the Pacific Championships final in Hamilton on November 4, a day when the fullback made 277 metres from 30 runs (101 post-contact metres) with two line break assists, a try assist, six tackle breaks and four offloads.
Metcalf is a long-term casualty after breaking the tibia in his right leg against Newcastle.
Walker was named for the last two matches against Canberra and Newcastle but was a late withdrawal both times due to an ankle complaint. He hasn’t been selected this week with Jazz Tevaga, his replacement against the Raiders and Knights, this week named on the interchange.
Capewell played the full 80 minutes on Sunday but later reported headaches and has been stood down as the club follows concussion protocols.
Webster has called in Te Maire Martin to start in the halves alongside Shaun Johnson, reprising the partnership he used for the opening four rounds last season before Martin missed the following round with concussion and was then sidelined for a lengthy part of the season after breaking his fibula in the sixth round match against Newcastle.
Chanel Harris-tavita has again been listed on the extended bench. Coming into the second row for Capewell is Marata Niukore, who made his return from a foot injury with a 25-minute stint from the bench on Sunday.
Hooker Freddy Lussick and prop Tom Ale return to the interchange after being omitted for the Newcastle game, Ale playing for the New South Wales Cup side while Lussick was 18th man for the NRL team.— RNZ