Rugby-bound RTS proves he hasn’t clocked off
Three games into the NRL season, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck has already kept his promise to the Warriors.
When it was announced in January the fullback would be switching to rugby in 2022, the reaction was mixed.
While most pundits and fans were supportive, some questioned if he should remain, while others wondered if he would have the same desire this year, given the unusual circumstances.
But in every interview, TuivasaSheck stated he was fully committed for the season, determined to finish on a high note.
Privately, he gave a similar message to his teammates; he was solely focused on NRL success with them, and would be doing everything he could to achieve it.
There would be no coasting, no sense of getting through the campaign in third gear, before disappearing to chase his All Blacks dream.
But some fans were rightly concerned. Would Tuivasa-Sheck be the same player?
We’ve seen it before. Players make a momentous decision to switch clubs or codes and mentally check out. Suddenly the output isn’t quite what it was, even if it’s just the result of a slight drop in standards. Remember James Maloney? He was a revelation in his first two seasons at Mt Smart and a key figure in the charge to the 2011 grand final. But he was never the same player for the Warriors after he agreed terms with the Roosters in early 2012, lacking the impact of previous years.
It was always hoped that TuivasaSheck was going to be different, and the early part of the season has borne that out, capped by his stunning display on Saturday in the improbable 34-31 win over the Raiders.
There were many heroes, from young centre Adam Pompey, rookie halfback Sean O’Sullivan, elusive fiveeighth Kodi Nikorima, workaholic back rower Tohu Harris and the entire forward pack.
But no one was more important that Tuivasa-Sheck. In the second half, he inspired the team to new levels through sheer force of will, as well as his brilliant play. He was always where he needed to be and a constant menace.
“There must be four or five of him out there at the moment,” said the Fox Sports commentator during the final quarter.
Tuivasa-Sheck came to the fore when it mattered most, handling the ball 14 times in the last 15 minutes.
He was running, offloading and stepping, and anticipated a brilliant ball from Tohu Harris for the try that closed the deficit to three points.
But the defining moment came in the 75th minute, with Canberra ahead 31-28.
Tuivasa-Sheck was penalised for a mid-air tackle, a bizarre bunker decision completely against the spirit of the law.
He was incredulous, momentarily directing his frustration towards the referee. That gifted the Raiders possession deep in Warriors territory with 4m 40s on the clock, and could have been game over.
That’s a horrible feeling, especially for the skipper, but Tuivasa-Sheck showed profound mental strength to quickly clear his head and refocus.
The Warriors got the ball back with just over three minutes to play, 95m from the Raiders tryline.
Tuivasa-Sheck took the third hitup, stepping out of traffic, before offloading to Bunty Afoa for a significant gain. He was involved again in the next play, committing defenders before another offload, putting Kodi Nikorima in half a hole.
As the Raiders scrambled, Nikorima won a set restart, and less than 30s later, Adam Pompey crashed over near the left corner to seemingly win the game.
But there was one more twist, as the Raiders’ short kickoff was measured perfectly. Who was competing for it? Tuivasa-Sheck of course, though he was outjumped, giving Canberra possession.
Four plays later came one of the greatest try-saving efforts in NRL history, as Tuivasa-Sheck sprinted half the width of the field, before a desperate dive, somehow jolting the ball out of Jordan Rapana’s grasp centimetres above the ground.
What a curtain call.