Consistency hallmark of Roosters’ season

You hope someone’s told Roger Tuivasa-Sheck to enjoy this last ride with the Sydney Roosters.

The New Zealand Warriors-bound fullback has become accustomed to finals football at the Roosters but will do well to lift his new club to the same levels.

The Roosters open this year’s NRL playoffs on Friday night when they host the Melbourne Storm at Allianz Stadium. This is the clash between first (the Roosters) and fourth, meaning the loser still gets another crack next week.

Tuivasa-Sheck and company are 2015’s best team. They had a bad run earlier in the season, where they lost games narrowly, but have consistently played at an intensity that no club has been able to match.

Halfback Mitchell Pearce is said to be over his hamstring strain and ready to rejoin the Roosters’ starting side, although they’ve hardly missed a beat without him. Tuivasa-Scheck has been a sensation at fullback and the rest of the backline present danger to the Storm, but it’s in the forwards where the Roosters are most potent.

Sam Moa, Dylan Napa, Sio Siua Takeiaho, Boyd Cordner and Aidan Guerra have bent defensive lines back all season, allowing Pearce, five-eighth James Maloney and the rest of the Roosters backs to flourish.

The Storm are masters at stifling sides such as the Roosters. They beat them 17-16 at home earlier this year and will bank on the same slowing, niggling tactics working again.

The Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs and St George Illawarra Dragons meet in the first of the sudden death matches, on Saturday. The loser embarks on Mad Monday and you’d have to think that will be the Dragons.

Yes, they beat the Bulldogs 31-6 at ANZ Stadium earlier this season, but the Dragons were in a much different vein of form then.

That match is followed by the Queensland derby, between the Brisbane Broncos and North Queensland Cowboys, at Suncorp Stadium. Amazingly, Broncos coach Wayne Bennett has coached teams to eight previous finals appearances at that ground and lost the lot.

He shouldn’t this time, though. The Cowboys have faded as the season’s gone on and don’t look to have too many big performances left in them.

As the second and third-placed finishers, the Broncos and Cowboys both have a life. Unlike South Sydney and Cronulla, who conclude the round on Sunday.

Fairfax and Channel Nine NRL expert Phil Gould has picked the Sharks to win by 24 points. Enough said.

Photo: GETTY IMAGES Roger Tuivasa-Sheck has been a revelation at fullback for the Roosters this year.

Allianz Stadium, Sydney Sky Sport 2, 6.10pm Sunday Sharks $1.75, Rabbitohs $2 Matt Cecchin, Ashley Klein Prefix denotes ladder position; top-4 receive a second life.

ANZ Stadium, Sydney Sky Sport 2, 7.50pm tomorrow Bulldogs $1.25, Dragons $3.70 Jared Maxwell, Gavin Morris

Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane Sky Sport 2, 9.55pm tomorrow Broncos $1.62, Cowboys $2.20 Gerard Sutton, Gavin Badger

Allianz Stadium, Sydney Sky Sport 2, 9.55pm tonight Roosters $1.37, Storm $2.90 Ben Cummins, Alan Shortall