CNK’s Centre switch not permanent despite RTS’ shadow on No. 1 jersey

By Alex Powell

Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad’s move to centre is not an indication of what’s to come for the Warriors, even as the club looks to find balance with Roger Tuivasa-Sheck.

Since his return from rugby union at the start of the year, Tuivasa-Sheck is yet to hit the same heights he did during his first stint at the club - albeit in a different position to the one he won the NRL’s Dally M medal in six years ago.

Tuivasa-Sheck’s first spell with the Warriors saw him have complete dominion over the fullback position.

However, that No 1 jersey now solely belongs to Nicoll-Klokstad, who himself was forced to leave the Warriors for the Canberra Raiders after he was unable to dislodge Tuivasa-Sheck from the fullback position after he came through the club’s junior ranks.

Instead, Tuivasa-Sheck has spent most of 2024 playing at centre, even if his best moments have come playing at fullback covering for Nicoll-Klostad and Taine Tuaupiki.

On Saturday, though, as the Warriors prepare to end 2024 away to the Cronulla Sharks, Nicoll-Klokstad moves into centre, after Tuivasa-Sheck failed a head injury assessment in last week’s loss to the Bulldogs.

Combined with injuries to Adam Pompey and Rocco Berry, Nicoll-Klokstad is the last man standing to fill in at centre, as the Warriors limp to the end of 2024.

But given the ongoing narrative over which of Tuivasa-Sheck or Nicoll-Klokstad is best suited to fullback, coach Andrew Webster again outlined that this week’s switch is not for good.

“We lost two centres this week,” said Webster. “He’s not [been] dropped or anything like that.

“We’ve got Taine sitting there, who’s a really good player. I just want to make sure we’ve got a really good 17. He can certainly play centre better than Taine can. I just want to put the team on that I think can win this week.

“There’s not a lot behind it. This isn’t a positional switch where he’s going to become the centre.

“It’s just one of those things this week.”

For Nicoll-Klokstad himself, chatter over the No 1 jersey is nothing new.

Since Tuivasa-Sheck’s return to the Warriors was confirmed last year, the 29-year-old has been vocal in his belief he will remain the first-choice.

But now, one season into trying to fit two of the NRL’s best fullbacks into one team, Nicoll-Klokstad concedes talk around him and Tuivasa-Sheck is par for the course.

“I think it’ll be something that’s just constant,” he professed. “He’s a great player in whatever position he plays.

“The last position he played in - and excelled at - was fullback, before he left. He was Dally M fullback and club captain and everything else.

“Regardless, whether that’s me and playing fullback or any other of the boys playing fullback, there’s always going to be that discussion.

“He deserves it. He deserves to be celebrated in whatever position he plays.

“It’s all about what I can contribute to the team in my own way, and just running with that.”

Meanwhile, while outside of his preference at fullback, shifting to the centres is nothing new for Nicoll-Klokstad. His time in the Warriors’ juniors side was played at centre before his first-grade debut in 2017.

In 2022, he played the Kiwis’ Rugby League World Cup campaign at centre to accommodate Joseph Manu at fullback, as New Zealand exited with a semifinal defeat to Australia.

This season, he was named to play at centre in an injury-ravaged side that eventually defeated the Dolphins - only to himself be scratched at the last second due to illness.

But better late than never, Nicoll-Klokstad will finally get the chance to show his wares on the edge.

“It’s a new position I get to have a run at,” he said. “Not a new position for me, just new for this year. I’m very excited.

“When I’ve been able to chat to [Webster] and reflect and train, it’s something I can look forward to now, putting last week to rest.

“Whatever centre needs me to do, I’m looking forward to it.”

This article was first published on nzherald.co.nz and is republished here with permission