The catch up that convinced Roger Tuivasa-Sheck to return to Warriors

By Michael Burgess

In December last year, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck had one of the most important coffees of his life.

At the time, Tuivasa-Sheck was considering a two-year deal to play rugby in Japan from 2024 as it was becoming clear his long-term aspirations with the All Blacks were complicated by the emergence of other contenders.

The Warriors had also kept in touch – informally – but it felt like that door was closed and Tuivasa-Sheck and his family had already started looking at places to live in Japan.

But before he committed to the Asian adventure, Tuivasa-Sheck wanted to make sure, prompting a cafe meeting with former teammates Tohu Harris and Jazz Tevaga.

“I had a Japan deal lined up,” said Tuivasa-Sheck. “I was just going to go, take my family, explore the world and go from there. But when we were going through the process I called Jazz and Tohu. I said, ‘Sit down, let’s have a coffee, just tell me one thing’.

“‘Do I just go? Go to Japan and take off and see what happens or do I come back [to the Warriors] because there’s something?’ And they both looked at each other and said, ‘Bro, there’s something here’. That got me excited.”

That was the spark and a catalyst for further conversations with Warriors coach Andrew Webster. Tuivasa-Sheck liked what he heard from the Australian but still needed more convincing.

“He told me we’re going to be a team that competes, we’re going to turn up for each other,” said Tuivasa-Sheck. “And I said, ‘Webby, I’ve heard that before – tell me what’s different’. He said, ‘We’re going to be learning. I’ve got a group of coaches that are going to teach, make better rugby league players.’ And that’s what this club needed. We’ve got talent in this city, in this country, guys who can compete.”

The final step came in the first month of the 2023 season, as he watched the Warriors win four of their first five games, three by tight margins. That was the evidence needed to be willing to step back, after his sweet and sour first stint. While there were good moments, there was plenty of misery and it never felt like the Auckland club were able to make the most of his talents.

“I just had to see it,” said Tuivasa-Sheck. “If you put yourself in my shoes, I’ve been here from 2016. I’ve had three or four coaches. I’ve had different [chief executives] sell me the same: ‘We’re going to do a, b and c to get this title’.

“And each year it goes up, then we lose the coach. If I go into somewhere I’m going to give it my all. And my family, they’ve seen me in [the] darkest times, because I’m always putting in here and we haven’t had the best of seasons when I was here. So I had to see it come to life. Everyone was talking about it but that’s what they’ve done every year I saw it. I felt it and now I’m back.”

He was a fan in 2023, attending some games and was particularly impressed by the small things.

“Kick chase, defence, goal-line defence, that’s all attitude,” said Tuivasa-Sheck. “I loved it. I want to go and compete next to players like that.”

Tuivasa-Sheck cut an impressive figure on Thursday, in his first media appearance since officially rejoining the club on a three-year contract until 2026. In typical fashion, the 30-year-old reported to pre-season training earlier than necessary, mixing it with the aspiring youngsters for a few sessions before the majority of the NRL players returned.

Adjusting has been tough, with the extra aerobic work required in league defensively due to the 10-metre rule, along with the brutal wrestling sessions. He admitted to feeling “like a kid” again, learning the ropes in some areas.

Club insiders say his numbers have been impressive, even allowing for his two-season absence from the sport. Though he bulked up to play 12 in union, he won’t drop many kilos for the NRL, though his body composition will change slightly.

What hasn’t changed in his mindset, one of the most driven athletes in New Zealand sport, as he admitted to some unfinished business at Mt Smart.

“It’s always been a dream of mine to win the premiership here, that’s why I came here in 2016,” said Tuivasa-Sheck. “That’s why I resigned a lot longer. The only reason I left is I had two kids at home that I just couldn’t be away from for three years [during the Covid relocation]. That’s why I came home. So I got the opportunity to come back and let’s try and chase it again.”

Tuivasa-Sheck also had no regrets about his time in rugby, playing a straight bat when asked if he got a fair crack.

“I enjoyed my time in rugby,” said Tuivasa-Sheck. “I met some good people and I got to don the black jersey – I’m happy with that. I wish I won a few titles with Auckland and the Blues but I definitely enjoyed my time there.”

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