Despite Roger Tuivasa-Sheck’s blistering performance at fullback against the Knights, the cross-code superstar will move back to the centres next week when Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad returns.
That is according to Warriors coach Andrew Webster who welcomes the questions about who will play fullback but declared the jersey belongs to Nicoll-Klokstad.
With Nicoll-Klokstad and Taine Tuaupiki both sidelined, Webster turned to Tuivasa-Sheck to step into the No.1 jersey.
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The 30-year-old won a Dally M in the position before exiting the game in 2021 to chase his rugby union dream. He returned to the Warriors this season — but to play centre.
Tuivasa-Sheck carved up in an epic battle with Knights No.1 Kalyn Ponga in front of a packed Go Media Stadium. He took 28 runs for 278 metres and got seven tackle busts.
With Nicoll-Klokstad “definitely playing” next week, debate has kicked off over who is best suited to fullback.
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But Webster put a pin it by revealing it’s Tuivasa-Sheck that wants to play centre this year.
“It’s my favourite question, again, the Roger to fullback question,” he laughed.
“The thing about it is, it’s good noise. Roger brings that because we all know what he’s done in the game.
“I laugh about it, I make jokes about it. I’m not sick of them — they can keep coming. Hopefully I can be as resilient as the boys were tonight with them. I’m giving you permission to keep asking.
“But I want to be clear, because it’s almost like people think I’m lying, [Nicoll-Klokstad at fullback] is how we want to go. It’s how Roger wants to go.
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“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.
“The questions can keep coming… but Charnze was that close to the Golden Boot last year and he’s coming back into the team.
“(Tuivasa-Sheck’s) role here is to play centre.
“The day he signed he said ‘I want to play in this position for this club. I don’t want to disrupt Charnze or the club. I want to win a competition.’
“It’s not about the individual and that’s led by Roger, not by me.”
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Webster was “so proud” of Tuivasa-Sheck’s performance in the No.1 jersey though. But also wasn’t surprised that he slotted in seamlessly.
“After talking to Rog, I feel like he learnt plenty tonight. I think he feels the NRL is a different beast to when he left it,” he said.
“He hasn’t done a lot of reps at fullback, we’ve been concentrating on centre so I was proud.
“It’s such a cool thing to have a guy that’s played a lot of fullback in his career, he’s nailing centre and nailing his role but then when you need him and he’s reliable.
“The things I knew Roger would be good at tonight he was good at — kick returns, carrying the ball in the middle of the field and we ran a little play with Rog back on the inside. I knew he was going to be good at all that stuff.”
Source Agencies
