Tuivasa-Shock Warriors star quits NRL to aim for All Black tour

Roger Tuivasa-Sheck will sacrifice around $250,000 in an ambitious bid to kickstart his All Blacks dream as early as next week.

Arguably New Zealand’s best player in the modern era announced on Monday he had played his last game in the NRL and would fly home on Thursday to beat the closure of the trans-Tasman travel bubble.

Heading home ... Roger Tuivasa-Sheck has played his last game for the New Zealand Warriors.Credit:Getty Images

With the Warriors no longer in finals contention, and the news New Zealand would close its borders to Australia until September 24 after Friday, an emotional Tuivasa-Sheck flagged the early exit with club chief executive Cameron George and coach Nathan Brown on Sunday.

Given his service to the club, the Warriors did not hesitate in granting the fullback his one last wish.

Had they waited, Tuivasa-Sheck ran the risk of not being able to return home or find an available quarantine facility until late November. This is the bleak scenario now facing the Warriors players.

Roger Tuivasa-Sheck takes it up against the Cowboys earlier this season.Credit:Getty

On $1m a year, Tuivasa-Sheck would have collected around $250,000 for the final three months of his Warriors deal.

Now the 28-year-old will earn a maximum $50,000 playing in the ITM Cup - formerly known as the National Provincial Championships - with Auckland. The plan was to finish with the Warriors and squeeze in three or four games at the end of the ITM Cup.

But with the opportunity to train and play every game, Tuivasa-Sheck is hopeful of forcing his way on to the planned end-of-year European Tour with the All Blacks, even if it as an ‘apprentice’.

The world’s most successful and famous rugby side often takes ‘apprentices’ on overseas trips to help fast-track their development and understanding of the All Blacks set-up. The Kiwis are scheduled to tour the US and Europe in late October.

A one-time Rooster ... the 28-year-old spent ten years in the top flight, including his first four at the Roosters.Credit:Hannah Peters/Getty Images

His two-year deal with Super Rugby franchise the Auckland Blues and New Zealand Rugby does not officially commence until November 1.

The next goal is to represent New Zealand at next year’s Rugby World Cup, where good judges believe Tuivasa-Sheck, who played 195 games in the NRL, and mostly at fullback, would make an ideal inside or outside centre.

Tuivasa-Sheck was concussed against Penrith, missed last weekend’s blowout against South Sydney, and was due to play against the Wests Tigers on Friday.

Tigers coach Michael Maguire is also in charge of New Zealand and while shattered not to have Tuivasa-Sheck on board for the World Cup at the end of the year - before New Zealand pulled out of the tournament - he will be grateful his club does not have to try and contain him.

Tuivasa-Sheck returned home with his family during the club’s bye round at the start of last month, and they did not make the trek to Queensland.

Like all Warriors fans, Tuivasa-Sheck was disappointed with where his side was sitting on the NRL ladder. They have been on the road the best part of two seasons because of COVID, and after one week in Queensland quarantine, rival players have quickly appreciated what the Warriors have endured.

“I hope the fans saw me as somebody who put it all out there on the field and tried his best every time. [If they do] I’ll be happy with that,” Tuivasa-Sheck said.

Warriors CEO Cameron George received a call early Sunday from Tuivasa-Sheck who said, “are you by your computer, I want to send you an email”. He then met with George and coach Nathan Brown in the team room of their Gold Coast hotel and went through the options.

“That was my Sunday in the hub,” George quipped.

“There wasn’t much to do on Sunday, but he certainly injected some action into my life.

“Roger has led us through the toughest times in our club’s history, and this is one way we can repay him for that [with a leave pass].

“There are no problems with ourselves and Roger, it’s about us finding the best solution during a very challenging time.”

Tuivasa-Sheck endorsed his fullback heir apparent Reece Walsh and said of the teenager: “Reece can be a superstar in this game, he’s already shown glimpses, there are still things he needs to polish, but he’s an 19-year-old kid ... he’s going to be something special in the future.”

Tuivasa-Sheck won the 2018 Dally M Medal and clinched the 2013 title with the Sydney Roosters as a winger.

Never miss a medal or great sporting moment with our Olympic update emailed daily. Sign up for our Sport newsletter here.

Christian Nicolussi covers rugby league for The Sydney Morning Herald.

Share this post