Roger Tuivasa-Sheck is heading back to the Warriors although the New Zealand-based club will not be pushing for the 29-year-old to secure an early release from the Auckland Blues.
That is at least according to The Daily Telegraph’s David Riccio, who reported on Triple M’s ‘Saturday Scrum’ that the Warriors have “given absolutely no indication” they want Tuivasa-Sheck early.
Watch every game of every round of the 2023 NRL Telstra Premiership Season LIVE on Kayo Sports. New to Kayo? Start your free trial now >
“Roger Tuivasa-Sheck will join the Warriors from November 1,” Riccio said.
“I can tell you that I have spoken to Warriors management about the question a lot of fans have been asking is, ‘Why don’t the Warriors try get Roger now? Why don’t they try get him once the Super Rugby final is complete and his commitments with the Auckland Blues are over and he may just be this X-factor to drive the Warriors all the way to the finals?’.
“The Warriors aren’t going to go down that path. They have huge respect for the path Roger is on and his ambition as an individual to do everything he can to achieve success with the Blues but also wear an All Blacks jersey at the end of this year at the World Cup.
“At this point in time the Warriors have given absolutely no indication, no suggestion whatsoever that they will request Roger joins them this year.”
It was widely expected that Tuivasa-Sheck’s return would see fan favourite Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad moved out of the fullback jumper and shifted to centre.
Riccio though does not believe that will be the case and in fact has received mail that the Dally M winner will instead line up in at centre himself.
“My mail is that Roger won’t be playing fullback,” Riccio said.
“He’ll be playing in the centres for the Warriors when he returns. I think that’s a big part of why the Warriors may not go down this path of asking for an early release because he still needs some physical, as crazy as it sounds, transitioning. That takes a pre-season.”
