NRL: Roger Tuivasa-Sheck named Warriors' Player of the Year

Specialist Multimedia Sports Journalist·NZ Herald·

19 Sep, 2017 08:27 AM3 mins to read

Captain Roger Tuivasa-Sheck has been named the Warriors' Player of the Year. Photo / photosport.nz

Captain Roger Tuivasa-Sheck became just the fifth back in the club's history to be named the NRL Player of the Year when he took out the title at the Warriors' 23rd season-closing presentation at SKYCITY on Tuesday night.

He's the first backline player to receive the accolade since Manu Vatuvei in 2010 while the only other backs recognised have been Francis Meli (2003), Stacey Jones (1997) and Tea Ropati (1995).

The other 18 winners have been split between 12 forwards with Simon Mannering winning it five times and Steve Price and Ben Matulino twice each.

Mannering and Shaun Johnson were the other finalists but 24-year-old fullback Tuivasa-Sheck headed them off after impressing throughout a challenging season.

Tuivasa-Sheck appeared in all but one of the Warriors' 24 games, scoring 10 tries (his second-highest tally in his six seasons in the NRL behind the 12 he scored in 2015).

Only wing David Fusitu'a (12) scored more tries for the team this year.

In the club's final match against Wests Tigers, Tuivasa-Sheck made 207 metres from 18 runs, the 13th time he gained 200 metres or more during the season.

His total of 4172 metres - an average of 181.4 metres a game - was bettered by only North Queensland's Jason Taumalolo (4469) and Cronulla's Paul Gallen (4387) in the regular season.

Tuivasa-Sheck also stood out in a number of other categories, including second for most runs with 445 (an average of 19.5 a game) behind Gallen's 465 runs, first for bombs defused, first for kick returns and second equal for try saves.

The 31-year-old Mannering won the People's Choice Award after a season in which he went past Jones' club record of 261 appearances.

Mannering clocked 986 tackles (the second most in the regular season) - an average of 44.8 a game - as well as averaging 14.8 runs and 128.3 metres a game while making just six errors.

Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad was named the Clubman of the Year while Bunty Afoa was singled out as the NRL Rookie of the Year ahead of Ata Hingano and Nicoll-Klokstad.

In his first full first-grade campaign, Afoa made 17 appearances.

Finalists for the ISP Player of the Year were Matt Allwood, James Bell, Mason Lino and Ofahiki Ogden with captain and halfback Lino taking out the award.

Lino scored 154 points and also made an NRL comeback with six appearances.

The ISP Team Man of the Year went to utility Sam Cook, who was used in multiple positions while missing just one game all season. Other finalists were Daniel Palavi and Semisi Fotu.

Warriors community ambassador Georgia Hale was named the Club Person of the Year and TeKanawa Harris was recognised as the Sir Peter Leitch Member of the Year.

Long-time sponsor Vodafone was the recipient of the SKYCITY Legacy Award in recognition of the 19 seasons it has been associated with the Warriors.

VODAFONE WARRIORS AWARDS 2017

NRL Player of the Year: Roger Tuivasa-Sheck

NRL Rookie of the Year: Bunty Afoa

ISP Player of the Year: Mason Lino

NYC Player of the Year: Chanel Harris-Tavita

Clubman of the Year: Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad

People's Choice Award: Simon Mannering

Member of the Year: TeKanawa Harris

Legacy Award: Vodafone

NYC Rookie of the Year: Tyler Slade

ISP Team Man of the Year: Sam Cook