Roger Tuivasa-Sheck: My five toughest opponents

Billy Slater is always heavily involved in play, says Roger Tuivasa-Sheck. Photo / Getty Images

In the third of our series on players' toughest rivals, David Skipwith talks to the new Warriors skipper.

I like watching fullbacks and grabbing different parts of their games. At the Sydney Roosters in 2014, when it was Anthony Minichiello's last year, Robbo [coach Trent Robinson] was teaching me the ways of fullback play.

At the time I had a lot better ball-playing skills than Minichiello, so when it came to attack, I would get off my wing and occupy the ball-playing attacking role and Mini would cover my wing.

But in defence and when we were coming out of yardage, we would switch back.

Mini would do all the defensive work at the back because he was the best defensive fullback in the game at that time. I was more used as an attacking player.

When I came over here to the Warriors last season, working with Shaun Johnson, Tui Lolohea and Tommy Leuluai, I was being used as another playmaker.

We worked together, especially close to the goal-line on attack. Tommy and I would work closely together.

At the start of last season, Robbo [former Warriors half Jeff Robson] was there too, so we'd work together on the left edge and I was another option as a half.

Shaun had the right side and his own combinations.

We had calls to the outside backs to communicate that we were not kicking and that we were going to have a play at the line. And we had calls for plays coming off me.

I just wish we'd been able to do it more [before suffering a season-ending ACL injury in round seven against the Bulldogs].

5. Lachlan Coote
(North Queensland Cowboys)
With Lachlan Coote, it's more the defensive side of his game I admire.
Almost every time the opposition make a break he's there to make leg tackles and save a try.

4. Matt Moylan
(Penrith Panthers)
I really enjoy the way he moves in and out of the Panthers line on attack.

He will start on the left side and make a play and then he'll just make his way over to the right side and inject himself.

He's just so good with the ball in hand on either side and I really enjoy watching him.

3. James Tedesco
(Wests Tigers)
With both James Tedesco and Moylan, I really enjoy and admire their speed and playmaking ability.

Before I played Tedesco in round one last year, I did a little bit of homework on him.

He's the type of player who likes to come through the middle of the ruck and chase inside balls from the forwards.

After doing my homework, I could see that I could just shadow him across the field, because wherever he was going, the ball would eventually find him.

If I was able to shut him down there and then, that was going to be a big plus for our team because he's a try-scoring machine.

And definitely on defence, he is always quick off the mark, so we had to try to kick the ball earlier in the tackle count, because he'd always get back into position early ahead of the fifth tackle.

2. Greg Inglis
(South Sydney Rabbitohs)
His strike power and attacking ability make him a tough opponent -- just the confidence and power he has in running the ball.

1. Billy Slater
(Melbourne Storm)
I am a real fan of his positional play and the amount of involvement he has in a game.
He's my No1 NRL fullback, although it's difficult to choose.