Roger Tuivasa-Sheck shone for the New Zealand Warriors against the Newcastle Knights at Go Media Stadium Mt Smart. Photo / Photosport
Roger Tuivasa-Sheck shone for the New Zealand Warriors against the Newcastle Knights at Go Media Stadium Mt Smart. Photo / Photosport
OPINION
Roger Tuivasa-Sheck is the greatest fullback in Warriors history.
No argument.
He’s also one of the best custodians of the NRL’s modern era, redefining the position with the Roosters in 2015 and sparkling at Mt Smart in subsequent seasons, particularly between 2018-2020.
The debate around Tuivasa-Sheck and his positional destiny needs to stop, even if it feels like it is just getting started, after his superb performance last Sunday against the Knights.
It was an extraordinary display, given he has barely trained at fullback in the pre-season. There might be more - depending on injuries - but for now, coach Andrew Webster needs a chance to exhibit his master plan, which sees Tuivasa-Sheck becoming a top-line centre.
Webster is hoping for a best-of-both-worlds scenario. The Warriors feel they need more X-factor out wide - which Tuivasa-Sheck can provide - while incumbent fullback Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad remains a key part of the spine.
With all the recent discussion, it’s easy to forget just how good Nicoll-Klokstad was last year, with rock solid defence, strong organisation, work rate and offensive threat.
It’s difficult to split the two. They have similar approaches to preparation, extras and constant improvement. Captain Tohu Harris remarked on Wednesday that when he arrived at the club in 2018, those two stood out as the most diligent trainers.
On other measures, Tuivasa-Sheck is more dynamic and elusive as a runner, while Nicoll-Klokstad has the edge in setting up his outsides and is a marginally better defender.
Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad will return at fullback for the Warriors this weekend. Photo / Photosport
But most crucially, Nicoll-Klokstad has a year of work behind him, which he should be allowed to build on. At times last season, it felt like a new peak for the 28-year-old, even better than his output with the Raiders in 2019 and 2020.
And Tuivasa-Sheck at centre is still an unknown quantity; he’s only played one full NRL match there this season (against the Storm in Melbourne) and was outstanding that night. How good could he become, given his raptor-like ability to learn? The plan needs to be given time: at least 10 matches before it can be judged.
Obviously, it’s not without risk. Tuivasa-Sheck has less space and freedom at centre, in a highly congested area of the field where line breaks are harder to achieve. He’ll also be using a lot more petrol defensively; at least 15 tackles a match compared to a handful at fullback and will be targeted by opposition second-rowers.
But it’s worth the stretch because of the potential payoff. Imagine having the duo terrorising forwards up the middle of the field at different times, along with the team’s potential once the attacking structures click on either side of the field.
“I’m so excited to have both of them on the field at the same time,” admitted Harris, ahead of Saturday’s match against South Sydney (5pm). “I’ve said multiple times how hard Roger works - he will outwork anyone - and Charnze is right there alongside him.”
Webster will also know that he can backtrack, if necessary, and still have both in the 17. Nicoll-Klokstad is an accomplished centre, with six tests for the Kiwis in that position and could slot in there, with Tuivasa-Sheck reverting to No 1.
But at the moment that feels unlikely. Webster is not pursuing this plan to be nice to Nicoll-Klokstad, or to avoid ructions in the dressing room. He’s doing this because he genuinely believes it is one of the key steps for the Warriors to move from good to great; from competing with the top guns to beating them.
If he didn’t, there would have been another scenario. First-grade coaches, even ones with as much current goodwill as Webster, don’t have room to be too sentimental.
Perhaps all the debate and conjecture over the last few months stems from our memories of high profile positional switches in the past.
All Blacks fans will shudder if you mention Christian Cullen at centre during the 1999 Rugby World Cup, or Leon McDonald being used in the same position four years later in Sydney in the semifinal against the Wallabies.
There was another fateful switch in the 2007 quarter-final, with specialist fullback Mils Muliaina used in the midfield.
In cricket, the legendary Martin Crowe was used at opener for a period - which didn’t really work - and All Whites fans will remember the ill-fated experiment of striker Chris Killen briefly being turned into a holding midfielder by Ricki Herbert when injuries struck.
And then there was Grant Dalton, who as well as syndicate boss and managing director of Team New Zealand at the 2013 America’s Cup campaign, decided to be a grinder on the AC72 at the age of 58, which proved a talking point that wouldn’t retreat all throughout the San Francisco regatta.
