Tuivasa-Sheck ready to test season-ending knee injury

Roger Tuivasa-Sheck of the Warriors in action against Melbourne Storm. Photo/Jason Oxenham

NZ Warriors fullback Roger Tuivasa-Sheck feels like he's nearing top speed again, after spending most of the past 12 months rehabilitating a season-ending knee injury.

Tuivasa-Sheck ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament of his left knee in the Warriors' 24-20 win over Canterbury Bulldogs last April, just seven games into his first season with the Auckland-based club.

But the Kiwis international, the NRL's top metre-eater the previous year for Sydney Roosters, is ready to resume his Warriors career.

I'm pumped," he insists. "It feels awesome.

"Back in November, I hit the ground running from day one. It's been a good build-up and I'm just excited to get some more footy into it now.

"It took some time, but I'm flying now. I trust my knee, because I trust in the medical team that I have here and the people around me.

"Now I'm just putting it against the boys to see how it goes."

Tuivasa-Sheck admits he still has bad days, but has learned to cope with those minor setbacks, as he prepares for the new season.

"About two weeks ago, I thought I was flying, and I woke up one morning and I was puffing again," he says. "That's probably the toughest part - when I think I'm right and then it just doesn't work with me.

"It's a normal thing, they keep telling me, so don't get too hard on myself. It's been nine months since I ran, so it's going to flare up.

"They know about it - it's not something random, so just keep going, ice up, recover well and be healthy, because there will come a time when my knee will be normal again."

Part of the recovery process for Tuivasa-Sheck has been a greater awareness of running mechanics. The thing that once came naturally now come as a conscious effort.

"I was probably doing it anyway, but now I'm just more aware of it."