Roger Tuivasa-Sheck was weighing up his options when he met Warriors coach Andrew Webster for what was meant to be an “informal coffee.”
He had entered his final year of his Super Rugby contract and was open to a change after ticking off the goal of an All Blacks debut.
An offer from a Japanese rugby club was on the table, while a move to the UK was also an option.
But Webster, with a couple of other club officials, did the unexpected when they convinced Tuivasa-Sheck to return to the Warriors despite him genuinely thinking his time in the game was “done.”
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“They started using rugby league lingo with me and it just straight away got me,” the 30-year-old told foxsports.com.au.
Tuivasa-Sheck signed a three-year deal with the Warriors last April. But the seed was planted by his manager months earlier.
“In 2022 I had an end-of-year review with my manager. We started looking at (things): we got the black jersey; we played for the Blues — what’s next because after 2023 we’re off contract so what are we looking to do?
“From then it was ‘what do we have on the table? There’s a Japanese deal, potentially a UK deal’ but then he said ‘I’ve got something for you that’s different — back to rugby league and back to the Warriors’.”
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A return to the club he previously spent six years at wasn’t initially a part of Tuivasa-Sheck’s plans. But he sat on the idea for a while and became increasingly curious after the Warriors won three of their first four games of last season.
“I did whatever I could to try my best to win a title with the club (previously) and unfortunately I didn’t get one so I thought that was me done, it was time to pass it on,” Tuivasa-Sheck said.
“I weighed it up with my family over the Christmas period and heading into the rugby season I played my rugby but watched the Warriors and just saw how much they’ve changed in 2023 and what they’re creating.
“I sat back and thought ‘can I have one more go at this? And is there a chance to go back and try and chase the ultimate dream’, which is to win a premiership with the Warriors and be the first one to do it. That really excited me.”
Tuivasa-Sheck’s manager set up an interview with Webster, Warriors CEO Cameron George and recruitment boss Andrew McFadden.
The cross-code international knew all three personally so was excited to have what he thought was going to be just a casual catch-up. But before he knew it, Webster started talking footy and the mission to bring Tuivasa-Sheck home was complete.
“We were only meant to catch up for a coffee, very informal. I was like ‘hey Webby, how’s the family? A baby on the way? I’m excited for you’,” he recalled.
“He sat me down, pulled out his laptop and he had a presentation. I was like ‘woah, what’s going on?’ He said ‘sorry I like it better when I can paint it out for you.’
“He had highlight packages of different players from different games and how he could see me playing, how he could see me back fitting in with the team. Him showing me those pictures got me excited.
“As soon as they got me into that room, the way they spoke to me I just lent in. They started using rugby league lingo with me and it just straight away got me. Where at rugby I just questioned everything.
“Every time we had a conversation (in rugby union) I’d say ‘sorry, what does that mean?’ So when I could feel more comfortable with the rugby league language it just got me excited even more.”
Tuivasa-Sheck, who won a premiership with the Roosters in 2013, officially returned to the club in November and admitted he “forgot how tough an NRL pre-season is.”
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But ask his teammates and they’ll tell you it’s almost like he never left.
“He’s been settling in (quickly), he’s a fast learner and he’s going to pick the game back up really quick,” Shaun Johnson told foxsports.com.au.
“I forgot how intense he is with everything he does. He trains like he plays and that’s been really refreshing for the group to see — someone that prepares and approaches training the exact same way he does with games. He’s been really good for us.
“He’s got the footwork even when he doesn’t need to have the footwork. He’s stepping pads and people that just walk by — he can’t help himself — I don’t think he’s ever going to lose that.”
Meanwhile, Addin Fonua-Blake has noticed how much of an impact just Tuivasa-Sheck’s presence is having on the squad.
“You can tell some of the younger guys are a bit in awe of Roger,” he told foxsports.com.au.
“He has that thing about him where everything he does, everyone just turns their head and wants to watch what he’s doing because he’s such a great athlete and such a great role model.”
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Prior to making the code switch Tuivasa-Sheck was one of the best fullbacks in the game and in 2018 became the first Warriors player to win the Dally M.
But the No.1 jersey will remain with Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad after an outstanding season in which Tuivasa-Sheck said he “killed it.”
Tuivasa-Sheck’s place in the side is still yet to be decided but he’s been training mainly in the centres and a little on the wing.
In his previous stint at the club there wasn’t much success — the highest the Warriors finished between 2016 and 2021 was eighth and they were knocked out of finals in week one.
Tuivasa-Sheck has returned at the right time. The club secured a top four finish last season and made it through to a preliminary final.
The squad has gotten stronger too with the addition of premiership-winner Kurt Capewell and return of Chanel Harris-Tavita along with Tuivasa-Sheck.
Webster — reigning Coach of the Year — has transformed the club in 12 months and it hasn’t taken long for Tuivasa-Sheck to notice that.
“The bones are still the same… but the culture and the vibe is definitely different,” he said.
“I feel like there’s a lot more (feeling of) always wanting to make something happen where in previous years there was just a handful of us that were trying to push and get things going.
“But nowadays everyone is taking ownership of trying to bring success to this club — you can feel that. And when everyone is on the same page it makes everything clearer.”
Tuivasa-Sheck will be 33-years old when his current deal with the Warriors expires, but hasn’t thought that far into the future yet.
When asked if he’d like to finish his professional sporting career in the NRL and with the Warriors, ‘RTS’ said: “I’m not too sure to be honest, I feel like it’s still too early for me (to decide that).”
“I’m not looking at the end picture just yet — that was my thing coming into this season just to be a kid again and love rugby league,” he added.
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