The one piece of advice Gus won’t give Roger Tuivasa-Sheck
Warriors superstar Roger Tuivasa-Sheck has praised the immediate influence of Phil Gould.
And while ‘Gus’ has given him plenty of advice – and is a man known for his excellent persuasive powers – not once has he tried to get Tuivasa-Sheck to back out of his All Blacks dream, which is something the No. 1 has appreciated.
There is only one bit of advice Phil Gould hasn’t given to Roger Tuivasa-Sheck.Credit:Wolter Peeters
“Gus has actually been really supportive and understands it’s been a lifelong dream of mine,” Tuivasa-Sheck told the Herald.
“He just wants the best for me this year.
“The one thing he keeps saying is, ‘I’ve seen everything in rugby league before and I’ve done everything in rugby league’.
“The aura he brings to the club, every time he stands there watching training, every time he speaks, people listen. He’s been awesome.
Roger Tuivasa-Sheck at Thursday’s NRL launch.Credit:Getty
“Every chance I’ll get I’ll go up to him and tap him on the shoulder after training and ask, ‘how was that session?’ or ‘how was that play?’.
“He gives me confidence about my running game and how I should look to run first. I’m trying to use him as much as I can.”
It was not lost on Tuivasa-Sheck that he was attending his last NRL season launch this week. He will switch to rugby at the end of the year with his availability for the Kiwis’ World Cup campaign yet to be determined.
Tuivasa-Sheck would also not rule out a potential return to league once he chases his Rugby World Cup dream in 2023.
Setting off … Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (second from left) joins Jamal Fogarty, Jason Taumalolo and Alex Glenn.Credit:Getty Images
One of the last competitive games of rugby Tuivasa-Sheck played in was a decade ago at Knox Grammar when the lethal boot of No. 10 Jack Debreczeni helped the Australian Schoolboys win.
Tuivasa-Sheck, who had listed in a local program his dream was to “play for the All Blacks”, featured in a New Zealand team with future internationals Ardie Savea, Patrick Tuipulotu and Ngani Laumape.
“We had an outstanding team, we played against an Aussie A team the week before and blew them away by 50,” Tuivasa-Sheck said.
“The following week we played the Aussie Schoolboys at Knox and this No. 10 just kept kicking goals from everywhere. He’d kick penalties from inside their own half. We couldn’t get into any rhythm. That was the last game of rugby I played.”
Now 27, Tuivasa-Sheck has maintained he will not let his mind wander to the rival code at any stage this NRL season.
While the Roosters’ Joey Manu is one player whose name has been listed as a potential fullback replacement for Tuivasa-Sheck – Manu told the Herald last month he wants to make the positional switch – the man himself said there were four genuine candidates already within the club.
“You can’t look past Peta Hiku who moves into fullback when I’m not playing anyway,” Tuivasa-Sheck said.
“There are also a few young kids, Hayze Perham, Adam Pompey, Rocco Berry, along with Hiku, they are the four who should get a first shot at it.
“And I’ll do as much as I can to help and support them.”
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