Roger Tuivasa-Sheck fronts the media for the first time after returning to the Warriors Photo: supplied
He was the talk of the town after announcing a sensational code switch a couple of years ago. But while Roger Tuivasa-Sheck's rugby union journey took him up the road to Eden Park, it feels like he's back at home now. Go Media Mt Smart Stadium was the scene of the former Warriors captain's first press engagement after re-joining the NRL side, but it might have been very different had he not sat down for a coffee with a couple of his former team mates.
After it became clear his stint in an All Black jersey had come to an end, Tuivasa-Sheck admitted he had taken an offer to play rugby in Japan seriously. So seriously in fact, his family were Googling how to pronounce the local language.
"I called Jazz (Tavaga) and Tohu (Harris). I sat down and said 'do I just go, take off to Japan or do I come back? Is there something here (at the Warriors)?' And they said 'bro, there's something here. That got me excited, so I made the decision." the 31-year-old told a sizeable media contingent.
"It feels like home," Tuivasa-Sheck said.
"I'm sore. I definitely forgot about the rugby league pre-seasons, it's intense, it's tough. We go from a field session to a speed session to a wrestle session - it's a lot for just one day. And I'm not getting any younger."
Tuivasa-Sheck rejoins the team after a two year stint in union that can best be described as frustrating. Chucked into the midfield by the Blues, into a poorly performing All Black team and expected to work miracles, then finally onto the scrapheap of the NPC instead of a World Cup spot.
Photo: Brett Phibbs / www.photosport.nz Photo: Brett Phibbs / Photosport
"It's all the defensive decisions," Tuivasa-Sheck said when asked about the main adjustment switching back to league.
"In rugby you're right there on the last man's foot but in league you're back 10 metres. It's a lot of footwork stuff and trying to make sure I'm making the right plays."
There is one elephant in the room, though. In Tuivasa-Sheck's absence, the Warriors have not only gotten better, but thrived. 2023 saw them have their best season in over a decade, reaching a preliminary final off the back of first year coach Andrew Webster putting together a very well-balanced side.
"I don't think they fluked it last year," Tuivasa-Sheck said.
"No one's trying to hide from what's in front of them. Everyone here's applying themselves and that's what I'm enjoying."
Roger Tuivasa-Sheck leads the Warriors out on his 100th game for the club. Photo: David Neilson
A big part of that was Webster, who was named Coach of the Year at the season-ending Dally M Award, being able to get the most out of a number of key players. One of those was fullback Charnze Niccol-Klokstad, who Webster has already anointed the position to next season.
"He's killing it," Webster said of Tuivasa-Sheck's effort in pre-season so far.
"He's everything we want and I hope we're everything that he wants."
So where does Tuivasa-Sheck fit into the Warriors team? Further complicating matters are the re-signings of centres Adam Pompey and Rocco Berry, but Webster said the former fullback and wing is part of a competitive group.
"Obviously he's not at fullback, unless it was maybe third-choice. We want him to focus on centre, maybe even wing. I threw all the outside backs in a room the other day and said 'boys, it's yours to go after here'. Someone is going to be sitting on the sideline…they should be competing and I put a few of them on their toes.
"It's not about Rog, although he wants to win for the town he's from. He's got to do it with other people around him and he can make them better."
It's fair to say that the club that Roger Tuivasa-Sheck has walked back into is very different to the one he left. There's a new coach, success and a desire to win a premiership. Without all of those things and a little encouragement from his mates, it's likely he's be somewhere in Japan right now.