Warriors captain Roger Tuivasa-Sheck dismisses contract speculation

  • 09/02/2018

Warriors skipper Roger Tuivasa-Sheck has dismissed suggestions that he's eyeing a departure from Mt. Smart.

Rumours have been swirling that the Warriors player of the year is weighing up either a move to rugby union or to another NRL franchise at the end of his current deal, which expires after the upcoming season.

He's been linked to a number of other teams, including the Wests Tigers and the South Sydney Rabbitohs, as well as Super Rugby's Auckland-based Blues.

However, the 24-year-old told NRL.com that the rumours were simply part of the game, and that his focus remains on the Warriors ahead of their 2018 campaign.

"It's just a part of the NRL, I'm off contract and everyone wants to know what's going to happen and I'm the same, I want to nail it down but at the same time I have to make sure I am making the right decision for myself and my family," Tuivasa-Sheck said.

"I think the noise is a good thing. I must be doing something right but for now I'm focusing on round one and the time will come for when it's time to make a decision.

"I just turn up and get ready for what's ahead – prepare for the first trial. My manager will sort all that other stuff out."

The Kiwis fullback said the rumours hadn't been a distraction, with his attention primarily centered around integrating new on-field combinations with their host of new recruits, in particular his own __ with new halves pairing Shaun Johnson and Blake Green.

"The combo is coming along nicely. Greeny brings a lot to our team and it has been going really good.

"I've been trying to link in and learn more off the new guys like Adam Blair, Tohu Harris, Blake Green, all those players have been playing in top-four footy and that's where we want to be."

Earlier in the week Warriors chief executive Cameron George confirmed he'd been in talks with Tuivasa-Sheck in regards to securing his services in the long-term.

"We have had open, honest and frank discussions about what we're trying to achieve and the timeframe in which we could do that," George said.

"He's a massive part of that for us and he knows that."

Newshub.