The injection of some new faces at the Warriors, particularly in the outside backs, has seen the battle for positions start to heat up as the new season rapidly looms – and star winger Roger Tuivasa-Sheck is all for it.
The former Dally M Medallist winner fronted the media on Tuesday as he was named to start in the Warriors lineup for their first pre-season hit out against the Manly Sea Eagles in Napier this Saturday.
Tuivasa-Sheck is also expected to lock down one of the Warriors' wing positions come Round 1, but he is not assuming anything is guaranteed.
The veteran has been quick to praise the off-season arrivals of Alofiana Khan-Pereira and Haizyn Mellars, both who have made an immediate impression during the pre-season.
Khan-Pereira, recruited from the Titans, and Mellars, who joined from South Sydney, have injected fresh energy and raw pace into the squad.
Their presence means Tuivasa-Sheck isn't just fighting for his own spot – he's being pushed every day by two dynamic talents also vying for a coveted spot on the flank, making the battle for spots on the wing one of the hottest contests in the Warriors camp.
But Tuivasa-Sheck is welcoming the challenge. He sees the stiff competition as a positive, both for the club and himself, saying the internal rivalry is exactly what the Warriors need ahead of their new campaign.
“It's the challenge that we all need,” he said of the positional threat of Khan-Pereira and Mellars.
“They're exciting players, so of course they're going to be challenging for a spot. And it makes me grow even more. It makes me want to challenge them to keep that spot, and that's what we need at the Warriors.
“Both of them are freakish athletes. Lofi's (Khan-Pereira) fast, he's got real speed and it's good to have him outside, and having Haize there too, that's it there.
“Everyone is getting a shot. We are all moving around, trying the left wing, right wing, the boys are in different positions … everyone is getting a shot every week, and that is what's making it exciting. You don't know who is going to be playing where until closer to second trial. So, we will see how we go. It's not just me, Lofi and Haize, there's a lot of young boys coming through, so there's exciting times coming up.”
Tuivasa-Sheck insists the Warriors have put last season's disappointing end behind them. Despite the campaign being hampered by major season-ending injuries to key men Luke Metcalf and Mitch Barnett, the mood in camp this pre-season is one of renewed confidence and belief. And the team are hungry and ready to have another crack at NRL glory.
“There's a lot more belief again of what we did last year,” said Tuivasa-Sheck.
“We were pretty disappointed how it finished up. But we had a good crack at it and put ourselves in a place to take a title. But this year, everyone is keen to go again, everyone's grown, everyone's playing fast footy and there is a lot of quality here, so I'm just excited to get back out there.”
