RTS to leave the Warriors ?

[Davo5]

Is club captain & star player leaving at seasons end ?

https://wwos.nine.com.au/nrl/roger-tuivasa-sheck-quits-nrl-warriors-all-blacks-rugby-switch/c6e5fd9b-4f2e-429e-86b0-ae1f177ad902?ocid=Social-WWOS

[Martyn Sadler]

4 hours ago, Davo5 said:

Is club captain & star player leaving at seasons end ?

https://wwos.nine.com.au/nrl/roger-tuivasa-sheck-quits-nrl-warriors-all-blacks-rugby-switch/c6e5fd9b-4f2e-429e-86b0-ae1f177ad902?ocid=Social-WWOS

I hate reading a story like this.

Is there any greater sign that the battle against rugby union in the southern hemisphere still has a long way to run?

And could there be a clearer sign that we need to build the international game in our own code?

And could there be anything more obvious than the need for the NRL to strengthen the game in New Zealand by bringing on board a second Kiwi club?

[Graham]

As well as Nine, Daily Telegraph (Aus), NRL.com and Fox Sports are all running this story suggesting it’s a done deal and will be happening.

The answer to your question Davo then seems to be yes.

The details seems to be:

1. He’ll play NRL for Warriors in the 2021 season
2. He’ll end his contract with them early and move to Auckland Blues (Rugby Union) thereafter
3. His ambition is to earn a place in the All Blacks team

Its sad to see another such talented players leave our game who feels he has achieved what he can in RL and sees RU International game as being the thing to aspire to.

[DavidM]

These stories have circulated for a couple of years now . It’s a shame for the game but understandable . He obviously wants to be in NZ , but you wonder where he’s going with the Warriors outfit , and may see the All Blacks as a more attractive option in terms of achievement . I think personally he will jump ship after the WC

[Cumbrian Mackem]

Not particularly nice or easy to accept but rugby Union is a far bigger game than rugby league.

Give it 2-3 years and we’ll be reading the same stories about Kalyn ponga.

[unapologetic pedant]

1 hour ago, Martyn Sadler said:

I hate reading a story like this.

I agree with your other points, but there`s no more reason to be dispirited with stories like this than there was to feel triumphant when Welsh RU players signed for RL clubs. 

The enduring grip RU has on NZ schools is a far greater long-term concern than the loss of any elite level player. When an All Black used to occasionally go to League, it had no effect on the fundamentals. The NZRU knew that as long as they controlled what was played in schools, the future would always belong to them.

[Martyn Sadler]

56 minutes ago, unapologetic pedant said:

I agree with your other points, but there`s no more reason to be dispirited with stories like this than there was to feel triumphant when Welsh RU players signed for RL clubs. 

The enduring grip RU has on NZ schools is a far greater long-term concern than the loss of any elite level player. When an All Black used to occasionally go to League, it had no effect on the fundamentals. The NZRU knew that as long as they controlled what was played in schools, the future would always belong to them.

Unfortunately you are correct, although I never felt triumphant in the old days when we signed rugby union stars. My reaction was always that it gave more motivation to play the other code and then sign for a big fee, rather than play amateur Rugby League and sign for peanuts, which is what usually used to happen.

[Exiled Wiganer]

I may be wrong, but there seem to be fewer of these stories than we used to see, which suggests that the NRL is pretty strong. He has a personal ambition, and I can understand that. The All Blacks have a massive hold over the NZ psyche. All we can do is work on our own development paths and try and find ways to make it sufficiently challenging and interesting to stay in our game. We won’t keep people who are inclined to leave, but let’s give every star who can be kept reasons to stay on our game. 

[Futtocks]

4 hours ago, Graham said:

As well as Nine, Daily Telegraph (Aus), NRL.com and Fox Sports are all running this story suggesting it’s a done deal and will be happening.

The answer to your question Davo then seems to be yes.

The details seems to be:

1. He’ll play NRL for Warriors in the 2021 season
2. He’ll end his contract with them early and move to Auckland Blues (Rugby Union) thereafter
3. His ambition is to earn a place in the All Blacks team

Its sad to see another such talented players leave our game who feels he has achieved what he can in RL and sees RU International game as being the thing to aspire to.

Clearly not expecting the Warriors to make the playoffs, then.

Looking at the Blues' trophy haul over the last decade, I reckon he'll feel right at home there.

[unapologetic pedant]

36 minutes ago, Martyn Sadler said:

Unfortunately you are correct, although I never felt triumphant in the old days when we signed rugby union stars. My reaction was always that it gave more motivation to play the other code and then sign for a big fee, rather than play amateur Rugby League and sign for peanuts, which is what usually used to happen.

I wish all RL journalists had been of the same mind. From what I recall, the reaction to a Union signing was an excess of fawning mixed with a peculiar 1895 sense of vindication. Being charitable, general sports journalists controlled the narrative, so maybe it was hard to resist that influence.

There`s a thread on the general forum bemoaning the current absence of star names of the Hanley/Offiah/Davies variety we had in the late80s/early90s. But an unhealthy number of our well-known players came from RU. The celebrity status conferred by the very act of signing for a League club, augmented by pro-RU propaganda, persistently gave the impression that RL depended on RU players to stimulate interest. A terrible image for the game to project.

It`s testimony to Ellery`s prowess that he managed to cut through to popular consciousness despite having no background in RU. The only real blot on the great man`s copybook was his willingness to use his profile to promote the London Monarchs at a time when he was refusing to do RL media work.

[JM2010]

Even though the NRL is probably the biggest domestic rugby competition, International RU can be a bigger draw as they get to play in regular, big and prestigious competitions.

I think if RL developed a strong and structured International game with big competitions each year then RU wouldnt be as much of a draw card and players wouldn't be ad tempted to switch codes

[graveyard johnny]

RTS has wasted his career away at the warriors, no matter how good he was he was never gonna win anything- if he had stayed at roosters or another top club he could have been one of the biggest stars in the world, by the time he goes to the dark side due to age and a  string of injuries  his best days will be behind him - but good luck to him all the same

[DiddyDave]

On 29/01/2021 at 02:04, unapologetic pedant said:

I agree with your other points, but there`s no more reason to be dispirited with stories like this than there was to feel triumphant when Welsh RU players signed for RL clubs. 

The enduring grip RU has on NZ schools is a far greater long-term concern than the loss of any elite level player. When an All Black used to occasionally go to League, it had no effect on the fundamentals. The NZRU knew that as long as they controlled what was played in schools, the future would always belong to them.

Yes,the game of rugby union is entrenched in the school system in NZ. Other winter codes like league,hockey and football have to fight tooth and nail to be played and when they are,generally the schools don`t give them much help to get established for obvious reasons. Football,though it`s probably played by thousands of kids every Saturday,has no chance in NZ,the professional game just isn`t there,but I think league is more popular now than it ever was in ultra conservative NZ and that`s why a successful Warriors/Kiwis is a must.