It’s been a year to remember for Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, but the Sydney Roosters winger with the dancing feet is determined to still be playing until November.
Tuivasa-Sheck scored the try that earned his teammates a much-needed week off to recover from their bruising 4-0 win over Manly in an NRL qualifying final for the ages at Allianz Stadium on September 14.
The sight of Manly grimly holding on for dear life in the final stages of their 24-18 win over Cronulla on Friday wouldn’t have gone unnoticed at Bondi Junction, with Trent Robinson’s side now having the luxury of a 14-day turnaround before facing Wayne Bennett’s Newcastle on Saturday.
Tuivasa-Sheck played down his role in the win claiming he would have let his side down had he not been alert to a James Maloney grubber-kick to score an eighth minute try.
But thoughts of any more time off are the furthest thing from his mind with the likeable Aucklander desperate to break into the New Zealand Rugby League World Cup squad later this year.
“It’s my dream to play for my country and to do that and win a premiership for the Roosters would be unreal,” Tuivasa-Sheck told AAP.
“I had a small taste of being in the squad as 18th man earlier this year in Canberra and it was one of the highlights of my career.
“I have spoken to (coach) Steve Kearney and he has just told me to keep working hard and I have a chance to make the squad.
“But my focus has to be doing my job for the Roosters and improving my game before I can think about anything else.”
Tuivasa-Sheck is one of seven Kiwis in the Roosters side that will run out against the Knights but admits like everyone else at the club he’s none the wiser about the future plans of Sonny Bill Williams.
“It’s great to have him alongside me, a real honour to call him a teammate and I have learned so much from him,” he said.
“But it’s not for me to ask him what he’s going to do – it’s not really my business to do that.
“I would love him to be here next year, but Sonny will make his mind up when he’s ready. Regardless of what he does I’ll always call him a good friend.”