RTS on wandering Warriors: 'They've gone away, matured'

Wandering Warriors Te Maire Martin and Chanel Harris-Tavita have returned to the NRL reinvigorated and ready to deliver a historic maiden premiership to Go Media Stadium according to club great Roger Tuivasa-Sheck.

And Tuivasa-Sheck should know. The 2018 Dally M Medalist and 2019 Golden Boot winner tasted premiership glory himself in 2013 with the Roosters and represented the Kiwis in the World Cup final later that year.

Tuivasa-Sheck played 158 of his 242 NRL games with the Warriors and although an ACL tear ended his season in May, he will be front-and-centre at Go Media Stadium for the qualifying final against the Dolphins on Saturday. 

The man known universally as RTS has nothing but respect for the resilience Harris-Tavita and Martin have displayed along the journey.

“They've gone away, they’ve matured, they’ve seen what the world holds and it’s more than just footy,” Tuivasa-Sheck told NRL.com. 

“So when they come back here they don’t put that pressure on themselves, their teammates or anyone else. 

“They go out to have a good game of footy and make sure they execute the game plan as best they can.

“If we win, then well done, and if we lose, we just go again.” 

Martin retired in 2020 following five years at the Panthers and Cowboys after scans revealed a small brain bleed was causing the continual headaches he was suffering.

But two years back home in New Zealand with his family, surfing, fishing and another favourite past-time, pig hunting, and Martin was ready to return.

A year at the Broncos only made him homesick so he signed on with the Warriors in 2023, the same year Harris-Tavita escaped the grind of four years in the NRL so he could backpack through Europe on his own timetable. 

Tuivasa-Sheck said he had marvelled at Martin’s journey where he played alongside Nathan Cleary at the Panthers, then moved to the Cowboys so he could play with another gifted No.7 in Johnathan Thurston. 

Now Martin has the No.7 on his back at the Warriors and is showing no sign of buckling at that pressure. 

“Te Maire has picked up all these experiences from all the clubs he’s played at,” Tuivasa-Sheck said. 

“But I think the time he had off has been his biggest lesson. He’s come back with a really clear and calm head in understanding that footy is not everything. 

“Sometimes there’s a lot of hype around football: We’ve got to win, win, win! 

“But Te Maire is like, ‘Take it easy... we’re going to lay this platform, strike this shape and see what happens’. 

“So he’s more easy-going. Having that time off really helped and it’s playing into his footy. He’s got things he wants to do but he does it in his way.  

“There’s a lot of love and respect for Te Maire by the way he does things.  

“He’s one of the older boys now and the younger guys look up to him because he puts his head down and works really hard."

The Warriors fell just short of their first minor premiership since 2002 but Tuivasa-Sheck said the players were focused on the bigger prize.

"Amongst the playing group I don’t think there’s any real disappointment," he said.

“We would love it for our fans, but for us players there’s a bigger job and a bigger prize ahead. And getting the home semi-final was an important part of that.” 

Another vital component is the ‘mana wave’ where supporters raise an arm in the air with fingers outstretched. In Polynesian cultures, mana means invisible life force, inner strength. 

“Everywhere you go it’s ‘Up the Wahs’ and the mana wave,” he said. 

“It’s giving your mana to someone else – you throw it out there. 

“If you look at (Warriors CEO) Cameron George he’s much better at it now, he’s learning how to do it well.” 

Tuivasa-Sheck witnessed first-hand in 2023 the love rugby league fans across the board showed the Warriors, when they left their families to relocate to Australia in the Covid pandemic allowing the NRL competition to continue. 

“In 2023 when we arrived back in New Zealand our owner put a lot of money into our media and social media team to be able to tell our stories and reach out further into the community," he said.

“That bonded not just the team but the players with the community.”