http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/s...07-1mg6hr.html
Warriors set to sign Sydney Roosters fullback Roger Tuivasa-Sheck
The Warriors are set to swoop on Roger Tuivasa-Sheck with the Roosters fullback on the verge of signing a deal upwards of $800,000 per season deal to join the New Zealand club from next year.
The contract offer is almost double that of the Roosters, who have offered about $400,000 a year to keep the Kiwi international at the club. The move is almost certain to signal the end of Sam Tomkins' two-year stint at the Warriors with the Englishman set to return to the Super League next year because of his homesick partner.
It comes as a cruel blow to the Roosters who have groomed Tuivasa-Sheck to be the club's long-term fullback following the retirement of Anthony Minichiello at the end of last year. The injured Blake Ferguson shapes as a potential No.1 for the Roosters beyond this year.
The Warriors have struggled to attract big-name players to the club after missing out on luring the likes of Kieran Foran, Trent Merrin and Jason Taumalolo to the club for next season.
Tuivasa-Sheck has been in scintillating form for the Roosters this year. He become just the 13thplayer in the NRL to run for more than 300 metres in a game during the Roosters' last-start loss to the Sharks.
The fleet-footed 21-year-old finished with 300 metres from his 28 runs which included two line breaks, six tackle breaks and a long-range try.
His younger brother Johnny - who is also an outside back - is part of the Roosters' under-20s team and played in the club's premiership-winning under-18 SG Ball side last year.
The Roosters will now turn their attention to signing Ferguson on a long-term contract while they also have representative outside backs Daniel Tupou and Shaun Kenny-Dowall off-contract at the end of this season. The Roosters have secured forwards Dylan Napa and Jared Waerea-Hargreaves to long-term contracts. Five-eighth James Maloney is also off-contract at season's end. Tuivasa-Sheck has played seven Tests for the Kiwis since making his NRL debut in 2012.
Tuivasa-Sheck said he had taken time to adjust to the full-time fullback position.
"Usually when I was on the wing I'd be running between six to seven kilometres a game," Tuivasa-Sheck told Fairfax Media in March.
"I had to lose a bit more weight to run around. Last year I was playing at 95kg to 97kg. This year I'm back down to 92kg or 93kg to try and cover the field m