RTS shoots down Warriors walk out in private team address

Roger Tuivasa-Sheck has shot down suggestions he could walk out on the Warriors in a private address to teammates while Tohu Harris says he has not considered a similar move if the Kiwi side is forced to relocate to Australia again in 2021.

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and travel restrictions are understood to have the Warriors exploring contingencies about being based at Redcliffe next year, a scenario that remains seven months away.

Super Rugby's Auckland Blues have reportedly approached Warriors captain and million-dollar marquee fullback Tuivasa-Sheck about a possible code switch to remain at home with his family in Auckland as a result.

NRL.com has been told by Warriors officials that the club is placing little stock in the reports given the hefty financial sacrifice – believed to be at least $500,000 a season, if not more – that Tuivasa-Sheck would have to make.

Harris too distanced himself from an early exit on Thursday given he has a year to run on his Warriors deal, while Tuivasa-Sheck is comfortably the club's biggest earner and contracted until the end of 2022.

"Rog addressed it with the group, [he said] 'don't believe the things that are written in the papers' and things like that," Harris told reporters.

"He's fully focused on this year. His family are still back in Auckland and I feel for him.

"It's been really hard for him to be away from his family but he's still focusing day-by-day and bringing energy to the group.

"He addressed the group head on and squashed it.

"He's committed to this team. He wants to make sure that we're playing as well as we can for as long as we can.

"I think people are hearing rumours about us being in Australia next year and trying to put two and two together with his family still in New Zealand.

"We can't put too much time into different theories. We're focusing on what we can control and that's how we perform over here."

Of his own future with the club should an extended stay in Australia be required by the Warriors, Harris said: "I honestly don't even know where that came from.

"I haven't put any thought into that report. I just don't know where that popped up.

"[Relocating in 2021] was always a chance of happening with the unpredictability of COVID. But honestly we haven't thought that far ahead."

The Warriors' mental health and well-being has been a constant focus of their 100-plus days now spent in Australia to keep the NRL competition going.

Five players – David Fusitu'a, Ken Maumalo, Agantius Paasi, Leivaha Pulu and King Vuniyayawa – returned home when it became clear exemptions for family members to join them in Warriors camp were not going to be granted by Border Force.

Despite the constant distractions and upheaval the Warriors have won their last two games to sit just four points outside the top eight, though Friday's clash with the table-topping Panthers looms as another challenge altogether.

Harris said the unlikeliest of finals charges had not been mentioned among players with a short-term focus best for their mental health.

"I think over the past couple of weeks we've spoken about not looking too far ahead," Harris said.

"Even not looking to next week, we're taking it a day at a time.

"If we look to far ahead we lose sight of all the well-being of our team. All the young guys living away from home for the first time, it's a daily thing we've got to check in and make sure everyone's alright."