Warriors

The Warriors icon is charged with possessing methamphetamine for supply and importing the Class A drug.

He has denied the charges, which were laid in December 2019.

Just days before suppression was due to lapse, Vatuvei took to Instagram to tell his followers about the charges in a video.

Vatuvei has had a long fight to keep his identity a secret, but on Sunday revealed himself as the “sportsman” charged, 48 hours ahead of the deadline for him to take his fight to the Court of Appeal.

Dragons fullback Matt Dufty had touched down from an Adam Clune grubber with 20 minutes to go, and St George Illawarra looked on track to claim their fifth straight win.

But Tuivasa-Sheck beat Jack Bird and Tariq Sims to put his team in front with 15 minutes to play.

Warriors five-eighth Kodi Nikorima added a penalty goal shortly afterwards, capping a faultess kicking performance which included three conversions.

From 19 April travellers on flights between New Zealand and Australia will not need to go into Managed Isolation and Quarantine (MIQ) - opening up quarantine-free travel between the two countries.

The rugby league club reiterated on Tuesday that they will stay in Australia until 21 June.

At the outset of the NRL season the Warriors had planned to return to Auckland for their round five clash against Manly Sea Eagles on 9 April to be played at Mt Smart Stadium.

They have been beaten 32-12 by the Roosters at the Sydney Cricket Ground, after leading 12-4 midway through the first half.

The result leaves the Warriors' 11th on the NRL ladder, outside the top eight on points differential.

"They were a bit too good for us," Warriors coach Nathan Brown said.

"Even though we were in the game for longer periods than what it ended up, I still think we've got a way to go to catch up with those sides.

The home side played much of the game with only one healthy interchange player after Joe Tapine (ankle), Ryan James and Sebastian Kris (both head injury assessments) were ruled out.

And they still found some energy to try to steal the victory when Jordan Rapana was stretching out for the corner with only seconds left on the clock. Tuivasa-Sheck's reach was that little bit longer, knocking the ball from the winger's grasp.

The first daytime kick-off of the new season happened in 30C temperatures, which brought the NRL's heat rule into force. Players were allowed a drinks-break midway through each half.

It took 25 minutes for the first points to emerge. And it came via new signing, former Rabbitoh Bailey Sironen, with Kodi Nikorima converting.

The club has already been in Australia in for two months under the guidance of new coach Nathan Brown and they take on Gold Coast in their opening game tomorrow.

On the upside they've brought in some new players to bolster the side, but back in Auckland the accountants are looking at the books with the franchise facing financial hardship and the stress of being away from home is taking it's toll.

A good end to an average year for the warriors beating Manly but ultimately finishing tenth after a tumultuous 2020.

The 29-year-old is the biggest name coming off contract at the club at the end of the season and Warriors recruitment and retention manager Peter O’Sullivan has made it his top priority to re-sign him.

A three-year-contract has been offered to Harris, but it’s unlikely that this will be signed anytime soon.

“There are a lot of things that have been spoken about in the media and all of that is being handled behind closed doors,” Harris said.

With their squad including players with Samoan, Tongan, Fijian, Maori and Indigenous heritage, they have been taking turns to teach other about their cultures.

"We have had some activities in camp and the way that all the players have bought into it has probably been one of the most impressive things, outside of what we have done on the training paddock," coach Nathan Brown said.

"I grew up in a rather big Aboriginal community so I was reasonably across Aboriginal culture, but just to learn about all the different cultures was very interesting."

It’s unknown how long the team will be based on the other side of the Tasman for the 2021 NRL competition, but they are locked in for the first four rounds of the campaign and whether they’ll then come home will depend on whether there’s a trans-Tasman bubble.

By the end of last season Tuivasa-Sheck was the only player not with his family and he admitted it was a struggle for him to be away from his wife and two young children.

But unlike last time, the Warriors captain knows when he’ll see his family again.