With inspirational captain Roger Tuivasa-Sheck sidelined following his unsatisfactory appearance before the NRL judiciary, the Warriors’ troubles have only gotten worse.
The superstar fullback was judged guilty of a grade-one shoulder charge against Melbourne second-rower Felise Kaufusi, thus he will miss Saturday night’s match against Brisbane on the Central Coast.
In the Warriors’ 44-point loss to the Storm on Friday, Tuivasa-Sheck was by far the team that performed the best, thus his absence will be a huge blow to the struggling 14th-place team.
The former Dally M Medallist’s suspension follows rumors that three Warriors, suffering from homesickness, had made threats to go back to their family in New Zealand.
The Warriors have been stranded in Australia due to travel restrictions caused by the COVID-19 epidemic, ever since they were initially placed under quarantine in Tamworth for two weeks at the start of May.
If any players chose to leave, interim coach Todd Payten says he wouldn’t stand in their way.
One of the biggest games of the season for both teams is the weekend matchup with 15th-place Brisbane, who are also on a five-game losing streak.
However, defense attorney James McLeod’s request for a reprieve was quickly rejected by the three-member court panel made up of Bob Lindner, Ben Creagh, and Tony Puletua.
Prior to Tuesday night, Tuivasa-Sheck had a perfect seven-year record. This means that he can play in round nine against Gold Coast on Friday week.
