The last time Roger Tuivasa-Sheck came face to face with the NRL’s Manu Vatuvei, he was a timid primary school student in Auckland who was too shy to speak or approach the Warriors winger.

On Sunday, the 20-year-old Sydney Roosters star will be handed the task of keeping his childhood hero in check and he’s well aware there’ll be nowhere to hide this time when he comes charging towards him at Allianz Stadium.

“It will be the first time marking him which I am excited about, but it’s not going to be fun,” said Tuivasa-Sheck.

“I remember when Manu came back to our old primary school. He was one of my big idols when I was small.

“Like me, he went to Mayfield Primary School in Otara and it was like a big celebrity coming back.

“I was eight or nine, I was sort of starstruck and at the back of the class, too shy to get his autograph.”

Tuivasa-Sheck has been a revelation since his debut last year, with his quick feet and lightning pace making him one of the most exciting young players in the NRL.

He forms part of an all-Kiwi right edge for the Roosters with Sonny Bill Williams and Shaun Kenny-Dowall and he said the three will need to be at their very best to thwart a Warriors side who have hit some form with three successive wins.

“We’ll sit down with Robbo (coach Trent Robinson) and try and strategise it,” he said.

“I need to help Shaun Kenny-Dowall out – we will definitely need to get two-on-one on Manu.

“They call him the beast for a reason; he’s all muscle and power and he is going to try and run over me for a try.

“He is also very good in the air and that is something I have been practising heaps.

“Sonny has been helping on and off the field. He has worked on improving a few techniques and on running my lines.”