After only arriving at the Sydney Roosters on New Year’s Day, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck was hoping just to get a run the NRL side’s under-20s team this year.

Spotted by the Roosters’ recruitment manager Peter O’Sullivan playing in a rugby carnival in Auckland, the 19-year-old winger was brought across the Tasman and earmarked as one for the future.

But despite having played just a handful of league matches in New Zealand, the speed at which he’s come to grips with the game in the Toyota Cup this year prompted coach Brian Smith to hand him his debut last week against the Gold Coast.

A steady performance saw Tuivasa-Sheck keep his place in the side for Friday’s clash with St George Illawarra and he showcased his ability with a superb display both in defence and attack to announce his arrival in the NRL.

After denying NSW winger Brett Morris a certain try in the first half with a brilliant cover tackle, the 19-year-old made a 60-metre burst from his own end-goal area to set up the second of Mitchell Pearce’s three tries.

And Smith, who’s been coaching in first-grade since 1984 revealed after the game, he’d been blown away by the development of Tuivasa-Sheck in such a short space of time.

“He’s a dynamo that boy, he hasn’t missed a beat since day one,” Smith said.

“He’s definitely got a lot of talent as you can see, but he is one of the fastest learners I have ever come across.

“He just swats it up. He takes things on and learns fast.”

“He’s got quick feet and great hands. It was a bit risky for us to put him in there, but the first-graders had a lot of faith in him and were looking at me and asking him when we were we going to put him on.”

The young winger admitted he was still coming to terms with his rapid ascent, and said he was shocked to get the chance to play in the NRL so soon.

“I was just hoping to play for the 20s,” he said.

“I was pretty nervous about that. My trials didn’t go that well and I knew I had to pick up my game.

“But playing for the firsts now, that’s awesome.”

“I played a bit of league at school, but I didn’t know all the rules. I played New Zealand schoolboys in rugby union.

“I just put my trust in the coaches for having belief in me and helping me get here and I thank them for that.”