The New Zealand Warriors' new signing Kane Evans says one of the main draw-cards for his move is the opportunity to play with Roger Tuivasa-Sheck.
Evans played with Tuivasa-Sheck at the Roosters for two seasons in 2014/15 and said he had a Sonny Bill Williams-like impact on teammates.
"I wanted to play with 'Rog' [Tuivasa-Scheck] again, and I know he will make me a better player and better person," Evans told the Sydney Morning Herald.
"I played my best footy with him back in the day. Obviously he leads by example every game, and that was one of the driving forces for me to come.
"He reminds me of Sonny Bill when he came to the Roosters. He's exactly like that with the way he leads by example - he's someone you want to play for and not let down. If you do let him down, you go home dirty with yourself."
The 28-year-old hasn't joined the Warriors side just to make up the numbers. He joined to make them a power-house in the NRL.
The tall second-row forward has finals experience that could prove crucial for a Warriors side lacking experience. He has played seven seasons and featured in five finals campaigns.
"My goal is to win a comp, and if we win a comp with the Warriors I'll retire," Evans says.
Some fans might have seen it as a strange move to leave a Parramatta side which seems closer to winning a premiership than the Warriors are but the forward is determined to be a starting forward at the Mt Smart side.
Parramatta Eels coach Brad Arthur offered him a two-year deal like the Warriors but told Evans made it clear he would struggle to toss Campbell-Gillard and Paulo from the run-on side so he would likely remain a bench player.
Evans spent three seasons at the Eels. He labelled his first year out west as "shit", then finished last season coming off the interchange behind starting props Reagan Campbell-Gillard and Junior Paulo.
Evans, who is one of the tallest players in the game at 199cm, appreciated Arthur's honesty but wanted to go out of his comfort zone and back himself for a starting role at Warriors.
"I could have stayed at Parra, I learnt a lot of good lessons there and I learnt a lot of hard lessons," Evans says.
"They told me if I did re-sign I'd be fighting for a bench spot. I haven't been told what my role will be here [at the Warriors]. But when you know you'll only be a bench player or a third-string prop... when you know you're not a chance [to start] and you're told in black and white, you don't want to hang around being third-best.
"I respect Parramatta and I respect Brad. There's no bullshit with Brad and he tells you how it is.
"But when I got this opportunity to play with these lads I took it. We'll be a top-eight team next year. If the Warriors are a stock, they're the one to jump on because they're about to rise."
Evans is one of several high-profile signings for the Warriors alongside fellow recruits Addin Fonua-Blake, Ben Murdoch-Masila and Bayley Sironen in an impressive forward pack.
Evans joined the Australia-based Warriors for the final two weeks of training before Christmas and will meet some of his teammates for the first time on January 3, when the entire squad gathers in Tamworth to resume preparations.
