For rising rugby league star Mark Nawaqanitawase, the bittersweet reality of his impending departure from the Sydney Roosters at the end of the 2024 NRL season has finally set in — even as a career-defining milestone looms on the horizon: a potential debut for New South Wales in the State of Origin series just four weeks from now.
At 25 years old, Nawaqanitawase has packed an extraordinary amount of achievement into just 31 top-flight NRL matches since switching codes from rugby union. The former Wallabies winger has not only notched one of the most iconic individual tries in recent rugby league memory, but also earned representative honors representing Australia in rugby league’s Ashes series. Now, he has emerged as the leading candidate to fill the vacant Blues wing spot left by Zac Lomax, who returned to rugby union after a standout 2023 Origin campaign for New South Wales.
NSW Blues head coach Laurie Daley is widely expected to shortlist Nawaqanitawase for the game one squad, which will be announced next month. The dynamic winger has put his case for selection beyond doubt with a blistering run of form, crossing for three doubles in his last four outings. He also previously attended the Blues’ pre-camp earlier this year, putting him firmly in Daley’s plans.
Despite the hype around his possible Origin call-up, the soft-spoken winger says his full attention remains on the Roosters, who sit comfortably in the top half of the ladder after a dominant Anzac Day win over their rivals. Speaking to reporters at Bondi Beach on Monday, where he joined teammates including Connor Watson and Daly Cherry-Evans for a recovery swim, Nawaqanitawase played down speculation about his selection.
“What will be, will be. But I’m just trying to put my best foot forward here at the Chooks, play some good footy and make sure that we’re moving along well this year,” he said. “It’s always nice to get a higher honour. But again, I’m not really focused on it at the moment. Yeah definitely I watched Origin all the time growing up. I think it’s been a part of most kids who play rugby league growing up. It’s always been something that I’ve wanted to do, so if it happens, it happens.”
At the end of the season, Nawaqanitawase will return to rugby union, where he will face a difficult choice: compete in the upcoming Rugby League World Cup with Australia, or join the Wallabies on their annual Spring Tour of Europe. For now, though, he is focused on soaking up his remaining months in the NRL, having grown deeply attached to the club and code that welcomed him when he made the cross-code switch.
“This week and the last few weeks I’ve come to the realisation it’s going to be my last few months coming up,” he said, leaving open the possibility of a return to the Roosters further down the line. “So it’s been quite sad thinking about it because I love the club, I love the boys and just the whole environment. My family and I are really going to miss it, so I’ve just got to make sure I enjoy every moment that I can. I’ve been shown a lot of love and support from all fans, even ones that don’t even follow the Roosters. So it’s been a great experience for me, and I’ve just got to enjoy it because it doesn’t last forever. Coming over to rugby league and just the NRL as a whole has super exceeded what I thought I was going to feel and be a part of. I’m going to miss it every week.”
When Nawaqanitawase first arrived in the NRL from rugby union, few predicted he would adapt so quickly to become one of the competition’s most exciting attacking weapons, earning a reputation as a high-flying offload specialist capable of turning the faintest half-chance into a spectacular try. The winger says his time in rugby league has transformed his game, adding layers of physicality and defensive discipline that will serve him well no matter where his career takes him.
“I’m a different player to what I was two or three years ago now,” he said. “In a non-arrogant way, it’s a bigger, better, faster kind of thing. I’ve grown up a little bit, obviously learnt a lot physically and being able to do a lot more and just defensively as well. I’ve learnt so much and I know it will make me a better player wherever I go.”