NSW winger reveals desire to return to rugby league and Sydney Roosters
July 6, 2026 — 4:00pmYou have reached your maximum number of saved items.Remove items from your saved list to add more.NSW winger Mark Nawaqanitawase says his involvement State of Origin has him leaning towards returning to rugby league after his rugby contract – and confirmed that, if he did return to the 13-man code, it would only be with the Sydney Roosters.Nawaqanitawase will switch to rugby at the end of the season in the hope of uniting with former Roosters star Joseph Suaalii on the Wallabies’ right edge at next year’s World Cup on home soil.LoadingHe has signed a two-year, $3 million deal to play with Saitama Wild Knights in Japan.However, Roosters chairman Nick Politis told The Sun-Herald he was eager to roll out the red, white and blue welcome mat for Nawaqanitawase in the middle of the 2028 season.Advertisement“Yes, the club wants Mark back,” Politis told Danny Weidler. “We’ve told his manager that and we think in June 2028 we can see him at the Roosters again. Hopefully, by then he will be missing playing league.”Nawaqanitawase said he was now leaning towards that option, having initially thought he would spend just two years in the NRL.“It’s always great to hear that you’re wanted, especially by Nick and the Roosters,” Nawaqanitawase said. “It does interest me [coming back]. I’ll be honest, maybe at the start, I wasn’t as interested to come back.“I knew I was going to go back to union, which was said at the start, but ever since being on this journey, and being a part of these set-ups like Origin, the Kangaroos, and obviously the Roosters, it’s only grown my interest in potentially one day coming back.Advertisement“A lot of things can happen. There are things in my life that can change, so you just don’t know. Things have changed in the almost two years I’ve been [in league].”The 25-year-old Nawaqanitawase said if he did return, it made sense to play with the Bondi club. The Roosters held similar hopes for Suaalii and Joey Manu when they defected to rugby, but the pair remain in the 15-man code.“The Roosters would be the only team [because of] loyalty, especially to Nick and ‘Robbo’ [coach Trent Robinson] and what they’ve done for me so far,” Nawaqanitawase said. “The journey I’ve had with them, and how they’ve made me feel … I’ve loved it so much, and it would be wrong not to be with them.”Nawaqanitwase praised veteran Roosters winger Daniel Tupou for fast-tracking his development in league, with Tupou to finally return from a calf injury to play his 300th game for the club on Saturday.AdvertisementTupou becomes the fifth player at the Roosters to reach the milestone behind Jared Waerea-Hargreaves (310), Mitch Aubusson (306), Anthony Minichiello (302) and Luke Ricketson (301).“He taught me everything,” Nawaqanitawase said of Tupou. “I absolutely love Daniel, and everyone loves Daniel. To be out there for his 300th will be very special to be a part of. He’s the most humble, caring, and one of the most under-rated players of all time.”Nawaqanitawase has produced some of the most breathtaking tries the past 18 months, including his famous try of the year against Canterbury last year, while he bamboozled the Maroons with a slick shuffle to bag a second try in the second half at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in game two.While Nawaqanitawase, who is “192cm on a good day”, and 195cm left winger Jack Bostock will give Nathan Cleary and Mitchell Moses genuine aerial attacking options on both wings, though they will need to make the tough carries now Brian To’o has been dropped.AdvertisementTo’o played 17 Origin games for NSW and was good for at least 20 hit-ups on 15 of those occasions.“It’s never easy, it’s part of our jobs, but honestly, its probably one of my favourite things to do, which is to run and take those early carries,” Nawaqanitawase said.News, results and expert analysis from the weekend of sport sent every Monday. Sign up for our Sport newsletter.You have reached your maximum number of saved items.Remove items from your saved list to add more.More:State of OriginNSW BluesSydney RoostersWallabiesChristian Nicolussi covers rugby league for The Sydney Morning Herald.Connect via X or email.
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