'He wants to come to league': Speculation swirls over Wallabies star's future
The future of Wallabies star Mark Nawaqanitawase in the 15-man code could be up in the air after a bombshell meeting between the winger and the Roosters NRL club.
After a report by the Sydney Morning Herald detailed a scheduled meeting between the Waratah and the Roosters, the journalists behind the report have confirmed that it took place and revealed that Nawaqanitawase "wants to move".
Nicknamed Marky Mark, the 23-year-old was one of the best Wallabies players this year in a troubled side that struggled to get wins.
The Wallabies were sent into turmoil after the sacking of Dave Rennie less than a year out from the Rugby World Cup, and things went from bad to worse under returning coach Eddie Jones, who has since left.
Nawaqanitawase debuted under Rennie and starred with two tries against Wales in Cardiff and was a mainstay of Jones' side.
"The Roosters met with Mark Nawaqanitawase last week," league journalist Michael Chammas explained on LiSTNR Sport's Footy Talk League Podcast.
"I think they met on Tuesday then, and I'm pretty sure the Roosters are going to put an offer to him.
Rugby league reporter Danny Wielder interjected to ask: "he wants to come to league?"
"He wants to come to league," Chammas continued, "I think this has been going on in the background for some months.
"He's been unsettled prior to the World Cup, he's gone over there and probably been the Wallabies best player in a disappointing World Cup campaign.
"Now the Roosters have identified him as a potential winger to replace Daniel Tupou."
Rugby league are launching a counter-offensive against union in Australia with salary cap exemptions for signing players outside of the NRL which would make a deal for Nawaqanitawase possible for the Roosters.
The signing is viewed as a revenge deal after Rugby Australia swooped in to take young Roosters star Joseph Suaali'i on a monstrous three-year deal from 2025.
With the British & Irish Lions tour on the horizon in 2025 and with Australia hosting the 2027 Rugby World Cup, the best time to be in the Wallabies set-up is arguably coming up.
It would be a big blow to Australian Rugby to lose such a game-breaking talent but with instability at the top in Rugby Australia and the Wallabies not having a coach currently, uncertainty surrounds the Wallabies.
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Looking forward to Canterbury's game. Great line up. Isaac Hutchinson at 15 has had a stunning first season for Canterbury. Another of other promising players introduced this year. 100 game Mitchell Drummond at halfback in great form last week.
Go to commentsIn order to have a fairer comparison you need to include the European Champions Cup game minutes played. Without them the SRP numbers are relatively overstated. I probably would also include Challenge Cup knock out stages minutes as well. For a number of clubs in the North these are the key games, not just the league, and the high profile players play in most of them if fit.
My other caveat on the piece, which was very interesting, is a feeling that the underlying assumption is that the international game has to be presented with "fresh" players and thus the next tier down has to accommodate to this. I would challenge this. The growth markets are club/provincial competitions and Test rugby needs to capped at a maximum of 10 or 11 games per team per season/year. Otherwise you don't have enough time to deliver a strong enough narrative in markets where rugby has many competitors and there is nowhere for franchise teams from emerging markets ( Spain , Georgia, Fiji, Chile etc.) to develop experience and depth - eventually being able to compete properly at RWC etc.
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