In just two NRL seasons, Sydney Roosters star Mark Nawaqanitawase has provided a lifetime of memories
Let us, for a moment, set aside the fact that Mark Nawaqanitawase has, in his short NRL stint, scored his tries at a rate comparable or better than the likes of Alex Johnston, Ken Irvine, Harold Horder or Reg Gasnier.
What sets Nawaqanitawase apart is not the volume and frequency of his four-pointers, but the manner in which they are scored. In a game ruled by numbers, there is no statistic that adequately captures the sheer freakishness of many of the Roosters winger’s tries. Like the audacious intercept he took against Penrith last weekend.
“I’ve had front-row seats, so I’ve enjoyed them all,” says Nawaqanitawase’s centre partner, Robert Toia.
“It’s hard to pick one [favourite], but there’s definitely the Bulldogs one … ”
Ah, the Bulldogs one. Judged as last year’s Dally M try of the year, some pundits have even hailed it the greatest try in history. Working in an impossibly tight channel, “Marky Mark” kicked ahead for himself – avoiding the sideline, the Canterbury cover defence and the corner post – to somehow regather and ground the Steeden in-goal.
“I just saw the replay last night again on social media,” Toia continues. “It’s crazy to think what he can do. To me, it’s not what he can do, it’s what we can’t do. That was the great commentary I heard from someone calling the game. It’s about what we can’t do.”
Nawaqanitawase can seemingly do it all. He can beat a defender with power or speed. He can leap over the top of them or pass around them. The ball looks tiny when he waves it about with one hand.
“Nothing really surprises me any more with Mark,” Roosters captain James Tedesco says. “He just comes up with that stuff pretty frequently, whether it’s at training or in a game.
“The flick pass – people can do them – but to put them on the money in a high-pressure situation, he’s done it time and time again. So that stuff is really cool.
“Honestly, he just backs himself in, and it comes off. There’s no second-guessing, and he obviously does a lot of practice, but he’s very skilful with the ball. Just the confidence he has to play is something that we really enjoy.”
Tedesco recalled his part in Nawaqanitawase’s miracle against the Bulldogs, describing it as “the most freakish thing I’ve seen on a footy field.”
“His try of the year last year – I threw it out to him to kick it through and kick it off his leg.
“If I throw it out to him, I’m just expecting the ball to somehow come back to me on the inside. He says that for him and Bobby [Toia], we’ve just got to get the ball out to him more often so they can create some magic because those two are pretty special. It’s cool to play with talent like that.”
Nawaqanitawase’s rugby league career is nearing an end. Saturday’s semi-final clash against Cronulla could mark his last match if the Roosters lose, given he is switching back to the 15-man code. Yet within just two years, the former Wallaby has given rugby league dozens of highlight moments. Which makes it difficult for his teammates to pick out just one favourite.
“Oh, to be honest, there are too many,” Siua Wong says.
“My favourite moment is just the light he brings into whatever room he walks in every day. It’s pretty special. The way he is as a player is probably the way he is off the field. He’s very full of joy and energy. That’s something definitely that I’ve noticed since he’s been here.”
When he’s not scoring tries himself, he’s setting up his teammates. Wong recalled him batting the ball back for him to score against Melbourne earlier this season.
“I think any time you kick to him, he’s either going to come down with it or he’s going to bat it back to someone else. And I was lucky enough to be one of those people …
“It’s so funny. He’s done so many freakish moments, but we see it so much at training that it just becomes normal to us.”
It’s fitting that Nawaqanitawase is pitted against one of his great rivals. His personal battle with Sharks counterpart Ronaldo Mulitalo at Allianz Stadium is a throwback to when wingers Adam “Mad Dog” MacDougall and Wendell Sailor famously duelled with each other for bragging rights.
The pair were involved in a memorable clash when the sides last met, with two-try hero Nawaqanitawase coming out on top.
“Yeah, it probably sucked for me after the game, because obviously no one likes to lose, eh?” Multilato says.
“Everyone loves it, but every game’s important for me. I take it really personally, and that’s probably one of the many [rivalries] that I’ve had throughout my career.”
The NSW flanker has scored 41 tries in the NRL in 44 games. To put that strike rate of 0.93 tries a match into perspective, it is comparable to some of the most prolific finishers of all time in the NRL or NSWRL: Horder (152 tries in 136 games, 1.12 tries a game), Irvine (212 tries in 236 games, 0.9 tries a game), Johnston (240 tries in 265 games, 0.91 tries a game), Dave Brown (93 tries in 94 games, 0.99 tries a game) and Gasnier (127 tries in 124 games, 1.02 tries a game).
One can only wonder how many he would have finished with if he had begun and ended his footballing career in rugby league.
“Mark’s switch to the NRL has been amazing to watch,” says his agent, Andrew Fairbairn.
“The risk he took in departing union as the first Wallaby in the professional era to switch across has been validated in many ways.
“Representing the Kangaroos in the 2025 Ashes and also the NSW Blues in the 2026 State of Origin winning series, all of the highlights and success are drawn from the hard work of both Mark and the whole Roosters program.”
The biggest stage doesn’t faze Nawaqanitawase. Whether it be representing Australia in league, union or at the Olympics, the 26-year-old has stepped up. Ditto when pulling on the sky blue jersey for NSW in State of Origin.
“I feel like he dominated the game leading up to Origin; I thought he was outstanding,” Roosters coach Trent Robinson says.
“He offered a point-of-difference angle on what wingers can do in the game. He fought really hard out of Origin, and I thought he came back really well. What he did for us last week – along with Reece Robson – he was our best on ground last week, and the players voted that way. He’s quite free in big moments, and that bodes well for this weekend.”
But it’s not just the four-pointers that have endeared him to his Roosters teammates.
“You know what? I’ll throw a wild card out there,” says Salesi Foketi when asked for a favourite Nawaqanitawase moment.
“There’s a thing called an axe from marker, where you go tackle someone from marker. And I saw Marky do one a couple of weeks back now.
“I’ve never seen Marky do that. I think that’s the best thing Marky’s done all year.”
Victor Radley, who also played alongside Nawaqanitawase at Origin level, summed it up this way.
“I just love how tough he is, especially when he’s back with his carries,” he says. “He’s got everything. He’s the most lovable bloke, kindest bloke, funny. He’s the perfect man.”
News, results and expert analysis from the weekend of sport sent every Monday. Sign up for our Sport newsletter.
