Updated ,first published
If ever there was cause to bring back the fabled marquee player “war chest” Dave Smith never actually used as NRL chief executive, Mark Nawaqanitawase is it.
The greatest entertainer in rugby league is rugby union-bound at season’s end. Peter V’landys should be moving the chess pieces already. (And who’s to say he isn’t?)
In the Roosters’ 27-8 rebound to winning form over Cronulla on Sunday night, Nawaqanitawase’s every touch was must-watch and for opposite number Ronaldo Mulitalo, must-match, by any means or forearm necessary.
A year on from the pair’s eye-catching Central Coast stoush, when Nawaqanitawase sledged and sprayed Mulitalo just weeks after first meeting over a Magic Round beer, it was the Roosters flyer prevailing once more with a hat-trick at Allianz Stadium.
Mulitalo finished an enthralling man-on-man contest having words with Roosters trainer Patrick Lane too, before immediately embracing Nawaqanitawase with a cuddle and a smile after full-time.
“It’s a good footy battle, by my summation it’s 2-1 Mark,” Sharks coach Craig Fitzgibbon said after full-time.
“They’re in a contest, they’re going after each other and sometimes Ronnie’s an emotional guy, it spills over. It doesn’t mean he doesn’t respect his opponent. He’s just trying to get to him… but what does he say after the game? ‘Well done, you got me’. Ronnie will eat that.”
Before kick-off, Blayke Brailey’s shock return from a broken arm – 20 days after popping the bone back in himself – had set up a NSW Origin hooking battle with under-pressure incumbent No.9 Reece Robson.
By half-time, neither hooker had a run to their name. Blues fullback James Tedesco did wear brutal, legal contact that left his nose badly broken and apparently bleeding until the end of time.
News also came through from the sideline that rugby-bound teammate Angus Crichton is also facing at least six weeks out with a foot injury. If surgery is required, a significantly longer lay-off may mean he has played his last game for the Roosters.
On every other front though, it was Nawaqanitawase and Mulitalo putting on the show.
Fresh from a two-try, somewhat defensively suspect Origin debut, Nawaqanitawase threatened to reprise his stunning MCG touchdown after 11 minutes, only for a toe on touchline and Braydon Trindall’s desperate cover defence to deny him.
Instead, it was veteran prop Lindsay Collins with the spectacular opening try, a 40-metre bust in which he handled twice either side of offloads from Daly Cherry-Evans and James Tedesco.
Nawaqanitawase battled early with an ankle issue, but was fit enough to peg a ball at Will Kennedy and engage in some pushing, shoving and sweet nothings with Mulitalo soon after.
The Sharks winger then added a forearm to Nawaqanitawase’s face to the mix, conceding a penalty for his troubles, which led to the Roosters’ second try when Toia fell on the crumbs of yet another aerial battle on their wing.
“It’s a part of Ronnie’s game and I think we enjoy watching it when it’s not your team,” Roosters coach Trent Robinson said.
“I really liked the way that Mark reacted to it as well. He stood his ground but also played footy on the back of it.”
The Nawaqanitawase ‘footy’ Robinson so enjoyed came next when the cross-code international roamed in-field, his fashionably late offload had Connor Watson, Sam Walker and eventually Billy Smith tryline-bound.
Fittingly, it was Mulitalo sliding over in response a centimetre inside the touchline before half-time, albeit with heavy contact that landed Tedesco on report for his own slide into the Sharks flyer.
Cronulla trimmed a 14-4 deficit further immediately after half-time, the returning Nicho Hynes piloting a perfect cut-out ball across three defenders for Sione Katoa to stroll over.
As the second half ebbed on, Nawaqanitawase flew high again. With 19 minutes to play, Mulitalo was pinged for bumping him into error.
When Cherry-Evans kicked their way once more, Nawaqanitawase snaffled the match-winner right over the top of his Sharks opposite, before adding another in the final minute as he stepped back inside a scrambling KL Iro.
Nawaqanitawase’s NRL record of 38 tries from 34 outings is now, according to Fox Sports, the best try-scoring strike-rate of any player since 1980.
Mulitalo can attest, despite gallantly keeping up with him, and once the match was won, wearing a few final insults for the road.
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