For the first time since he decided to switch to rugby union, Roosters superstar Mark Nawaqanitawase is entertaining the idea of returning to league when his stint in the 15-man code is over.
Nawaqanitawase has been inundated with questions about the likelihood of a return to league, as he has become the most watchable player in the NRL since signing for the Roosters for the 2025 season. But in his humble way, he has deflected all inquiries – falling back on the line that it’s too far in the future to predict.
When I last asked him at the Roosters media day, he laughed off my questions. However, this column has learned that there was a meeting last Friday evening in Brisbane between Roosters chairman Nick Politis and Nawaqanitawase’s management.
At that meeting, it was conveyed to the Roosters that Nawaqanitawase has over the last six weeks been giving serious consideration to returning to league after his two-year contract with Japanese side Saitama Wild Knights. Before that, the thought had barely crossed his mind.
But Mark has enjoyed his time with the Roosters so much that it is a real option. I spoke at length with his mum, Fiona, this week, and she’s also hopeful that Mark will return to the game and to the Roosters.
In an interview from Fiji, where she was away for work, Fiona said: “The way that the Roosters have looked after Mark and included me and obviously all the other parents is something that I can’t praise highly enough.
“I didn’t want him coming to rugby league because I viewed it as such a rough game, but now I genuinely don’t want him to go.
“It’s all Mark’s decision in the long run, but he knows how much I’ve fallen in love with the club that he’s at and the people who are there, and I wish he was staying.”
This column revealed some time ago that Politis would move heaven and earth to make sure Nawaqanitawase returned to the Roosters. Politis is prepared to make him the highest-paid winger in rugby league to do so.
A salary of $800,000-$1 million would not be out of the question. In fact, given his skill level and marketability, there is no reason Nawaqanitawase could not command close to the $1.4m a year he will be getting in rugby.
The view is that he is more than just a running player. He creates tries through his unmatched ability to offload and negotiate the smallest of spaces and still keep the ball alive.
The biggest development in his game has been his willingness to match it with opponents physically. “That’s something I take a lot of pride in,” he said. “I like that aspect of rugby league and I know if I’m doing that well and hitting the ball up with power, the rest of my game will flow from there.”
O’Brien still a Knights supporter
Spare a thought for former Newcastle coach Adam O’Brien among all the deserved praise for Justin Holbrook and the Knights players.
O’Brien, who parted ways with the club last year after they finished bottom of the ladder, has sat back quietly and watched the incredible scenes out of Newcastle during the team’s run to the grand final. O’Brien worked tirelessly to help build the side and was close to his players but ran out of steam after having some significant successes over the years.
We asked him for comment, and he was good enough to oblige. “I understand how much this season has meant to so many people up in the Hunter region,” O’Brien said. “None more so than the playing group and staff.
“I know how hard they and the board have worked, and whilst this season has been a huge success for Justin and the club already, I would love to see them return to Newcastle on Sunday with the ultimate prize. It would put a smile on so many people’s faces up there. I wish them all the best for Sunday.”
Cleary – and Crossland – all class
Nathan Cleary has been as classy from his hospital bed and in his wheelchair at home as he is on the football field. The way he has gone into bat for the besieged Phoenix Crossland, whose hip drop tackle left him with a broken leg, shows exactly why he is held in such high regard throughout the game.
Even more amazing was the way that Cleary dealt with the medics on the field in the immediate aftermath of the incident during the preliminary final, despite his immense pain.
Every time he was given any assistance as he was being taken from the field, sucking on a painkilling green whistle, he thanked the person who had just helped him.
It shows what a decent human being the game’s best player is, and it wasn’t missed by NRL supremo Peter V’landys.
“I’m aware of how Nathan treated those helping him,” V’landys said. “It was relayed to me and I want to say how lucky we are to have him. To think of the medical people helping him in the most distressing and painful moments you could imagine says everything about Nathan. I know I would not have been as composed or professional in that situation. No way. I would have been complaining all the way.
“Not far behind him in class is Phoenix Crossland. The tackle got exactly what it deserved, but Crossland won over plenty of people with the way he spoke after the decision to suspend him for four games.
“He was extremely apologetic and emotional in what he had to say. He genuinely felt bad for inconveniencing everybody in the game and most of all for what he did to Nathan. The Knights have a good one in Crossland.”
RLPA boss Clint Newton also weighed in: “The professionalism and integrity Phoenix and Nathan have shown since Sunday’s unfortunate incident are a credit to both players. Our game can be cruel and unfair at times, but it can also show us, in the most difficult of circumstances, the quality of people we have playing our game. They play the toughest team sport in the world, but they are humble and very respectful and empathetic people.”
Nick’s time not done yet
Former Roosters board member and one-time Channel Nine boss David Gyngell has scoffed at the idea that Politis has reached the end of the road as Roosters chairman. Another premiership would be a fitting note for him to end on, but Gyngell will not hear any of it.
“It’s hard to retire from something he doesn’t regard as work,” said Gyngell. “It’s his life. While he breathes, he’s the boss of the Roosters.”
When the day eventually comes, it will be a sad one – not just for the Roosters, but for the game of rugby league. The 85-year-old pours his heart, soul and wallet into the game, and has been a great mentor for V’landys.
It was Politis who advised V’landys to invest in hotels to grow the game’s asset base. And V’landys often leans on Politis’ sharp business mind when making big decisions about finances and the direction of the game.
Politis is without doubt the benchmark for club chairmen in the code and has been for a long time. His absence from the Roosters, when it comes, will leave a significant hole at the club.
Hopefully, that day is still a long way off. Politis flew back from a business trip in Japan yesterday to make sure he was well rested before today’s decider.
Maturing Radley eyes media future
Victor Radley is fully focused on the grand final, but somewhere down the track he’s hoping for a media career – and potentially one that could land him on The Block.
Radley is poised to link with Nick Fordham, who represents plenty of media figures and does deals in that space. It’s a sign that the next phase of Radley’s life could be in that area.
I joked with him this week that Radley, who recently started a rubbish removal business and has turned his hand to home renovations, could become the next Scott Cam. “That would be amazing,” Radley laughed. “I love doing that kind of work outside of footy and who knows what happens at the end.”
Radley has matured in a big way this year. “I learnt the hard way and that seems how I learn everything,” he said. “Getting in strife really changed me and all the lessons that I was told about when I was younger started to hit home with me.
“I know how close I was to my time being over at this club and I remember thinking I may never get the chance to play or win another grand final with the team I love. And that thought was in my mind when I was going through everything, so I know how much this means right now. ”
Johns cops it from Bronte locals
This lighthearted spray copped by Andrew Johns in his own neighbourhood was one of the funniest things in grand final week. Johns is a much-loved figure in the Bronte area – but with the Roosters playing the Knights, he was told in no uncertain terms, via a banner hung outside a local property, to get back to Newcastle.
Of equal interest is the fact that his son Louis, who is a Roosters junior, will be going to the match with 50 of his Bronte Boardriders mates, who are all crazy Roosters fans. Louis will be wearing a Knights jersey, presumably with his old man’s No.7 on the back, to the game.
We bumped into Joey in the corridors at Nine during the week and asked if Louis would be wearing his actual grand final jersey. We copped a very stern “no way”.
Gallen splashes out on Sharks art
Paul Gallen loves a dollar, but he also loves his Sharks. He splashed $6500 on this painting at an auction at the 10-year anniversary lunch of the 2016 premiership-winning team. He was filthy at others trying to push the price up. And before he started bidding, he had to call his wife Anne for permission.
Bears’ top brass off the pace
Even in grand final week, we continue to hear rumblings of discontent coming out of the Perth Bears.
We revealed last week that the club’s retention committee and coach Mal Meninga were on different pages when it came to the reported interest in Latrell Mitchell.
Meninga pretty much went rogue by declaring the club’s interest in Mitchell when he was quoted expressing his admiration for the player in a story linking the South Sydney star with a $1.7 million-a-year move to Perth.
There are lots of problems at that club. And we still think they start in the front office – the CEO, Anthony De Ceglie, is still very much an issue. It would be a surprise to see him as the boss and Meninga as the coach in 12 months’ time.
PVL hits back at GF entertainment critics
Smart observers noticed that Peter V’landys took a very low profile at the Dally Ms. Usually there is a speech from the game’s leader, or he will present the big prize to the winner.
Obviously, with Nathan Cleary not in the room, that was not going to happen. But we didn’t even get a speech from V’landys.
“It’s the players’ night and no one needed to hear from me,” he told us. “Any cliché-riddled speech that I could give would not add to the players’ experience, and they should be the ones who are starring on a night like that.”
He also kept a low profile at the NRL fan day at the official grand final lunch. It’s been a turbulent week for the boss of the game around grand final entertainment. He has been hammered after announcing that Jai Arrow would do a lap of honour before kick-off at Accor Stadium.
“I’ve heard the criticism on social media,” he said. “That is an area that is just full of hate, but we are about spreading love – not just for Jai, but for all people who are battling anything in their life, including illness.”
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