The secret meeting that could deliver Marky Mark back to Roosters after rugby stint

October 4, 2026 — 5:00am

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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.

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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.”

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© The Sydney Morning Herald