The Sydney Roosters have confirmed they will be chasing a return to the club for the code-hopping Mark Nawaqanitawase.
The star winger played for Australia in last year’s Ashes series and debuted for the NSW Blues a few weeks ago in the second State of Origin game.
He has been retained in the squad for Game 3, but will return to rugby union at the end of this year as he chases a spot in the home World Cup side.
His contract with Rugby Australia runs through to the middle of 2028 – the end of the rugby union season in that code – and Roosters boss Nick Politis has told The Sydney Morning Herald that the club wants him back.
“Yes, the club wants Mark back,” Politis told the publication.
“We’ve told his manager that and we think in June 2028 we can see him at the Roosters again. Hopefully, by then he will be missing playing league.”
Nawaqanitawase has found a home at the Roosters, and it has been reported he will look to return to the 13-man game at some point in his career, likely with the club based at Bondi Junction.
The tri-colours are no stranger to losing players to rugby union, having had the same result with Joseph Manu and Joseph Suaalii in recent seasons.
The Roosters have been believed to be keen on getting both players back into their system at some point in the near future, although it hasn’t happened yet.
The Roosters have already moved to replace Nawaqanitawase for next year, with Reuben Garrick signing from the Manly Sea Eagles, and there also being heavy speculation that Murray Taulagi will make the same move from the North Queensland Cowboys.
That likely means the chance of Suaalii and Manu returning will only be realistic well into the future given the current make up of their squad, with question marks around how long Daniel Tupou and James Tedesco will play on for.
Both Suaalii and Manu are chasing spots at the Rugby World Cup with Australia and New Zealand, respectively, before they target any potential return to the NRL.
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