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Mark Nawaqanitawase to Sydney Roosters

Damien

By Damien
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Damien

Damien

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This is confirmed. Pretty huge news as it is the first current Australian RU International player to switch codes for 2 decades:

Rugby World Cup star Mark Nawaqanitawase has become the first incumbent Wallaby to defect to rugby league in two decades after signing with the Roosters on a two-year deal from 2025.

Nawaqanitawase informed Rugby Australia, NSW Rugby and his teammates on Wednesday night he had agreed to terms with the Bondi club and will switch in the NRL after his rugby contract ends in 2024.

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/rugby-union/emotional-decision-wallabies-star-confirms-roosters-defection-on-two-year-deal-20231207-p5epps.html

Edited by Damien
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burnleywelsh
burnleywelsh

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union  Nawaqanitawase 'DEFECTS' to Rugby League............ While Joseph Suaalii 'moves' to rugby union....... The union hacks just can't help themselv

DavidM
DavidM

That name reminds me of when we were playing local football and we had a guy who’s family was from Poland and he had this really long name with z’s and everything in . He was a midfield enforcer and a

Futtocks
Futtocks

By "ARU contract", you could well mean "ARU money".

Futtocks

Futtocks

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Imagine how the clowns at 2GB are going to mangle that surname in commentary...

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Let me never fall into the vulgar mistake of dreaming that I am persecuted whenever I am contradicted.
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Futtocks

Futtocks

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Anyway, good to have him back in RL while he's young enough to make a proper go of it.

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Let me never fall into the vulgar mistake of dreaming that I am persecuted whenever I am contradicted.
Ralph Waldo Emerson

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Sports Prophet

Sports Prophet

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Young player too. No surprise he is an outside back which has come through the sevens programme.

The sevens players will have great fitness and stamina to cross into the three quarters, wings and fb positions. I hope the lure of Sydney beach culture snags a few more leading sevens prospects from all nations.

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Damien

Damien

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The interesting thing is will Nawaqanitawase and Suaalii now just switch codes a year early in a swap deal instead of both waiting another year. It obviously makes sense. That is obviously if Suaalii does still wish to make the switch...

 

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Click

Click

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1 minute ago, Damien said:

The interesting thing is will Nawaqanitawase and Suaalii now just switch codes a year early in a swap deal instead of both waiting another year. It obviously makes sense. That is obviously if Suaalii does still wish to make the switch...

 

Wasn't there a report a few weeks back saying that Suaalii apparently has already told the Roosters chairman that he will be back as soon as his ARU contract runs out? 

I may be misremembering though.

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Futtocks

Futtocks

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46 minutes ago, Click said:

Wasn't there a report a few weeks back saying that Suaalii apparently has already told the Roosters chairman that he will be back as soon as his ARU contract runs out? 

I may be misremembering though.

By "ARU contract", you could well mean "ARU money".

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Let me never fall into the vulgar mistake of dreaming that I am persecuted whenever I am contradicted.
Ralph Waldo Emerson

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Adelaide Tiger

Adelaide Tiger

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5 hours ago, Futtocks said:

Imagine how the clowns at 2GB are going to mangle that surname in commentary...

Listening to, I assume the ABC National radio station this morning, the person doing the sports news had a fair crack at the surname then moments later called him something like ‘Marky Mark’. 😄

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The Rocket

The Rocket

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He`s obviously left the door open for a return to union for the 2027 union world cup in Oz. Roosters will back themselves that when the time comes he won`t want to leave and will knock back union just like Penisini, Koula, Murray, Asofa-Solomona, Haas and Chrichton all have recently.

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NRLandSL

NRLandSL

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As a roosters and Wallabies super fan I am very happy with signing and he will be a perfect replacement for Suaalii. Not to mention we already have Young (one of the best wingers in the world) and Lewis Murphy who filled with potential, going to be a stacked back line.

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The Rocket

The Rocket

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Union writer in today`s The Australian :

Mark Nawaqanitawase just start of NRL raid on rugby stars | The Australian

We can also reveal that it’s not only Australian players who are in the sights of league clubs.

New Zealand Super Rugby backrower Hugh Renton is in talks with St George Illawarra Dragons about a potential mid-season switch.

The 27-year-old, who plays for the Highlanders, is known for his aggressive style and if a deal is sorted, he’d be available for the Dragons after the Super season finishes in June.

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The Future is League

The Future is League

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1 hour ago, The Rocket said:

Nawaqanitawase claque la porte des Wallabies (rugbypass.com)

In this French article Nawaganitawase`s defection is described as being to the NRL and the Sydney Roosters, no initial mention of Rugby League at all. 

Despite all these years kicking Rugby League in France there is still a fear in union circles and union loving journalists.

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EggFace

EggFace

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4 hours ago, The Rocket said:

Union writer in today`s The Australian :

Mark Nawaqanitawase just start of NRL raid on rugby stars | The Australian

We can also reveal that it’s not only Australian players who are in the sights of league clubs.

New Zealand Super Rugby backrower Hugh Renton is in talks with St George Illawarra Dragons about a potential mid-season switch.

The 27-year-old, who plays for the Highlanders, is known for his aggressive style and if a deal is sorted, he’d be available for the Dragons after the Super season finishes in June.

Who Renton ?

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Dunbar

Dunbar

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Here are some highlights of him in action.

 

 

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"The history of the world is the history of the triumph of the heartless over the mindless." — Sir Humphrey Appleby.

"If someone doesn't value evidence, what evidence are you going to provide to prove that they should value it? If someone doesn't value logic, what logical argument could you provide to show the importance of logic?" — Sam Harris

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The Rocket

The Rocket

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He`ll be on $450k per season at the Roosters, was on $600k per season with Australian union, and reportedly had a 3yr $1m per season offer from Japanese rugby union on the table.

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Tre Cool

Tre Cool

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1 hour ago, The Rocket said:

He`ll be on $450k per season at the Roosters, was on $600k per season with Australian union, and reportedly had a 3yr $1m per season offer from Japanese rugby union on the table.

maybe he's banking on 90k per year from Origin games too

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