Exciting back Mark Nawaqanitawase won't be in the rugby union circuit for much longer, having signed a deal with the Sydney Roosters in the NRL beginning next year.
The move is a notable one, given Roosters star Joseph Sual'i'ii is moving in the other direction.
Since the move, Nawaqanitawase has been on the fringes of the Wallabies side, which was confirmed by his omission from the latest Wallabies squad.
This has fired up speculation the Wallabies flyer may look to engineer an early release from his deal with Rugby Australia in order to play for the Roosters as a mid-season signing.
MORE: Wallabies fixtures, schedule for 2024 | Which Super Rugby club will Joseph Sual'i'ii play for?
Will Mark Nawaqanitawase join the Roosters early?
In June, The Sydney Morning Herald reported the Sydney Roosters were working with both the NRL and Rugby Australia to attempt to secure the services of the 24-year-old for the rest of the current NRL season.
The Roosters are currently light in their backline department, with injuries, suspension and representative duty depriving them of key players, and Nawaqanitawase would be the perfect man to slot in and fill these gaps.
Nawaqanitawase's management reportedly sought a release from Rugby Australia in the last month, however a key sticking point was believed to be the player's potential representation of the Australian Rugby 7s side at the upcoming Paris Olympics.
However, the Daily Telegraph reported Nawaqanitawase will be named in the Olympics Rugby Sevens team, and will also be able to join the Roosters upon completion of the Olympics, and the news was later confirmed on July 2nd, with the Roosters announcing Nawaqanitawase would be linking up with the Roosters after the Olympics in Paris.
Mark Nawaqanitawase rugby career, position
Nawaqanitawase joined his hometown Super Rugby side the Waratahs in 2020, where he scored four tries in nine matches.
He experienced a breakout year in 2022, where he scored seven tries in 12 matches and helped the Waratahs reach the quarter-finals; off the back of this, he made his Wallabies debut in a defeat to Italy.
He would score his first Wallabies tries against Wales, scoring a double in a 39-34 win.
Primarily playing as a winger or a fullback, he also represented the Wallabies at the 2023 Rugby World Cup, though it ended in team failure with the side failing to get out of the pool stages for the first time ever.
Will the Roosters make the finals?
The Roosters are currently well-placed to reach the top eight, sitting in fourth after 16 games played.
They haven't had it all their own way, suffering surprise defeats to the Bulldogs and the Cowboys, but have also recorded a coupe of big wins, including a 60-18 ANZAC Day drubbing of the Dragons, and a 40-18 win over the Broncos at Suncorp Stadium.
They put on a late show last season to make the finals in seventh, eventually bowing out in the second week in a last-gasp defeat to the Storm.
