Mark Nawaqanitawase cleared to play for Roosters on return from Paris Olympics

Roosters signing Mark Nawaqanitawase has been cleared to play for the club on his return from playing Sevens at the Paris Olympics, but Roosters coach Trent Robinson does not expect him to play NRL until 2025.

South Sydney chief executive Blake Solly claims a new rule allowing former Wallabies winger Mark Nawaqanitawase to sign a Sydney Roosters contract for this year before being permitted to represent Australia at the Olympic Sevens could prompt NRL players to seek short-term deals in Japanese and French rugby union.

And Raiders CEO Don Furner said his club – given the exception for Nawaqanitawase — could now look to sign ACT Brumbies players.

The Roosters lodged registration paperwork with the NRL on Monday has been approved, allowing Nawaqanitawase to play Sevens rugby in Paris before returning to the NRL later this season.

He wouldn’t be permitted to play Sevens again during his NRL tenure.

Rabbitohs CEO Blake Solly. Picture: Matt King/Getty Images

Nawaqanitawase signed a two-year deal with the Roosters from 2025 but will be fast-tracked into rugby league after being overlooked for the Wallabies’ spring tour.

“How is this different to a player going to Japanese or French rugby for a short stint during the season or off-season?” asked Solly. “In the past, the NRL has not allowed players to play rugby union while registered as an NRL player.

“It seems a pretty big shift in NRL policy to allow a player that has an NRL contract to play rugby union while contracted. Why is this case different to other players who have sought to play rugby union in their off-season?

“It would be good to just know more about why this has been allowed when so many cases in the past have been rejected.

“My issue isn’t with the Roosters. My issue is with the lack of transparency on these sorts of decisions.

Mark Nawaqanitawase should be cleared to play for the Roosters this season. Picture: Jason McCawley/Getty Images

“From memory, the only time the NRL has released any statements around player registrations or salary cap matters have involved Rabbitohs players in the past.

“We were full supportive of that transparency at the time and just don’t understand why (that happened then) when there is any sort of contentious or unusual decision.

“It would be good to understand more from the NRL about the decision. It’s hard to comment given we have little information about it.”

Furner was also questioning the NRL decision.

“As long as those rules apply to every club,” he said. “If that is the new rule, the new exception, then those exceptions must be available to all clubs.

“And if this is the new rule, then we will now start looking at the Brumbies players.”

Canberra Raiders CEO Don Furner with coach Ricky Stuart. Picture: Nikki Short

After Sunday’s win over Wests Tigers, Roosters coach Trent Robinson said Nawaqanitawase was unlikely to be considered for the NRL this year, despite the club’s bulging casualty ward.

“It’s more the ability to get him going,” Robinson said.

“I haven’t got an NRL focus for him, I’ve got a transition into rugby league focus and get him training if possible and playing some reserve grade would be ideal. And then it’s up to him about how he adapts.

“The focus is definitely not NRL, it’s not next week. There’s not a view on NRL any time soon. We’ve got a spot available to do that, but we want to get his feet on the ground to get his understanding (of rugby league).”