Mark Nawaqanitawase is likely to return for the Roosters against Canberra on Friday night, just four weeks after the ankle injury that was expected to sideline him for at least six weeks. Trent Robinson said on Thursday the winger was looking good to play, after the coach had already named him on the extended bench on Tuesday.
That matters because the Roosters are not just waiting on a backline boost. They are also watching a player who had been in line for a State of Origin debut this year before the injury, and who could still force his way into NSW calculations if he gets through the Raiders game strongly. A good outing would leave Laurie Daley one game to weigh him up for Origin 2.
Nawaqanitawase’s rise has been quick by any measure. He played three Tests for the Kangaroos in last year’s Ashes and had been firming for an Origin call-up before he hurt an ankle in Round 9. The timeline then pointed to a longer layoff, but Robinson’s update suggests the recovery has moved faster than first feared.
The coach did not overstate it. Robinson said Nawaqanitawase was “looking well” and said Wednesday’s final checks were the real test, with everything needing to be ticked off after the syndesmosis injury. That is why the next step still matters: being on the extended bench does not guarantee a start, and Friday night in Canberra is the point where the selection call becomes real.
There is also a wider Origin ripple effect. Stephen Crichton is under a major cloud for Game 2 after re-injuring his shoulder, Jacob Kiraz is in the mix but carrying a calf complaint, while Tolu Koula has been cleared for Manly after being concussed in Origin 1. Andrew Johns has pushed for Casey McLean to start, and Campbell Graham is back this week for Souths, leaving NSW with several moving parts and one more name who may be too good to ignore if he is fit enough to run out against the Raiders.
For Nawaqanitawase, Friday night is about more than beating the clock. If Robinson names him, the winger’s return will come almost two weeks earlier than first expected and put his Origin push back on the table at exactly the moment NSW selectors are trying to sort out their Game 2 backs.
