‘Never seen before’: Mark genius secures Roosters title
Joel Gould |
Mark Nawaqanitawase has showcased superhuman skills in his short and brilliant NRL stint so only he could conjure up something new in the biggest game of his life.
The Roosters won the grand final 19-18 against braver than brave Newcastle but it took a “Marky Mark” special when trailing 12-0 that turned the match in his final game in rugby league.
Nawaqanitawase’s former Australian sevens coach John Manenti told AAP last week that his former pupil would “contribute massively” in the grand final.
The Roosters winger did that and more – and he needed to against a gallant Knights side.
Nawaqanitawase, who has Italian heritage, was a talented soccer player when he was a youth and his grandfather had hoped he might pursue the round ball game.
Those skills came to the fore when he performed a serviceable impersonation of Italy soccer great Francesco Totti on the cusp of halftime, deftly toeing the ball beyond Knights defenders with both feet before collecting to score.
“He came up with something we haven’t seen before. This guy is incredible. He sees things that we can’t even imagine,” Brad Fittler said in Channel Nine commentary.
The try got the Roosters moving on the scoreboard and their big game players Daly Cherry-Evans, James Tedesco and Sam Walker stepped up to secure victory in the second half.
Nawaqanitawase scored a second try, as he does, with panache.
The Roosters under Trent Robinson have a perfect record in grand finals, now with four out of four.
Coach Robinson is a master of tapering his team to hit their peak in the big games when a premiership is in the offing.
They had to do it the hard way against a Newcastle side that defied every statistic against them to stay in the decider until the death, with heart and grit rarely seen in professional sport.
The Roosters will farewell retiring five-eighth Cherry-Evans and rugby union-bound duo Nawaqanitawse and Angus Crichton.
There is enough youth and class in the team to suggest another crack at the title in 2027 with Robert Toia, Naufahu Whyte, Salesi Foketi and Siua Wong on deck.
Nawaqanitawase has won so many games for the Roosters in his short stint but even he would admit Knights talisman Kalyn Ponga was a more than worthy foe in the first half.
Firstly with a desperate tackle to dislodge the ball as the Roosters star went to put it down.
Then when Nawaqanitawase batted the ball back near the tryline, Ponga simply wanted it more than anyone else on the field, pouncing with sublime anticipation to score a 90m try.
Former Wallaby Nawaqanitawase will be proud that he needed his best to beat the best to secure his maiden NRL title.
AAP