LeagueNews.co | Nick Loken

'Full circle': Street footy and the 10-year plan to make Mark a Rooster

Mark Nawaqanitawase has shared that his journey to becoming part of the Sydney Roosters seemed preordained, starting from his training sessions with Daniel Tupou in the club's U17 development squad.

After representing Australia in rugby sevens during the previous year's Paris Olympics, Nawaqanitawase transitioned to the Roosters. His early playing days were spent with the Concord-Burwood Wolves and Leichhardt Wanderers before making the switch to rugby at high school.

Throughout his upbringing, Nawaqanitawase maintained a strong tie to the Roosters, largely due to childhood friends Chris and Matt Georges, whose father John has been a pivotal figure for the Lebanon Cedars.

Recognizing Nawaqanitawase's potential as an NRL star, John Georges facilitated his entry into a Roosters development squad in 2016, where he trained with Tupou and other first-grade team members.