Mark Nawaqanitawase was home watching a movie about mafia crime bosses when his phone started ringing with a number he didn’t recognise.
“I thought, ‘Who’s calling me now? It’s pretty late and I’m about to go to bed’,” Nawaqanitawase said as he hit the pause button on ‘Alto Knights’ starring Robert de Niro.
Suffice to say it wasn’t anyone with a heavy Italian accent but rather NSW Blues head coach Laurie Daley.
"He said, ‘It’s Laurie here’ but I thought 'what’s going on?' because the team had already been announced," Nawaqanitawase said.
“He told me the good news that I was going to come into the squad and I arrived the next morning.”
The Roosters winger is on the extended bench as cover for the outside backs following the withdrawal of Stephen Crichton with a shoulder injury, which has seen Casey McLean promoted to the centres.
Nawaqanitawase was not in Daley’s pre-season Blues camp in February despite playing all three Ashes Tests for the Kangaroos last November.
Yep, he's back
But the 25-year-old put himself in the Origin spotlight after scoring seven tries in eight NRL games for the Roosters to start the 2026 season.
Then injury struck in Round 9, two weeks before the Game One squad was announced, when he suffered a syndesmosis ankle sprain.
“When I got injured I thought I’d missed out because the timing was unfortunate,” he said, standing proudly in his Blues jersey at NSWRL’s Sydney Olympic Park headquarters.
“But I moved on and just thought ‘get healthy again’.”
He credited the skills of orthopaedic surgeon Dr Sanjeev Gupta and the support of the Roosters medical staff with getting him back on the field in just four weeks.
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And what a statement he made when he did – a hat-trick of tries in the 26-0 demolition of the Raiders last Friday night.
Nawaqanitawase said he did nothing alternative like bone broth or heat lamps to speed up his recovery.
“Nothing too crazy apart from icing it and physio... maybe some extra ice cream here and there.”
If he gets to play in Game Two on June 17 at the MCG, Nawaqanitawase will have ticked the box on elite representation in rugby league – a NRL debut, an Australian jersey and now Origin.
“I haven’t done it yet but yes, I’ve been very fortunate in my career that I’ve been part of some amazing teams,” he said.
“For me it’s my dream as a child to play for these teams and be a part of them.
“As I said I haven’t done anything yet but if they need me I’ll do a job.
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“The better teams you’re in, then the better the players are there so obviously you’re going to learn new things.”
He has already represented Australia in 7s Rugby, played 11 Tests for the Wallabies, three Tests for the Kangaroos, 58 games for the NSW Waratahs and will return to the 15-man game next year.
But having Origin become his exclamation mark in league has fulfilled a dream.
“From the day I signed (into NRL) I have never regretted it,” he said.
“I have honestly had the best time – it’s been one of the best decisions of my life switching over and having a crack.
“I absolutely love the Roosters... I’m only here because of them.
“And everyone here I can’t wait to train with – it’s obviously a very talented team. It’s just crazy to be a part of it.”
- Be part of history at the MCG on June 17. Get your tickets HERE
