{"id":472197,"date":"2025-09-25T00:20:20","date_gmt":"2025-09-25T00:20:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/?p=472197"},"modified":"2025-09-25T04:23:18","modified_gmt":"2025-09-25T04:23:18","slug":"get-carter-the-next-nrl-target-for-wallabies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/?p=472197","title":{"rendered":"Get Carter: The next NRL target for Wallabies"},"content":{"rendered":"

News of Mark Nawaqanitawase's<\/a> decision to return to rugby after the 2026 NRL season has been met with raucous applause from union fans and typical groaning from some in league circles.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The lure of playing in a home Rugby World Cup<\/a> in 2027 was just too good to bypass for the man they call 'Marky Mark.'<\/p>\n

While it's a huge boost for the profile of the Wallabies and that tournament<\/a>, it's expected Nawaqanitawase will ply his club trade in Japan or France, meaning fans aren't likely to see the talented outside back playing rugby on Australian soil for nearly two years.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Watch the 2025 Bledisloe Cup and Rugby Championship with every match streaming live and on demand<\/strong><\/em> on the home of rugby, Stan Sport<\/strong><\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

\"Mark<\/p>\n

It will be worth the wait.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Playing abroad will also mean Rugby Australia has to pay next to nothing – except for Test match payments – for his exploits in gold.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Whether by design or dumb luck, that's a fortunate piece of business for a sporting administration still squeezing every penny.<\/p>\n

READ MORE:\ufeff<\/strong> Postecoglou remains winless after turning to Jesus<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

READ MORE:<\/strong> Hynes sends warning to former teammate<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

READ MORE:<\/strong> Lions star backs Neale as 'biggest risk ever' looms<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

\"Rob<\/p>\n

Where there should be consideration for spending is in repatriating Nawaqanitawase's former teammate, Carter Gordon, from league.<\/p>\n

But unlike with Nawaqanitawase, RA must get Gordon to return immediately, or not bother at all.\u00a0<\/p>\n

As a flyhalf, Gordon will need every bit of the next 24 months lead in to the World Cup, if he is to be Australia's commander in chief.<\/p>\n

NEW PODCAST! The crew unpack Max Jorgensen's Bledisloe Cup switch and Mark Nawaqanitawase's impending return to rugby<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

https:\/\/omny.fm\/shows\/rugby-world-cup-inside-line\/jorgo-steps-up-skelton-flying-back-marky-mark-returning\/embed?in_playlist=podcast&style=Cover<\/a><\/p>\n

The No.10 jersey is really the only big question mark still remaining at the selection table.<\/p>\n

The merry-go-round with James O'Connor's return trip to the UK last week is proof of that.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Joe Schmidt has three inexperienced 10s in his squad: Ben Donaldson, Tane Edmed and Tom Lynagh.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"Australia<\/p>\n

Any one of them could be the man to lead Australia in 2027 – they're all more than capable – but none have delivered any conclusive evidence to suggest they're 'the guy.'<\/p>\n

Schmidt has admirably tried to back the youngsters, but must be scratching his head over who the long-term playmaker is.\u00a0<\/p>\n

It may not be Gordon, but it just may be, and for that reason it's worth trying to lure him back.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"Ben<\/p>\n

Big, physical, fast and with a booming boot, the ingredients are there for the making of a very good flyhalf.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Adding another option into the mix cannot be a bad thing.\u00a0<\/p>\n

There are reports RA has already inquired about the possibility of getting Gordon out of the final year of his contract with the Titans.<\/p>\n

https:\/\/x.com\/StanSportRugby\/status\/1970729918142071202<\/a><\/p>\n

Whether that comes off remains to be seen.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Because of a scary, career-threatening neck injury, Gordon's switch to league has not been anywhere near the success Nawaqanitawase has experienced.\u00a0<\/p>\n

He finally made his NRL debut for Gold Coast in round 27 this season.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"Carter<\/p>\n

Many judges expected the 24-year-old to appear in the top grade for the Titans from the opening round in 2025 and many still expect him to start next season at the NRL level.\u00a0<\/p>\n

But would the chance to return to rugby, rejoin a resurgent Wallabies and make a statement to be Australia's leading man at a home World Cup – possibly kicking cross field for Nawaqanitawase to soar high and score – outweigh another probable losing season on the Gold Coast?<\/p>\n

Gee, you'd have to think so.\u00a0<\/p>\n

https:\/\/x.com\/StanSportRugby\/status\/1970719249594188123<\/a><\/p>\n

Michael Hooper raised an interesting point on this week's episode of Inside Line<\/em> on Stan Sport: Nawaqanitawase is not only eligible to represent Australia in 2027, but also Fiji and Italy.\u00a0<\/p>\n

If the freakishly talented, try-scoring machine does sign a big money contract in an overseas league, there's nothing stopping the Italians or Fijians from trying to lure him to represent their flag.\u00a0<\/p>\n

While a return to rugby has been signalled, a return to gold isn't necessarily a foregone conclusion.<\/p>\n

Food for thought for at Moore Park.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

News of Mark Nawaqanitawase's decision to return to rugby after the 2026 NRL season has been met with raucous applause from union fans and typical […]<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":472199,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/472197"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=472197"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/472197\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":472202,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/472197\/revisions\/472202"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/472199"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=472197"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=472197"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=472197"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}