Mark of a champion: Nawaqanitawase’s brilliance sinks valiant Knights

Grand final hero. That’s the latest label that can be attached to Mark Nawaqanitawase. Apparently, being a dual-code international, State of Origin star and Olympic representative wasn’t quite enough.

As speculation surrounds whether the Roosters winger will return to the NRL after switching back to rugby union, let us take a moment to appreciate his ability to deliver the biggest plays on the biggest days.

“Marky Mark” was at it again in Sunday’s NRL decider. The Roosters had enough possession to win not only this game, but half a dozen others. Yet, it took a couple of moments of brilliance from Nawaqanitawase to sink the valiant Knights 19-18 in a thriller.

Few others could have scored his first try. When centre partner Rob Toia came down with an attacking kick and batted the ball back, it bobbled tantalisingly on the turf. Not only did Nawaqanitawase regather it to score, he kicked it ahead twice – using both his feet to do so.

There was also an air of freakishness about his second try, when a Daly Cherry-Evans kick ricocheted off the uprights before the ball ended up in the safest of hands.

When he wasn’t scoring, he was flying above the pack to either defuse a short dropout or soar for one of the many attacking kicks that came his way.

Mark Nawaqanitawase (left) celebrates after scoring his second try with Rob Toia.Audrey RichardsonHis contribution ensured he finished on top at the Roosters and the 13-man game. It’s often said that, whenever a player switches codes, they are replaceable. But is that really the case with Nawaqanitawase?

He was a star in a team full of them. Cherry-Evans earned his own fairytale farewell after kicking the field goal that proved the difference. James Tedesco ran for more than 300 metres. Spencer Leniu, meanwhile, had the game of his life.

All of that and more was required to defeat a Newcastle side that had no right to get this close.

From the very first set, the Roosters powered up the field to ram home a territorial advantage. It set the tone: 84 per cent of the game was played on Newcastle’s side of halfway.

Kalyn Ponga scores for Newcastle after the Roosters had dominated the opening half.Audrey RichardsonFor anyone else, that statistic would have been the death knell. Yet, for these Knights, this is where they are most dangerous. No other team has scored more tries from its own side of halfway, and they would soon add to the tally.

The opening try came from a rare sojourn into opposition territory, and in somewhat controversial circumstances. It was made possible when the Roosters conceded a penalty for a supposedly high shot on Mat Croker, who dropped the ball before contact.

From the ensuing set, with the Roosters defence fixated on Kalyn Ponga lurking out the back, Fletcher Sharpe hit Francis Manuleleua with a pass as he ran back against the grain. The rising back-row star, three weeks after dislocating his elbow, ran a superb line that led him all the way under the posts.

As the fans went berserk, the DJ chose – of all the celebratory songs at his disposal – to play Dance Monkey. Make of that what you will.

The Roosters celebrate their first NRL title in seven years.Audrey RichardsonDespite being under intense pressure, everything was going Newcastle’s way. On any other day, Ponga would have spent time in the sin bin – if not worse – for his challenge on Victor Radley. While Radley was falling in the tackle, Ponga’s shoulder clearly collected the forward in the head.

A crowd of 80,814 held its collective breath as the bunker had several looks at an incident that changed the game. Would Ponga – Newcastle’s captain, fullback and talisman – be removed from the fray?

Video referee Chris Butler decided that putting him on report was sufficient.

In those 10 minutes that Ponga probably should have been off the field, he came up with two plays that could have altered the result.

The first came when Nawaqanitawase flew high above Greg Marzhew, grabbed the football and seemingly scored yet another try. But just as he was about to put the ball down, Ponga created just enough interference to prompt the smallest of bobbles. Try saved.

And then, another example of why you can never switch off on this Newcastle team. It was again the same protagonists: Nawaqanitawase tapped the ball back, but rather than finding a teammate, Ponga pounced, scooped the ball up and ran the length of the field to score.

As he made the 95-metre dash for glory, with Cherry-Evans running in pursuit in vain, the question had to be asked: should Ponga have been on the field?

It will be a point debated long after the final siren.

There were other strokes of fortune for the underdogs. When Cherry-Evans kicked early in the tackle count, it wasn’t just the Knights caught out of position. The kick was partially charged down by, of all things, the cable holding the Spidercam camera.

And when Ponga accidentally made incidental contact with the referee, again no action was taken.

Ultimately, it didn’t matter. The Roosters got it done and sent their departing heroes off in fitting fashion.

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