Zac Lomax’s departure from the NRL has left a significant hole in the NSW Blues’ outside back stocks — and Mark Nawaqanitawase is emerging as one of the leading candidates to fill it.
The Sydney Roosters winger, who made his Kangaroos debut during Australia’s 2025 Ashes series, has been identified by selectors and commentators alike as a natural fit for the vacant wing jersey heading into the 2026 State of Origin series. With Lomax now playing Super Rugby with the Western Force after a drawn-out contractual saga with Parramatta, Laurie Daley’s Blues face a genuine selection puzzle on their right edge.
How the Vacancy Opened Up
Lomax had been a consistent presence on the NSW wing, making six consecutive Origin appearances before his NRL career unravelled in dramatic fashion. Released by the Eels in November 2025 to pursue opportunities outside the game, his plans fell apart when the R360 competition — where he had been set to play — failed to launch. A subsequent attempt to join Melbourne ended in legal action, with Parramatta taking Lomax to the NSW Supreme Court over a clause in his release agreement that barred him from joining another NRL club before 2028.
With that door firmly shut, Lomax pivoted to rugby union, and with him went one of the Blues’ most reliable wide men.
The Case for Nawaqanitawase
Few players in the NRL made a bigger impression in 2025 than Nawaqanitawase. The former Wallabies flyer finished the season as the competition’s leading try scorer — a remarkable achievement in his first full season in the game — and his form was rewarded with a Kangaroos call-up under coach Kevin Walters.
His profile suits the Origin arena well. Physically imposing and outstanding under the high ball, he brings the kind of aerial ability that would be directly tested against Queensland’s own dangerous winger Xavier Coates. He also offers the size and strength to make the tough carries that help a side build field position in the opening sets of a half.
His performances in Round 7 against the Knights — scoring twice in the second half as the Roosters overturned a 12-point deficit — are exactly the kind of moments that keep him front of mind for selectors.
The Competition
Nawaqanitawase is not without rivals for the spot. Canterbury’s Jacob Kiraz has been vocal about his Origin ambitions, declaring he won’t let the state down if given the chance. The 24-year-old has played 80 games for the Bulldogs and has been building a strong combination with Blues centre Stephen Crichton on the left edge, though he has shifted to the right this season. Bulldogs GM Phil Gould described Kiraz’s off-season preparation as the best he’s witnessed.
South Sydney’s Campbell Graham is another name in the conversation. Returning from an injury-interrupted 2025 campaign, he scored two tries on his comeback in Round 1 and has shown the kind of consistent finishing that Origin selectors value.
The Complicating Factor
There is one significant caveat hanging over Nawaqanitawase’s representative future: he is due to return to rugby union in 2027. That timeline doesn’t disqualify him from selection, but it does mean any Origin debut would come with an expiry date — a factor that may weigh on Daley’s thinking when weighing continuity against immediate impact.
It also adds a certain urgency to the situation. If Nawaqanitawase is going to wear the Blues jersey, this series may be his only real window to do it.
The Verdict
Form, timing, and a vacancy at the top level have aligned to give Nawaqanitawase his best shot yet at a State of Origin debut. Whether Daley rewards that with selection will depend on how consistently the Roosters winger performs between now and squad announcement day — but right now, few players in the competition are making a louder case.
The Lomax era on the NSW wing is over. The question is who writes the next chapter.
