Australia Rugby Sevens star Nathan Lawson has opened up on his decision to switch codes as he prepares to begin his rugby league journey with the St George Illawarra Dragons in December.
Named the Australian Rugby Sevens Player of the Year, Lawson is days away from linking up with the Dragons after signing a two-year contract for the 2025 and 2026 seasons. Though the club has yet to confirm this, all reports indicate it will see him join the development list.
His arrival comes at the same time as Shane Flanagan has decided to shake-up his backline by signing Clint Gutherson to play as fullback and Valentine Holmes to play in the centres.
This means he will contend with Tyrell Sloan, Christian Tuipulotu, Mat Feagai and Sione Finau for the two spots on the wing as he prepares to become the latest Sevens player to make his first-grade debut.
“I've been in contact with the Dragons got all their Hudl and all their footage so I'm obviously just watching that and getting my head around all their training and everything, just so when I rock up in December it's not a huge shock to me,” Lawson told Code Sports.
“It's more mentally getting myself ready, I think Sevens will prepare me fitness wise, the physical side should be fine.
“It's very exciting to think I could (play alongside Holmes and Gutherson). I think if you play outside them, they make a game very easy.
“I've just got to work hard enough to be able to get a spot there, and I think that will just make my game simple as anything.”
Starting his career as a forward in rugby union, he transitioned into a power runner during his time with the Australian Seven team.
He is coming off 21 competitions for the side, including tournaments at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, 2022 Rugby Sevens World Cup, and 2024 Paris Olympics.
Following in the footsteps of Melbourne Storm duo Will Warbrick and Moses Leo - both transitioned from New Zealand Sevens - his arrival is also the latest blow for Rugby Australia having lost another incredible talent.
“After the Olympics I had a good think about it, because the next Olympics is four years away, that's a commitment to a four-year cycle and I wanted to try something new, I felt like I'd achieved pretty much everything I wanted in Sevens other than winning the Olympics,” Lawson added.
“People had always said to me that I'd suit NRL. I've just laughed it, but it wasn't until I sat down with my manager and had a good talk about it that we actually realised it could be a really good option.
“It is a great product that's so big in Australia and I think that was a pretty clear decision for me . Union at the moment is probably just lacking a little – it is building slowly – but the product in league and where I'd like kind of fit in there is probably a better option.
“Even when I go home, I flick the league on, it's great to watch, all your friends, everyone loves it and watches it and then I feel like it's a bit of a struggle to try to convince my friends that rugby and Super Rugby was also a good product."