Arabic version: وايت يتطلع إلى مزيد من التطور بعد تتويج روسترز بالدوري

According to ABC News, Naufahu Whyte was one of the Sydney Roosters’ standout performers in their 19-18 NRL grand final win over Newcastle, a result that delivered the club its first premiership since 2018-19. The 24-year-old forward made 187 metres and produced forceful defence that created errors, while helping generate the ruck speed for Mark Nawaqanitawase’s crucial second-half try.

James Tedesco received the Clive Churchill Medal after recording 388 running metres, 12 tackle busts, two forced dropouts and a try assist. Whyte said he was pleased to defer to his captain, saying: “He deserves it; he’s been doing it all year.” He also praised Tedesco’s place in the game, calling him “the best fullback in the game ever.”

Whyte’s grand final display followed his Dally M Prop Of The Year award last week, adding a premiership ring to his growing list of achievements. However, he said he believes he has considerable room to improve. “I know this isn’t my best. It’s far from it. I’m still just at the start of my career. There’s a lot of work to put in,” Whyte said.

The Roosters recovered from a 12-0 deficit against the Knights, with Whyte saying the team maintained belief even when it was six points behind. Reflecting on the victory, he said he had screamed and shed tears of joy, describing the occasion as “the best feeling ever” after the work required to reach the grand final.