Robert Toia’s is a story of perseverance in the face of adversity, and his Magic Round heroics have announced his credentials as a future State of Origin sensation. Forced to fight through two ACL ruptures and a broken jaw in the three years before his NRL debut, the 20-year-old is putting it all together in 2025, culminating in his two-try exploits in the Sydney Roosters’ 36-26 triumph of the Dolphins. Toia, who played his junior rugby league out of Redcliffe while juggling rugby union commitments with Nudgee College, was first at work in supporting a James Tedesco raid, eventually busting through two tackles to score the opening points. His silky late offload shortly after gave winger Mark Nawaqanitawase just enough space to orchestrate a miraculous put down.