Before I kick off, I need to offer two important caveats.
Firstly I need to direct everyone to comments from Rugby Australia’s CEO pouring cold water on reports that Joseph Suaalii has already signed. It is highly possible this entire story is the manifestations of a conniving sports agent.
Secondly, I have barely watched this kid play. I have seen his Australian Schoolboys game against NZ and I’ve seen some highlights on YouTube, but other than that I’m relying on a lot of hearsay evidence to vouch for his calibre.
But with that said, shelling out millions for a kid like Suaalii is a necessary evil for Rugby Australia, and needs to be seen in the incomparable context that rugby union finds itself in Australia.
If a kid of Suaalii’s obvious natural talents began to emerge in any other rugby-playing nation, maybe with the exception of the USA, he would be growing up dreaming exclusively of rugby union.
Certainly England and NZ also have to consider losing their juniors to rugby league scouts from time to time but neither exist entirely within the shadows of a competing billion-dollar domestic league like rugby union in Australia does.
The NRL is littered with young stars who were Australian rugby union juniors – a depressing list of impressive athletes that we will never see in Wallaby gold because Rugby Australia either simply wouldn’t, or perhaps more likely couldn’t, find the money to throw at teenagers the way our rugby league cousins do.
(Saeed Khan/AFP via Getty Images)
For all of the criticisms thrown at Raelene Castle, she committed an unprecedented amount of her time in securing the future Wallabies of our game. We are immediately at a disadvantage as 15 Australian NRL clubs can offer a pathway to a lucrative first-grade contract. Rugby union, meanwhile, has only five professional outfits with an almost non-existent second tier that would satisfy any ultra-competitive young player.
There are people decrying the fact that any money spent on Suaalii isn’t spent on grassroots rugby, but what if Suaalii is our grassroots? He is a junior rugby product. It could be argued that Rugby Australia helped make him what he is. What use is investing in grassroots if rugby league can harvest our fields at will.
The reality is, Rugby Australia has to sell a product. To those already watching, we can be excited about Hunter Paisami and Tom Banks being listed in the team sheets, but a kid like Suaalii – who is already a headline at 17 – has the potential to bring fans to the game.
If he is what they say he is, then people will tune in just to see him play. If he is what they say he is, then young kids will want to play rugby just to be like him. If he is what they say he is, then maybe he will help the Wallabies win more games.
It is a big if, but the fact is Rugby Australia is playing a high-stakes game for its survival.
This could be the gamble it has to take.
frisky
Roar Rookie
Oh for goodness sake!! He is still a schoolboy of 16!! Even I looked good playing at school, but I never quite made the AB - only missed out by a million miles.
Andrew Nichols
Guest
Its the aerobic fitness where American Footballers would struggle and do. I was coaching U18 fwds for Marist in Christchuch and partway through the season a huge japanese kid turned up. Hed been schooled in the US but came to NZ to finish his education. Hed been a star A footballer in his college. We put him in as a no 8 then prop after giving him a few instructions. He rampaged for about 10 min then was shot. We thought thatd be the end of him. But he hung in there . Nothing spectacular from him but he became a keen reserve. Next season he came back...slimmed down and full of confidence. Accirding to his host family, hed spent the entire off season running and running and running. From the very first game we bunged him in at no 6 he was an absolute wrecking ball and took out player of the year to the acclaom of all. Sadly bust his arm just prior to the final and boy did his absence hurt....
Malotru
Roar Rookie
'The Private schools who play rugby don’t give a toss about the Wallabies or RA.FACT', not fact without evidence Gary. Just a statement. Perhaps you could put some evidence forward, I for one would be interested.
Waxhead
Roar Rookie
@Carrick yeah fair comment but totally depends on how much RA would have to pay to contract this kid
JAMES G HASLAM
Guest
Yes, we certainly don't want Aussie crowds behaving like the Kiwis........Cheering for winners
concerned supporter
Roar Rookie
RA kicked a goal when they signed Maurice Longbottom from League. Souths did not want him, as they considered him too small. Although he is relatively short, he has built up his upper body. While the 7's circuit is on hold, I would love to see him playing for NSW. He has a brilliant catch pass game, great speed and good defence.
Where is the money going to come from?
Paul D
Roar Rookie
"You very well know who the Clown is" Nope. Cannot think of anybody who is even remotely attached or related to Waratah recruitment that fits that description. And yet again. AAC has nothing to do with 2020. Try to keep up
Scott
Guest
You very well know who the Clown is. SBW would make the Tahs a 10 point better team. AAC dragged them backwards in 2019 and still made the Wallabies. SBW is the ultimate pro, any team in Super AU would take him immediately if they had the coin. I would even stump up the 30 bucks and drink beer outta plastic cups just to watch SBW run around in light blue.
Gary
Guest
The NRL love Brisbane and Sydney Private schools.They teach them to be good young men install pride in the jersey produce wonderful athletes and young men ready made for the NRL. RA know that, and can do nothing about it. The Private schools who play rugby don't give a toss about the Wallabies or RA.FACT :thumbup:
concerned supporter
Roar Rookie
Hi Jeznez, I am aware of the Subbies in Sydney. One year I played Burke Cup. But my main point was that West Harbour this Saturday are not fielding 3rd & 4th Grade,2nd & 3rd grade colts. Do you know what Parramatta & Penrith are doing? What are Subbie Clubs doing? You and TWAS seem to be deflecting the concern of large player shortages in Premier Rugby, he said they might be playing elsewhere? He lives in Melbourne?
Paul D
Roar Rookie
He’s not at the Tahs though, is he? I have no interest in AAC or SBW at the Tahs this year. And what Clown? Penny is a clown now is he?
Rhys
Roar Rookie
I reckon that's exactly what they will do Jacko. The Olympics is supposed to be a big carrot for him in going with union. The program would serve him well as it's catered for a lot of young new comers well in the past and it's that kind of mentorship that is crucial for him before he becomes fully fledged. I think mentorship wise as well I hope he gets some advice from James O'Connor. He also was a teen freak but of course went of the rails a bit there and now is back a grown man who, in my opinion, should be Wallaby VC. I think a bit of truth about how to deal with stardom from a young age better from JOC will be a nice pathway into SR and the test arena which I doubt he'd get in league.
Jacko
Guest
Rhys i hope they include him in the 7s program for next years Olympics...Its a proven ground for teaching great work ethic and dietry controls and provides a fantastic skills based training system....Then bring him on as a full time SR player in 2022...
Jacko
Guest
Corne, Castle set up a fund called a "fighting fund' for the retention of Juniors from school age thru to U20 as thats where Union was losing all its players. League scouts attend all the school tournaments and sign any promising juniors up as 15yos and they are forever lost...This is the reason so many U20s have been signed this year in unprecedented numbers....The future looks good in Aus if they can continue to sign 20 or so top Juniors per year
Scott
Guest
Paul D " We don’t need an over the hill blow in that will stunt the squad development." Sounds like a Clown favourite. But the less talented and more limited AAC who is two years older than SBW was ok for the Tahs right? :thumbdown:
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Actually RA can pay what they like providing they can fund it. The thing about an NRL club is they have a hard limit to what they can spend. $10M on their Top 30 I think. RA on the other hand have a hard minimum of what they have to spend, 29% of revenue I believe. Now if RA make $100M in a year, but only spend $25M on total player salaries they don't get to save that money, they actually have to pay it to a players investment fund. But most importantly if RA spend over 29%, but it's a worthwhile investment, they just need to make that money back from it. If it's a player that brings in crowds that may do that. Souths still have to spend within $10M no matter what. So for RA the question is, can they make the money they outlay for a player like this? Made easier of course with the supposed private investors that are tipping money in.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
It didn't work out, but they had already signed him. They can't decide to not pay him. Lucas may not have got much game time and in fact left, but that's all since they signed him. At the time he resigned he was playing Super Rugby and likely to be more useful than Daejarn Asi in 2020. There's nothing to suggest he would be a Super Rugby level flyhalf in 2020. He's starting as a 2nd playmaker for the Cowboys for example. Would they select him at 7 with a running 6?
Locky
Guest
TWAS the Stewart at 10 experiment didn't work and will never happen again, Lucas was given hardy any game time under Thorn at 10 and is gone now, so really only JOC who is a better 12 and Gordon ( not a single super game) are the tens at the Reds. I call that light on for 10`s in a squad. Daejarn Asi Five-Eighth is a sensational Cowboys player already at 19. Cant have them all suppose. :thumbup:
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Considering there are 2 new teams in the Shute Shield for 2020 there's half a clue.