Hamish McLennan was told during the week to “get it done.” And done the Rugby Australia chairman has indeed.
Joseph Suaalii – dubbed the next Israel Folau as a 16-year-old – has signed a three-year multimillion deal with Rugby Australia. He will join the Wallabies ahead of the 2024 Spring Tour.
McLennan confirmed the news when contacted by The Roar.
“He’s the epitome of a great rugby person,” McLennan told The Roar.
“We are delighted to have him back home.”
It’s understood the deal is worth $1.6 million per season – making him one of Australia’s most expensive sports stars.
RA are backing him not only to help win matches, but increase sponsorships and drive interest in the game and fans through the gates. Indeed, he is the biggest signing in the game since Israel Folau famously joined Michael Cheika’s Waratahs in 2013.
Joseph Suaalii has signed a three-year deal with Rugby Australia. Photo: Mark Kolbe/Getty Images
His NRL side, the Sydney Roosters, confirmed the 19-year-old would leave the club following the 2024 season.
“Joseph has been transparent with the club and we respect his decision,” Roosters head coach Trent Robinson said in a statement.
“He has made his commitment to the Roosters club for the next year and a half crystal clear, and we’re excited about the path we’re on.”
The NRL broke their own laws to allow Joseph Suaalii to make his debut for the Roosters as a 17-year-old. Photo: Jason McCawley/Getty Images
Suaalii thanked the Roosters for their role in developing his burgeoning career.
“The Sydney Roosters have been great to me and my family since I got here and the club is always going to be a big part of me,” he said.
“There’s still a long way to go in my journey with the Roosters and my sole focus is on working hard every day to keep improving and performing my role for the team.”
His signing comes a day after Wallabies coach Eddie Jones played a straight bat when asked by The Roar whether Suaalii was set to swap codes at an Australian Schoolboys lunch in Sydney.
“I’ve got no idea, mate. I’m only worried about this World Cup,” Jones said.
Wallabies coach Eddie Jones will get his hands on Joseph Suaalii from the end of 2024. Photo: Matt King/Getty Images
He will join the Wallabies ahead of their 2024 Spring Tour, which will give Jones time to see the back in the flesh 10 months out from the 2025 British and Irish Lions tour.
His move is RA’s biggest signing since Cheika lured Folau to the game ahead of the 2013 Lions series.
Despite having no history in the game, the NRL superstar scored a double on debut for the Wallabies during their heart-breaking loss against the Lions in Brisbane.
Jones, who lured Wendell Sailor, Lote Tuqiri and Mat Rogers, was pivotal in luring Suaalii to Australian rugby.
Suaalii, who played on the wing for the Australian Schoolboys during their upset win over New Zealand Schools in 2019, will play for the Waratahs.
He spent the majority of his school career at The King’s School playing outside centre, but is capable of playing on the wing and fullback.
Joseph Suaalii takes a catch before diving over to score a try against the Parramatta Eels at Suncorp Stadium, on May 15, 2022, in Brisbane. Photo: Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images
His former Australian Schoolboys coach Peter Hewat said Suaalii was a phenomenal talent.
“I just thought he was a freak athlete,” Hewat told The Roar.
“He could play 13-out with ease. He glided along the ground. He was very good in the air. He was a freak basketballer and had a great vertical jump.
“But what I was surprised about what was that he was in year 10. He was asking questions and wanting to know more. Physically too, he was playing against kids much older than him but he and Tolu Koula were the standouts.”
Nick Malouf says Joseph Suaalii will be an instant hit in rugby. Photo: Getty Images
On Friday, Australian Sevens captain Nick Malouf, who was a regular tryscorer for English Premiership heavyweights Leciester Tigers, said Suaalii would be “fantastic” wherever he played in rugby.
The World Series champion saw first-hand Suaalii’s potential when the burgeoning back, who was 15 at the time, left him winded and shellshocked when beaten in the air at a kick restart during a training session.
“Who snuck you this story?” he told The Roar. “He winded me. He came in and we went up for a restart against each other and I felt like I’d been hit by a tonne of bricks and he was 15.
“It’s not been a secret for a while how good he is and I certainly was on the receiving end when he was a youngster.
“He sat me down, won it and I got up thinking, ‘what the hell just happened there.’ He’s incredible.”
He added: “Wherever he plays, he’s going to be a weapon. Wherever he plays.”
Jacko
Roar Rookie
Nah its eddie!
Jacko
Roar Rookie
Why are none of these schools and facilities build to service league players? Why is it that Union is the minority sport yet schools are playing Union instead of league? Seems a real oddity that League has all the money yet schools play Union.
Terry Polious
Roar Rookie
Well wouldn't a generational talent be better than Tedesco?
Kai Levuka
Roar Rookie
Compare to NZ where wingers get the ball early and in space … underrated values :)
Nat
Roar Guru
If you believe the reports Suaali'i wanted all these clauses. Rabbitohs said no, Roosters said yes. There is apic of him with Bennett assuming they had him.
Short Arm
Roar Rookie
How come the Roosters got him if Rabbitohs schooled him?
Short Arm
Roar Rookie
Agree with you Nat, that they were already leaguies. GPS schools need to be outed that they are no longer nurseries of rugby or friend of the game. They are just holding stations for elite league youngsters, if they were pro union, they would not play the league scholarship player in the 1st XV not wasting all that rugby IP on someone that won’t be in the game next year. But they can’t do that because they want to win a premiership.
Short Arm
Roar Rookie
The GPS schools that take on these scholarships are just money hungry & crave the media exposure that little Johnny is signed on to play with the Broncos etc. They are part of the problem that we don't have good playmakers etc coming through the system. The league sign on is often given playmaker positions in the 1st XV. Thus depriving a potential long term rugby player the exposure to top class coaching & a role in the Firsts. After school little Johnny with all that rugby coaching IP is lost to league & the other guy is left to see if he can make it in colts B with far inferior coaching.
KenW
Roar Rookie
Since then he’s proven to be able to cut it with men in the NRL. I think that's the core issue. He is 'cutting it' in the NRL, not dominating. Now it's a tough comp, he's young, athletic and looks to have a heap of potential - it's all maybe though. There are other young stars in the NRL that are already performing at a higher level, Reece Walsh for example, is a similar age and already a genuine star. To make him the highest paid player in either code just seems a big gamble. He doesn't have any runs on the board, or a sufficient profile to justify it at this stage. His profile might be bigger by 2025, but again, 1.6m is a lot to pay for 'maybe'.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
On the money he’s on at the roosters now
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Nothing to do with the current kangaroos, blues captain and fullback being ahead of him?
jimmmy
Roar Rookie
The thing is Jacko , Israel was twice the talent as well.
KenW
Roar Rookie
That’s what makes it odd for me too. While there’s plenty that think he make it, he’s not genuinely a household name at this point. When Sailor and Tuqiri signed they were established rep stars, it would be like signing Latrell or Turbo now. . It’s possible that Sua’ali’i lights it up for the next 2 seasons, smashes it at Origin etc, and goes across to RU as a star. Seems a big call to pay him so much on his current profile and output though.
Brett Allen
Roar Rookie
No, they put them in those schools for their education. They actually play way more RL in Harold Matts, SG Ball & Jersey Flegg than they’ll ever play in high school rugby.
Brett Allen
Roar Rookie
Yes, but it’s not a back breaker for the NRL. RL in this country has been finding and developing elite talent for 125 years, and will do so till the Earth spins off its axis and flies headlong into the Sun, and RA will pay massive overs for two or three of them.
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
Some yep.
Brett Allen
Roar Rookie
But that’s the thing, the Roosters will simply find another young prodigy.
Nat
Roar Guru
School boys is not rep footy. It is schoolboys only, they are talented kids put in rugby schools by NRL talent identification and money. He has not gone home he has gone for 2.5x what any league club would pay him.
Red Rob
Roar Rookie
I doubt it’s coming from RA’s funds. It’s some mysterious benefactor for sure (which is fine). It’s a typical “grand gesture” from someone with more money than sense. Not someone interested in spending it on grassroots. I agree, Turbo and Cleary would have been top of my shopping list. You’d get Burton and Schuster combined for $1.6m or not much more.
KenW
Roar Rookie
He'd be in a group with Reece Walsh, Jeremiah Nanai, Selwyn Cobbo, Xavier Savage and a few others.