Joseph Suaalii, the prodigal son, is coming to rugby union.
Or, at least, that is what the multiple news stories would have you believe. With the headline and column-inch-grabbing signing being held up as a triumph for rugby union over its league brethren.
Those headlines are frequently followed by some realism that the reported $1.6million per year may be a gamble that Rugby Australia can ill-afford to lose. Some argue the landscape may have shifted significantly enough to do more harm than good as the Governing Body negotiates new contracts with a plethora of players that would retain them on Australian shores for their peak rugby union years.
Christy Doran’s article earlier in the week showed two things:
1. A lot of players are at the negotiating tables
2. Contract terms are surprisingly short (three years tops, typically two)
The danger of the well publicised signing of a piece of hot property from league, could lead to those current union players to ask for more money aligned with that being given to a player who hasn’t played a single game of rugby union since he attended The King’s School in Paramatta.
Why wouldn’t Izack Rodda, Harry Wilson, Noah Lolesio, Izaia Perese, Hunter Paisami or Jordan Petaia being asking the purse-string holders for another $100k-$200k per year?
If not the players themselves then their agents certainly should. In isolation this may not be an issue, but the multiplying effect could see Rugby Australia in the same financial predicament that it was faced with when the last pandemic hit.
If that happens then how is the sport going to do what it has always espoused to want to do and retain the best schoolboy talent across the game? And how is it going to capitalise on the major events of the coming decade and grow participation across the board broadening the base of the pyramid?
I have written previously about the professional structure of rugby in Australia and how the narrow bottle may be prohibitive to growing the game, but nothing is going to change in the short, medium or (probably) long term; so we push on.
Joseph Suaalii. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
For years the likes of Jordan Petaia, Reesjan Pasitoa, Noah Lolesio, Mark Nawaqanitawase and a number of other young players have been championed as the future of the Wallabies, but do these players risk becoming a sideshow to the Suaalii circus?
It’s a fine balance to be played between backing those that have stuck with the code throughout the development and pushing others to the front to try and turn some heads that would rather watch a more civilised version of bulldog takedown (just a joke league fans).
Rugby Australia need to seriously sit down with Eddie Jones and the Super Rugby coaches, identify those players that they are going to hang their hats on for the next four to five years and tie them down to long term deals.
Ideally, this would involve choosing a position that a player will be considered for and play in consistently, have a incremental pay packet and, if sensible, allow some form of sojourn overseas to France, Ireland or England to develop as a player and increase the pension pot.
The further and more aspirational part would be an allocation type system where it can be agreed that Player X will move from the NSW Waratahs to the Western Force, for example, to provide said player with sufficient game time in the agreed position, avoiding the stockpiling of talent in certain positions such as fly halves at the Waratahs, hookers at the Brumbies or full backs at the Reds.
Like all rugby union fans, I hope that the coming decade will attract more players with union backgrounds to re-join/remain in the code increasing the player quality and depth across the country, ultimately enhancing that level of competition for a gold jersey.
A rising tide raises all ships after all. Rugby and Rugby Australia specifically needs to be careful not to isolate those players that chose union over league at a young age in favour of the shiny new toy; and rather use the league “converts” to compliment the existing talent within the sport.
Imagine a shootout between Jordan Petaia and Joseph Suaalii for a Gary Owen, with both soaring through the air; the symbolism of the codes clashing yet also complementing would be union’s to sell over its rivals.
Tim J
Roar Rookie
A very commonsense article and well set out NorthernPom.
The Ferret
Roar Rookie
I’m drinking cocktails in key west right now… everything is a good plan
Big A
Roar Rookie
the more i look at the way SRP is set up with players being rested and rotated and subbed off all the time etc - the whole SRP season is little more than a string of selections trials and player development matches to end up with the strongest possible AB and wallaby teams - its even gotten to the point personally as a Tah fan i really dont care too much which Aussie team wins as long as the Aus teams are competitive and hopefully winning against Kiwi sides - this year we have slipped back to 2021 standards and only have registered one win i think - most disconcerting - getting back to the centralisation theme then why not have total flexibility and and maybe mid way through the season open up a tiny transfer window to loan players out for the rest of the season - i know it sounds silly from a competition integrity perspective - but what's the point in the Tahs warehousing 3 number 10's when one of them could be playing elsewhere and gaining some valuable game time. If you really look at it - SRP does not have integrity as a comp - especially in the World cup years - so lets stop pretending and start looking at the greater good for a change
Big A
Roar Rookie
Ferret - if Ra is involved we have no problem
Muzzo
Roar Rookie
Good read Pom, & you ask how is the best school boy talent to be retained in the game? Obviously as it was a few decades ago , during my time with the Sydney Subbies, & it was brought up on many occasions there is sadly a lack of promoting & having ' scouts' out in the schooling systems. In the private schools maybe, but not so in the public schools where the talent is there but not exploited. That is where the NRL has the jump on rugby, by us not having the personal in place to either promote the game, or help in setting up the game in the public school system.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
I am all for centralisation. But it's to fix different things.
Doctordbx
Roar Rookie
I didn't say it was a good plan
The Ferret
Roar Rookie
Aging wallabies going for the cash is not an issue…. It is the young blokes bouncing that concerns me. Depth is an issue and loosing the fringe players at wallabies level will not help us greet better
Doctordbx
Roar Rookie
I think this is a given. Might also be 'part of the plan' to freshen up the ageing Wallabies.
Ken Catchpole's Other Leg
Roar Guru
Fair enough Train. I stand corrected, or at least ‘adjusted’. Beyond this player sharing question, I still see benefit in a coordinated national approach to coaching and player development.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Every player is already encouraged now. Because they are next to zero chance of making wallabies if they aren’t a starter
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
As I keep saying. Nothing is stopping that happening now. SR sides rarely try and keep players who don’t want to be there. The issue is this requires the current side, the new side and the player all to come to an agreement on terms. No reasonable centralisation model will change that. In fact right now we do already have something somewhat similar where EPS squad contracts can be voided if a player is offered a full contract elsewhere. The only case I can think of, where a player wanted to go to another Aus team and their franchise tried to stop it was Hamish Stewart trying to come to the Rebels this year. But he was a certain starter at the Reds so it wasn’t for game time and a player that under the NZ model, the franchise also would have been able to retain.
Malotru
Roar Rookie
Aaaarghhhh no more please.
Ken Catchpole's Other Leg
Roar Guru
Yes, but they could be ‘encouraged’ in the interests of higher honours. My logic goes like this. The flagship for Oz rugby is the Wallabies. The goal of most pro players is to play for them. The goal of most fans is to see our best compete with our best to see who is the best of the best. Our status quo sees warehousing in certain positions by provincial empires. This is not in the interest of player development or WB quality. The problem that I have with centralisation is political- who do we trust with the keys to so many locker rooms?
The Ferret
Roar Rookie
I’m split on the centralization side. It could help the overall development of talent but at the end of the day you can’t make a player just switch teams
Ken Catchpole's Other Leg
Roar Guru
Excellent piece. Full of common sense. The inbuilt northern sabbatical being one. This being another: “ it can be agreed that Player X will move from the NSW Waratahs to the Western Force, for example, to provide said player with sufficient game time in the agreed position,” Centralisation aka national coordination eludes is.
The Ferret
Roar Rookie
I think we will see some players head OS for bigger money after the WC. Won’t be surprised when they say Ra could not come up with the money to keep them.