Fresh from signing Joseph Suaalii, Australian rugby has got another one over the NRL after signing schoolboy sensation Hadley Tonga.
The 17-year-old, who is in Year 12 at The King’s School, turned down advances from Eels and Dolphins in the NRL to sign a three-year deal with the Australian Sevens program that will also allow him to integrate into the Waratahs in his third year.
By that point, Tonga, who last year ran the 100m in a blistering time of 10.84 seconds in the rain, could be lining up a backline alongside Suaalii, Max Jorgensen and Mark Nawaqanitawase.
King’s School outside back Hadley Tonga (L) has signed a three-year deal with Australia’s sevens team. Photo: Instagram
While News Corp reported Rugby Australia offered $800,000 to try and lure former Australian Schoolboys star Tolu Koula to leave the Manly Sea Eagles, Tonga’s signing shows you don’t have to break the bank to succeed. You just can’t be slow off the mark.
Sources close to the situation believe Tonga could prove to be better than Suaalii, who, contrary to reports, was offered a four-year deal once he finished his studies by Rugby Australia in 2018. The deal was tabled by former Wallabies coach Michael Cheika and national contracting manager Nick Taylor, where he met Michael Hooper and Israel Folau.
Tonga is nowhere near as tall as Suaalii, but rugby insiders believe he is a Marika Koroibete in the making.
Outside of Jorgensen, Tonga was the highest regarded Australian Schoolboy in 2022.
The outside back, who featured for Australia’s under-18s sevens side in Fiji recently, would have played for the national team in the Hamilton and Sydney Sevens tournaments had he not picked up an ankle injury.
It’s believed former Wallaby and national performance manager Scott Bowen was instrumental in identifying Tonga’a talents.
Tonga could prove to be one of the missing pieces for Australia’s men’s sevens team. Light on his feet but strong in contact, he has carved up schoolboy rugby for years.
While rising teenage star Darby Lancaster has given John Manenti’s side an edge out wide, Tonga will give Australia another speed weapon.
Honest Max
Roar Rookie
How many players from the country make the big time in rugby? Not including kids that went to GPS boarding schools. I think the last one from North Queensland was Jason Ramsamy 20 years ago, but he had to move to Brisbane to get noticed.
Honest Max
Roar Rookie
I could not agree more!
Billo
Roar Rookie
I'm glad to see the ARU signing young talent, but I'm not sure it's a good idea to claim that every signing is a defeat for the NRL. Unless we know which clubs tried to sign this young man, it looks suspiciously like misinformation.
jcmasher
Roar Rookie
I think absolutely we should be happy we kept him. But let’s not get carried away with expectations that only put pressure on the guy. I do like the comment “better than Suaalii” when no one knows what he’ll be like in 2 years time. 2 more years of no rugby where the skills he needs will deteriorate further and he’ll become more out of touch with the game.
The Crow Flies Backwards
Roar Rookie
Shows you how ruthless the private schools are to win premierships
ScouseinOz
Roar Rookie
You are getting Rugby Australia and Rugby League confused. RA only want players that attended 6 schools in Sydney. Rugby League gets good players from wherever a young player shows talent. Their grassroots is generally strong and open minded. They don't care about where that player comes from, their parents background or where they go to school.
bigtree.smallaxe
Roar Rookie
I don't know, he looks pretty slow on the video ;)
Paul D
Roar Rookie
All good mate :thumbup:
Mactruck
Roar Rookie
I went tho an cas school and have family in gps currently. Officially the schools are not allowed to offer sports scholarships. They do offer other sorts of scholarships and at Scotts definitely nrl involvement. Agree that it’s an arms race and lots of grey in those other scholarships.
jeznez
Roar Guru
Nice one, Kai. Fiji does have an amazing 7s program. Oz getting a bit better at moving guys through 7s into 15s, Joe Pincus and Lachie Anderson at the Rebels, Corey Toole and Ben O'Donnell at the Brumbies, Dylan Pietsch at the Tahs. Seeing more guys shift from 15s into a stint of 7s with guys like Samu Kerevi, Mark Nawaqanitawase before they come back to 15s.
LuckyPhil
Roar Rookie
Just wish they would keep saying thing like "he is better than XXXXX". Give them time.
Tim J
Roar Rookie
A terrific signing for Rugby, it is great seeing Australia being inline with NZ by seeing 7s as a pathway into the 15s arena. Speed mixed with strength and he has genuine intelligence, this is a major coup for Australian Rugby over League. However we need to see his development as defence is an area for development, he is only 17 so will gain physically and emotionally which is important with expectations high.
Short Arm
Roar Rookie
It’s part of the dangling carrot to get the kids’ parents to sign them up for a league contract. Private school education for little Johnny. The league people love it because they know it will instil discipline & expose them to a higher standard of coaching& training then they would get at a suburban rugby league club. Rugby is the loser as they take up spots in the schools First XV, the following year they are gone to league.
Pickett
Roar Rookie
Mactruck, Sorry mate, but you are wrong. Both CAS and GPS schools offer sports and rugby scholarships to talented kids. Trust me from personal experience. In my day, it was just seeing bearded 25y.o. playing for Joey's First XV because they repeated that often (joke). It's now a full on arms race by these élite' private schools to win the CAS or GPS rugby comps or Head of the River etc
Kai Levuka
Roar Rookie
Or 15s :)
Kai Levuka
Roar Rookie
There should be more of it. In Fiji all of the best players have a string 7s background while waiting for their opportunity in 15s. Semi Radradra, Eroni Sau, Iosefo Masi (current Drua outside centre star) plus lots more currently playing Top 14 in France. In Australia and NZ they seem to get pigeon holed either 7s or 25s
Khun Phil
Roar Rookie
So Potgeiter won it on his own,did he?
Nato
Roar Rookie
What season was that?
The Ferret
Roar Rookie
I believe the state unions are identifying these kids. They are coming through the other ways of jr rep Rugby. Moving on to a super rugby academy would be the next step. However when the carrot of NRL is being dangled in front of you with the money and the exposure RA need to step in to sweeten the deal. In this case he is off to the 7’s program. Jorgensen is another example. He walked right onto the Aus A tour without playing a game. RA will run out of tricks soon to entice these kids to stick with Rugby. Before to long players who are paying their dues will want to know what they have to do I order to get that big payday, or a walk on a Aus A tour. And add to that if it keeps happening at NSW other unions are going to start asking the question of why is RA continuing to stack the talent in Sydney.
woodart
Roar Rookie
my cousins hairdresser knows the father of a pre-school sensation. he's so good he spits the dummy, and then sells it. worth $igning a$ $oon a$ po$$ible.