Rugby Australia chairman Hamish McLennan has had a pointed dig at the Roosters as stories emerged that the NRL club was considering letting him join rugby union ahead of schedule.
The Wallabies are keen to get their hands on Joseph Suaalii early after the Roosters are reportedly considering an early release from his contract.
Signed with the NRL club until the end of 2024 before taking up a three-year deal with Rugby Australia, the 19-year-old prodigy could be allowed to walk at the end of this season.
His form has dropped in the past month since he signed his deal to play rugby and Roosters chairman Nick Politis said it was too early to say whether he would remain at the Roosters next year.
An early release would financially benefit Suaalii – he is on a reported $700,000 next season at the Roosters but is set to earn nearly double that in rugby.
The Roosters have long been accused by rival fans of having a “salary sombrero” instead of a cap – and McLennan went right there.
“I think there’s more to this than meets the eye,” McLennan told News Corp.
“I’m wondering if there’s a salary cap issue at the Roosters?
“Rugby Australia won’t induce Joseph to break his contract but his agent can deal with that with a good lawyer in about 30 minutes.
“Joey’s treatment is nothing short of horrible.”
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Complicating matters, Politis does not deal directly with Suaalii’s manager, Isaac Moses, due to a long-running feud.
Joseph Suaalii . (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
Suaalii’s involvement and impact has been below his best in recent weeks while Roosters coach Trent Robinson and captain James Tedesco were fuming with the entire team’s performance after their 20-6 upset loss to North Queensland on Sunday in Magic Round.
The Roosters have dropped to eighth on the ladder with a 5-4 record and are rank outsiders for Friday’s trip to Penrith against the premiers.
“We have no plans to release him at this stage. The final say on recruitment is always with Robbo anyway,” Politis told NewsCorp. “You can’t blame Joseph for the way the team is performing.
“He’s working very hard with all the players to turn things around for our next game.”
Rugby Australia chairman Hamish McLennan told Nine they would welcome Suaalii with open arms if the Roosters allowed him to go ahead of time.
“We’d take him straight away,” he told Nine. “We’ve made a good profit this year.
“We’ll make 100 million bucks out of the Lions, we’ll make another $100m out of the World Cup. Everything is heading in the right direction so we could afford to take him now and we’d be delighted to take him earlier if league didn’t want him.”
The Roosters have several players coming off contract, including props Jared Waerea-Hargreaves and Matt Lodge, and they are facing a salary cap squeeze given their star-studded roster including Tedesco, Brandon Smith, Luke Keary, Joey Manu, Victor Radley and Angus Crichton are all on lucrative deals and Panthers prop Spencer Leniu on the way.
They have also recruited Newcastle speedster Dominic Young for next year and veteran winger Daniel Tupou is keen to re-sign so they will have options in the outside backs in 2024 if Suaalii goes to rugby earlier than expected.
Canterbury general manager Phil Gould, who controversially said Suaalii should be told by the Roosters a month ago to leave straight away, thought the reports were emerging now as a way of telling the teenager to pull up his socks.
Rugby Australia chairman Hamish McLennan. (Photo by Tom Dulat/Getty Images for Rugby Australia)
“The reason I made my comments was, as a code, we didn’t need to be giving them a free kick. He’s made his decision to go to rugby, go to rugby. It’s not anything against him as a player or person or what have you. The Roosters jumped up and down about it. I don’t care,” he said on 100% Footy.
“I would say this is a bit of a wake-up call for him. If this has leaked to the media to be reported, it’s because they want him to be aware of it.”
Tedesco on Monday told reporters the Roosters needed to collectively lift to get the team firing again after winning just two of their past five matches.
“In previous years since I have come here, we have previously started slow and usually build towards the end of the year,” Tedesco said.
“But we’re getting pretty far into the year now and we need to score points.
“Our defence is there, it’s going to keep getting better and better. But our attack, and what our spine is doing … the connectivity, it’s not there.”
Big Mig
Roar Rookie
"Rugby Australia chairman Hamish McLennan has had a pointed dig at the Roosters" I had not realised that Hamish was a Bunnies fan too :laughing:
Censored Often
Roar Rookie
Yet gain a CEO keeps mouthing off about another code, the same CEO that signed a player that's never played a senior game of RU to the biggest contract the sport has seen. One can only imagine what that does to the morale of current players bleeding for the jersey on much, much less money, who've proabably played hundreds of games at a senior level.
Panthers
Roar Rookie
Roosters have signed Murphy ,for the wing . As well as Young. Want to keep Tupou . Plus signed Leniu. If they are looking to sign another halfback & centre ? They need to get the money from somewhere. They’ll have money from Walker , Suaali’i if they get rid of them . Yet the Roosters always seem to buy players who are an upgrade on the players leaving. Which seems impossible, but anything is possible in Rooster land.
London Panther
Roar Rookie
It always amazes me that when Roosters players are playing well it is for the love of the jumper, but as soon as they are a) about to leave or b) injured, their worth ratchets up. $700k for a rookie centre/wing; I don’t think so. If the Roosters have a chance to move him on, rugby has a chance to get him early and the kid can earn the (really) big bucks then that sounds like a win all round. I am sure the Roosters can get better value from their $700k from elsewhere.
Tooly
Roar Rookie
The Heammor has been hanging out in some dark places trying to promote himself over the years . This is more about him than Rugby !
Fracktobunt
Roar Rookie
That’s not what Danny Weidler’s report says…it states that the Roosters are considering showing him the door, which implies it’s the Rooster’s decision not JS. All employment contracts have termination clauses but they are usually for misbehaviour. So if they want to show him the door which termination clause could they use?
mushi
Roar Guru
Contracts have termination clauses. It is not reneging on the contract to use a clause in the contract. Your link’s opening paragraph “LETTING teen wunderkind Joseph Suaalii leave the club a year before his contract expires.” So the article suggests that is a desired outcome for JS and directly contradicts even your misguided view on the mechanics of a contract.
Fracktobunt
Roar Rookie
there are reports that the roosters want to terminate his contract early. I posted a link above. JS isn’t asking for a release the Roosters are looking to cut him, if the reports are accurate
mushi
Roar Guru
They're like PVLs cake numbers. Just a chairman making stuff up because we have no accountability in sports administration.
mushi
Roar Guru
Those are the two unilateral outcomes where only one side decides. The terms in the contract are your fall back positions, not all positions. A negotiated release could be a multitude of other outcomes. It could be he gets a free car lease for 5 years but then Sualii has to deliver milk and eggs to the roosters facility every Wednesday for the rest of the 2023 season. Not sure why you doubt Sualii would get paid anything near that? It's less than 50% of what they've assessed his worth and Rugby has seemed pretty keen on getting him across early.
mushi
Roar Guru
It's doubtful that would be the outcome. They can slot him in the middle forwards in reserve grade off the bench at the same cost. let's assume the elite sports person got to be elite because they enjoyed playing sport, he's going to want out.
PeterK
Roar Guru
agree, however IMO RA would pay him 700k for the extra year to keep him happy, and for their image after McLennan went on about 100m's of dollars, how would it then look like that he can't even match what he was on. Personally they should pay half 350k since he had training wheels on for 1 year. JS has a get out clause which he can exercise in his contract so he can leave anytime he wants.
PeterK
Roar Guru
but unlikely, why would roosters do that, doesn't help their salary cap They would be better off playing him in reserves, making his life hard, so he exercises his get out clause, he quits and it costs roosters nothing and relieves their salary cap.
mushi
Roar Guru
A release is not reneging on a contract.
Redcap
Roar Guru
Good for him.
ScouseinOz
Roar Rookie
But Hamish said.....that and seeing the world. I also once went to Paris and counted 50,000 people
The Ferret
Roar Rookie
RA would bend the rules.... and lets be real... the Salary cap is all smoke and mirrors anyway.
The Ferret
Roar Rookie
What if the roosters sack him and have to pay him out? RA can essentially get him very very cheap for 1 extra year
The Ferret
Roar Rookie
Hi Fracktobunt... I'm no contract lawyer but it would depend on who terminates the contract and what clauses are in there. My assumption would be that if the NRL or the Roosters send him packing then they would be liable for that $700k. You can't just sack someone because they hurt your feelings. If JS said he wants to quit and head over the Rugby early then he would need to negotiate a contract with rugby if he wants to get paid and I doubt he would get anything near $700k for that extra year in rugby. The Roosters would not be liable for any more wages once he walks out the door. That is my thoughts on this.
The Ferret
Roar Rookie
Hard to take a salary cap conversation with RA seriously when any super rugby team can easily break that cap by paying their players with 3rd party or Wallabies top ups.