New Rugby Australia chairman Daniel Herbert has signalled a shift away from NRL recruitment but suggests there are no moves underway to get out from under the financial weight of Joseph Suaalii’s massive deal.
The Roosters youngster is heading to Rugby on a $1.6m deal – around half of which is to come from donations in a deal driven by former chairman Hamish McLennan.
There have been reports in recent days that Suaalii would be interested in staying in rugby league following the disastrous World Cup campaign and the turmoil that’s followed the exits of Eddie Jones and McLennan.
McLennan and Jones have both suggested rugby needed further influx of talent from league but Herbert made his stance clear on Monday in his first press conference since assuming the position.
“Hamish was obviously a driver, and I think he’s on the record saying that, but he always socialised, in his words, those decisions,” Herbert said.
“In terms of what [Suaalii’s] thinking, I can’t tell you. But I know that as a chairman I won’t be talking about players and play contracts and things like that, those will be questions for [CEO Phil Waugh].
“If the question is more around our interest in league players, I think this is a time to focus inwardly and concentrate on those in the game and making sure we protect and develop those that are in the game first of all.”
Asked if RA was exploring ways of getting out of the contract with Suaalii, Herbert responded: “We’re not doing that at the moment, no.”
Joseph Suaalii. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
Earlier Monday, McLennan said signing the 20-year-old, was “absolutely” the right call.
“That guy will fill stadiums. He will be a breath of fresh air for rugby union,” McLennan told 2GB.
“The fact that he wants to switch from league to union is amazing, and he’s an incredible talent. So I think that rugby have to hold firm. What you’ve seen at the World Cup is we don’t have the depth that we used to so you need A grade players like that who can come in and make a difference.”
Also on Monday Jones engaged in another lengthy podcast chat on his Wallabies tenure – this time with former rugby league star James Graham.
Graham wondered if the existing Wallabies players would have their noses out of joint when the big money recruit joins next year.
“The key is when you bring players in, they’ve got to have the right attitude. Because otherwise you have situations where it causes a bit of a problem in a team,” Jones said.
“And from what I know with Suaalii, everyone who speaks about him from school to Trent Robinson (says) he’s a serious professional, works hard and he will be great.”
Graham said Suaalii would be under suffocating pressure.
“I’ve heard so many positive things about him. Clean living, so dedicated to his craft, but let’s be honest, Australian rugby is lacking stars,” said Graham.
“He is going to be the poster boy, the pinup boy, the billboard boy, he’s going to be driving every commercial.
“To carry the hopes of a nation is beyond huge at such a young age, but then there can be a little bit of not only the attitude of Joseph is important, but also the attitude of the players that are currently there, that have to maybe accept yes, we’ve not been good enough and we need a superstar.”
Jones replied: “Initially most players will think like you’re thinking – that’s just normal human condition. As soon as he starts playing hard, he starts winning games, people forget about that. You’ve just to perform.
“It’s going to be the level of coaching he gets, don’t take away the things he’s good at, let him do those and get him to understand the game a bit and he’ll end up being a great role model.”
In recent days the NRL fired shots back at Rugby Australia by announcing they would offer salary cap relief to teams recruiting from union.
Mark Nawaqanitawase has already met with the Roosters and is said to be considering his options but Jones thinks few players will be tempted across.
“The NRL’s got the horse guy. He’s not bad,” said Jones of ARL chairman Peter V’landys.
“His timing of getting on the job, he doesn’t wait around. He obviously doesn’t have much of a committee. He makes a decision.
(Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
“At the end of the day there might be only one or two players they sign but it’s already made a statement. It’s already got people thinking so I think that’s that’s brilliant.
“But I don’t think there’s going to be a huge hunk of rugby players go across to league . It’s all being done in the schools, that’s where the damage is being done. So this is just a great PR thing by V’landys.”
Rohan
Roar Rookie
No not my dreams, the ones of those who think he was a good buy for Oz rugby. I think his signing was a slap in the face for all Oz union players.
jimmy jones
Roar Rookie
nah blow it up if only they could.. redistribute the funds to create a front row academy
TPC
Roar Rookie
Maybe tell Hamish and Eddie to stop popping-up everywhere with their narcissistic re-writing of their profound roles in the worst year in Wallabies history.
Aiden
Roar Rookie
There is no chance they are World IV standard. That’s delusional. Maybe after they learn the game they could be, but right now, could someone with no time in the game be regarded as the best winger in the World? Get real. They have to learn all of the boring off the ball stuff, positioning in defence, kicking, the stuff around tackle and breakdown, when to run, when to cut back in for support, because the ball doesn’t just go dead every tackle. Folau for instance was often criticised for getting isolated. I’m thinking young playmakers. Not even established stars. Who looks likely in the second tier in NSW/QLD who is young and may be enticed.
kingplaymaker
Roar Guru
The NRL has some players who are probably world XV standard in rugby, as Folau, Tuqiri were. Maybe they think it's safer to go for an outside back as the conversion is more assured. Having said that, it's not as if they've tried playmakers much. Let alone forwards. On the basis of Brad Thorn it might seem as if they're missing something.
Aiden
Roar Rookie
Exactly this. Folau, Sailor etc, good athletes who came into teams that were performing well. They make a great break, the team follows, they run through a gap busting tackles or whatever because of a good ball. Maybe the occasional purely solo effort but it’s less common in rugby. Look at Marky Mark. His individual highlights reel, beating the first guy the second guy, breaking the line … all very spectacular. But we are not winning games due to this damaging winger because our forwards are incapable of keeping or winning the ball at the breakdown and the backline as a whole has zero space, lacks an experienced playmaker and does not function,
Aiden
Roar Rookie
I don’t think many argue he’s incapable of developing into a very fine rugby player. I think the concern is was that the right amount of $ to spend at this point in time on that type of player. For arguments sake, if it was just about developing a potential star, why not go for a couple of young guys who look the goods as play makers? Maybe we’d get two for the price of one. We NEED playmakers. We don’t NEED wingers.
KenW
Roar Rookie
Tabuai-Fidow was a Brisbane Grammar Schoolboy. Yeah for a couple of years, he got a scholarship because he was a good junior League and AFL player.
Honest Max
Roar Rookie
Agree. You should have gone much harder.
London Panther
Roar Rookie
This is a personal view, but I think union’s issues (financials, player pool, even to a certain extent some of the rules that are holding it back) stem from its inability to break away from its traditional base and traditions. I don’t know what happened during the Castle leadership, but having taken some interest in what has been happening over the past few years it appears the leadership don’t really have a vision for growing the game.
In From The Side
Roar Rookie
His form at school doesn’t translate to being good at senior rugby. He was good at school because he was a better athlete than other kids. In senior level rugby he won’t have that. There’s heaps of great school kids that don’t go on because that means developing, growing your skills and being better at rugby. The NRL has given him great league skills but his rugby skills have deteriorated as he hasn’t played.
Nick Maguire
Roar Rookie
MT, Has a job to get, can't fade into obscurity
Gutterboy
Roar Rookie
I saw him get brushed aside like a fly by Latrell Mitchell at the Rugby League World cup. He cannot tackle front on.
Gutterboy
Roar Rookie
Tabuai-Fidow was a Brisbane Grammar Schoolboy.
Footy Franks
Roar Rookie
You obviously haven’t seen or followed him at school and in the Nrl.
Aiden
Roar Rookie
He has one massive upside over them, he's played rugby and got loads of wraps for how he played the game at school level. Walsh has discipline issues, and the Wallabies don't need someone with a hot fuse, its a key area of concern for them. Cobbo and TF... just finishers really aren't they? I think Suaalii maybe has a bit more play-making ability, more versatility. Tago and Turuva, yes I can see that.
MarlinsTragic
EJ is so desperate to stay in the limelight!
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
I don't think the Arnolds are a great example. Neither in their 30s have been proven to be what you say we need.
piru
Roar Rookie
here there be dragyns
Tim J
Roar Rookie
Again Hamish talking about marketing :shocked: Of course they wanted to sign a young league player for this reason only, they way that Hamish and Eddie speak like they seem to forget that there are 14 other players on the field. One person cannot and will not win games in a team sport especially Rugby, NZRU tried this commercial aspect by signing Marshall and then RTS. They did not bring in extra gate numbers or commercial benefits and ended up being flops, RA cannot afford to bring in someone for 1.6 million unless not only the player but the team perform consistently to pay off the money. Herbert is correct about not looking at league players in the future but concentrating on Rugby talent, it has been too long that Rugby has been treated poorly by those in charge. Herbert has already been more transparent and reinforcing what he wants for the game, I am sure that he and Waugh are already spending long days about the damage done and what is required to fix multiple issues which will be more than those on the outside are aware of.