Joseph Suaalii

The teen prodigy has captured the attention of rugby league fans and media alike with his impressive skills on the field, but what can rugby union fans ...

Although he’s distanced himself from the deal, Wallabies head coach Jones – a well-known league fan – will no doubt be delighted to have a player of Suaalii’s calibre among his ranks. In March 2023 Rugby Australia confirmed that Suaalii would play rugby from October 2024 until at least the end of 2027. However, the young player was ruled out for the remainder of the 2021 NRL season due to a foot injury. His signature is also rumoured not to have gone down particularly well among the current Wallabies squad. Suaalii then attended Regentville Public School before moving on to The King’s School in Parramatta, where he was introduced to rugby union. He duly made his senior debut on 22 May 2021, playing at centre for the Sydney Roosters in their round 11 loss to Brisbane.

NRL hotshot will head to union in 2025, in time for a Lions tour and World Cup on home soil, becoming one of the country's highest-paid players ever.

Suaalii said in a statement: “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. “Suaalii is contracted to the Roosters until the conclusion of the 2024 NRL season.” Australia fell to England in the World Cup final after a Jonny Wilkinson drop goal. “Joseph has been transparent with the club and we respect his decision,” Roosters coach Trent Robinson said. “It will be electric to see him play for the Waratahs and wear Wallaby gold for Australia.” “I tell you, it’ll get people watching the game. The game is really suffering.” “There’s no doubt he’d be a phenomenal player in rugby,” Rogers said. You can’t be stupid, but rugby need to pay him what he wants to get him there. “Per RA policy, terms of the contract were not announced. He also played rugby for Penrith RSL, Eastwood and Northern Barbarians.” I haven’t met the guy, nor spoke to him.”

Teenage rugby league sensation Joseph Suaalii has signed a deal with Rugby Australia and the Waratahs that will see him in rugby union from 2024 to 2027.

Suaalii also represented Samoa at the 2022 Rugby League World Cup. Teenage rugby league sensation Joseph Suaalii has signed a three-year deal with Rugby Australia and the Waratahs beginning in 2024. Joseph Suaalii: Rugby league starlet signs with Rugby Australia and the Waratahs

Teenage sensation Joseph Suaalii has broken rugby league hearts, opting to switch codes to rugby union, when his current NRL contract ends next October.

Rugby Australia and the NSW Waratahs have confirmed the signing of Sydney Roosters outside back Joseph Sua'ali'i.

At the age of 17, Suaalii made his National Rugby League debut for the Roosters in 2021, playing 27 games for the club. He also played six games for Samoa at the 2022 Rugby League World Cup. Rugby Australia and the NSW Waratahs have confirmed the signing of Sydney Roosters outside back Joseph Suaalii.

'Isn't going to beat the All Blacks': Roosters teammate's cheeky sledge after $1.6m deal.

“I guess it’s an opportunity for him to be able to look after his loved ones and his family … I just hope I get a few feeds out of it.” The New Zealander continued: “That $1.6 million could have been spent better on the grassroots of rugby than grabbing our beautiful young Suaalii … “He’s only gone for three years, I think he’ll be about 16 when he comes back. Hopefully he’ll be shouting some feeds for the boys,” Smith laughed. “I only really found out about it this morning.

Brandon Smith has questioned whether 'a $1.6m winger from the Roosters' is the answer for Australian rugby as the NRL prepares for more poachings.

“He could do whatever he wanted to do.” “He’s an unbelievable athlete,” he said. “Super stoked for him, he’s an amazing talent and rugby really got a gem there,” Smith said. [But] there’s always the next kid coming up through the ranks.” “I don’t know if I see it as a threat as such, I more just see it as normal competition. “I think [Suaalii] is probably the first they’ve got that’s a young, rising talent.

Eddie Jones will hope his new league recruit will have as much impact as Israel Folau did in his Test debut in the last Lions series in 2013.

While you’d rather have him than not, Suaalii is a solution to a problem that doesn’t exist for Rugby Australia. The fullback was a try-scoring freak who could pull miracles out by running a dream line and bursting through multiple defenders. The signing of Suaalii is a great narrative for Rugby Australia, but landing a few more Amatosero’s might be worth more substance as well as making sure the players that are already there reach their potential. [Emmanuel Meafou](https://www.rugbypass.com/players/emmanuel-meafou/), the 202cm and 145kg forward, also found the same improvement once he left Australia and thrived in a different environment. [Hunter Paisami](https://www.rugbypass.com/players/hunter-paisami/), [Izaia Perese](https://www.rugbypass.com/players/izaia-perese/), [Lalakai Foketi](https://www.rugbypass.com/players/lalakai-foketi/) are all good enough while when available, [Samu Kerevi](https://www.rugbypass.com/players/samu-kerevi/) is the world’s best ball-running 12. If that is the case, then Suaalii won’t have a lot of work to do unless he can drive the Wallabies around the park with an out-of-hand kicking game. Len Ikitau is a world class centre, one of the best defenders going around and a sure starter in the 13 jersey. The bottom line is the Wallabies didn’t win a whole lot despite having one of the best athletes the game has seen, a weapon that proved time and time again he could only be contained momentarily. The Wallabies already have a crop of outside backs full of talent that Suaalii will join. The deal is a marketing masterstroke to generate excitement ahead of the British & Irish Lions tour and the home [Israel Folau](https://www.rugbypass.com/players/israel-folau/) has a high-profile NRL star made the code switch during or before the peak of his powers. Rugby Australia’s coup of Roosters star Joseph Suaalii on a three-year deal from 2025 is a major boost for the game in need of star power to attract interest in the competitive Australian landscape.

NRL supremo Peter V'landys has continued his bitter war of words with rugby union, slamming Roosters defector Joseph Suaalii for chasing 'easy money' after ...

I know it's different in AFL, but we are quite used to it in rugby league with players going to other codes or other clubs before their contracts finish. That $1.6 million could have been spent better on the grassroots of rugby than grabbing our beautiful young Suaalii … That's where I think union really trumps rugby league is just the amount of countries that play.' 'I think (Suaalii) is probably the first they've got that's a young, rising talent. If you see quality you've got to pay for it. (But) there's always the next kid coming up through the ranks.' He's a great kid. Can't wait to see him. 'He's been there since day dot but (union) suits his lifestyle as well. Joseph Suaalii has signed a $1.7million deal to switch to rugby union from the NRL - and has come under criticism from V'landys for doing so 'It's hard to blame Joseph for going to rugby and considering it as his future when he is going to be paid twice the money for doing half the work,' V'landys told the The 19-year-old Roosters starlet, who was a prodigious junior in the 15-man code, is set to be one of the highest-paid rugby players in Australia after

Rugby Australia went all out for a slice of Suaalii's career. Why was it prepared to go so hard and break the bank in the process?

Eddie Jones, who spoke with the 19-year-old in the lead-up to the deal, will have the option of using Suaalii at fullback, wing and outside centre. He has stated more than once that major investment in the women’s and community games will be the priority, but it will also flow through to the Super Rugby franchises and RA’s new national contracting framework. To put it in perspective, Taniela Tupou, the face of last year’s England series, has moved to the Rebels for $1.2 million and Michael Hooper is on that in the final year of his current deal. Suaalii, starting at a younger age, will have more time to make the transition. [Georgina Robinson](/by/georgina-robinson-hvea0)is the chief rugby reporter for The Sydney Morning Herald.Connect via Israel Folau was the last Wallaby who was a household name and the last contract he signed with RA, for $1.2 million a year in 2018, was recognition of that more than his on-field value. Essentially, the RA chairman will silence the Suaalii dissenters with money. None of that is an excuse to be reckless with costs. You can love rugby and admit it’s a game in need of some of that. Hooper is the player who kept the lights on at RA for good chunks of his career. Suaalii’s commitment will also help McLennan get a better price from potential investors. First, there’s no transparency on the contract so no one knows what RA and Suaalii have agreed.