The Sydney Roosters' worst nightmares are set to be confirmed after reports emerged stating Joseph Suaalii has signed a seven-figure deal with Rugby Australia beginning in 2025.
Rumours circulated on Thursday that the talk in rugby union circles were that a deal had already been done, although it was quickly shot down with Suaalii still having 19 months left on his current rugby league deal.
Where there's smoke, there's fire.
Suaalii's passion to represent the Wallabies one day was never a hidden one, however the idea was continually shunted despite being mentioned over and over again.
South Sydney released the outside back after the teenager requested a release at the end of every year of his contract with the club, in order to entertain a switch to union.
The Rabbitohs rejected the idea, sending him to arch-rivals the Roosters, and the rest is history.
While his recent activation of an option for 2024 to remain in the NRL poured water on the fire, the members are well and truly burning now withย News Corpย reporting that the 19-year-old has signed a $1.6 million deal with Rugby Australia, kicking off in 2025.
The 2027 Rugby World Cup was always going to be a danger when it came to retaining the centre in rugby league, however it appears the British & Irish Lions tour in 2025 was the final carrot that swayed the young gun into jumping ship.
The side only tours Australia every dozen years or so, with their last appearance coming in 2009, some 16 years between visits. It also means by the time they tour Australia again, Suaalii will be in his early-to-mid 30s and entering the twilight of his career.
It'll give the Samoan international nearly three full seasons in the 15-man code before potentially playing his maiden World Cup.
Journalist Andrew Webster confirmed the Roosters were resigned to losing the budding star.
โI got a call from our chief rugby reporter Georgina Robinson, and she said that there has been talk everywhere of a deal being all but done from 25' onwards for Joseph Suaalii to go to the Wallabies,โ Webster said on SEN 1170.
โThat's when the British and Irish Lions will be out here, and they've obviously got the World Cup here in Australia in 2027.
โI have to say when I spoke to the Roosters to follow upโฆ there was a bit of sort of quiet resignation that it may be the case.
โNothing has been said to them about it, they're dealing with Isaac Moses (Suaalii's agent) who is a very tricky manager to deal with.
โThere's just sort of a sense that it may be the case, I don't know if it's necessarily the right thing for Suaalii.โ
The move would likely see Suaalii join the NSW Waratahs in 2025, something that the Roosters have apparently gotten into the centre's ear about.
โI think a lot of people at the Roosters have been telling Suaalii, โLook be very careful with your decision to go, because there's always playing for the Wallabies but do you want to be playing for the Waratahs? No disrespect to the Waratahs or Super Rugby but is that where you see yourself playing week in and week out?," Andrew Webster confirmed.
No current NRL player is on that much money annually, a figure that almost no club could match. Kalyn Ponga's salary, which is currently a reported $1.4 million per season, will apparently swell to $1.6 million in 2027, matching the deal.
It seemed a matter of 'when' and not 'if' Suaalii joined the rival code.
It doesn't shut the door on a potential return to the NRL after the World Cup, with Suaalii turning just 24 in 2027, the outside back will likely play into the mid-to-late 2030s.
Sonny Bill Williams, Karmichael Hunt, Lote Tuqiri, Wendell Sailor and Mat Rogers all returned to the NRL after stints in the rival code, while Israel Folau was touted multiple times to return, only to fall through.
Neither party has confirmed the move as of yet, however it seems a matter of time until the centre confirms his departure.
