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‘Good chance of leaving’: How Rugby Australia could land Joseph Suaalii early
By Finn Morton
Rugby Australia would be “delighted to take” star signing Joseph Suaalii a year early, with the Sydney Roosters reportedly considering an early release for their teenage superstar.
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As reported by Nine’s Danny Weilder, the Sydney Roosters could save about $700,000 in salary cap space by releasing Suaalii a year earlier than originally planned.
Rugby Australia and the NSW Waratahs confirmed in March they’d signed the 19-year-old to a three-year deal, which is believed to be worth about $4.8 million.
Suaalii is contracted with the Tricolours until the end of the 2024 NRL season, but the exciting talent could end up donning Wallaby gold as early as next year.
Following recent reports of an early release, Rugby Australia chairman Hamish McLennan told Nine News that Suaalii would be welcome in the 15-player game “straight away.”
“We’d take him straight away,” McLennan told Nine News. “We made a good profit this year.
“We’ll make 100 million bucks out of the Lions, we’ll make another 100 million out of the World Cup.
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“Everything’s heading in the right direction so we can afford him now and we’d be delighted to take him earlier if league didn’t want him.
“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.”
Roosters chairman Nick Politis recently told News Corp that the NRL club doesn’t plan on releasing Suaalii “at this stage.”
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But, that could change.
While Politis added that recruitment decisions are made by coach Trent Robinson, NRL insider James Hooper believes the teenager is “a good chance of leaving.”
“I think those conversations are going on at the Roosters’ headquarters at the moment,” Hooper said on NRL 360.
“He’s been poor for the last month.
“He had one good game off the back of the big announcement that he was going to go and join Rugby Australia.
“I think absolutely he’d be a good chance of leaving.”
