'Isn't going to help beat the All Blacks': Roosters teammate on Suaalii's monster RA deal

Kiwi league international Brandon Smith has offered his thoughts on his Roosters’ teammate Joseph Suaalii’s new deal with Rugby Australia as the news of his defection sweeps through rugby league circles.

News of Rugby Australia’s three-year deal for the teenage NRL star broke on Saturday night which will see the 19-year-old link up with the Waratahs from 2025 with the intention to represent the Wallabies.

Smith, a New Zealander affectionately known as “Cheese”, was expecting some free lunches from his teammate before he leaves the club but expected him to return to the NRL once his deal was complete.

“I only really found out about it this morning. I saw a lot of stuff on Instagram, but I just heard the price they paid as well. Hopefully he’ll be shouting some feeds for the boys,” Smith told media on Sunday morning.

“Super stoked for him. He’s an amazing talent, and rugby really got a gem there.

“He’s only gone for three years, I think he’ll be about 16 when he comes back. So he’ll be able to come back to the Roosters hopefully and finish out his rugby league career.”

“Go over and get that easy money then come back to the real sport. I hope rugby likes that,” he joked.

The 26-year-old league hooker from Waiheke Island moved to Australia as a teenager, but grew up playing league on both sides of the Tasman. He tried his hand at one game of union which his parents thought was “really soft”.

However, Smith had a blunt prediction for Rugby Australia’s big investment claiming it won’t help them beat the All Blacks and win back the Bledisloe Cup for the first time since 2002.

“That $1.6 million could have been spent better on the grassroots of rugby than grabbing our beautiful young Suaalii,” he said.

“A $1.6 million winger from the Roosters isn’t going to help beat the All Blacks.”

Rugby League Chairman Peter V’Landys also reacted to the news after recently engaging in a public war of words with new Wallabies head coach Eddie Jones.

V’Landys said previously his code wasn’t threatened at all by rugby’s advances but now said he ‘couldn’t blame’ the young Roosters star for taking the cash on offer.

“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 Sydney Morning Herald.

“In rugby they play around 33 minutes per match, but in league the ball is in play for 57 minutes, so it would be a lot easier to earn your money.

“Besides, I really think that after Joseph plays rugby for a little while he will get terribly bored and return to rugby league.

“That’s what the majority of the players who switch codes do.”