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Why Jordan Petaia’s NRL link is ‘a scary prospect’ for Australian rugby

France will go into the upcoming Rugby World Cup after another Test triumph, but the same can’t be said for the Wallabies who are still winless under coach Eddie Jones.

Former Wallabies outside back Cameron Shepherd has explained how losing Jordan Petaia to a rival code is “a scary prospect” for Australian rugby in the wake of recent reports.

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As reported earlier this week by Sydney Morning Herald and 9News reporter Michael Chammas, St George Illawarra coach Shane Flanagan has reached out to Petaia’s management.

The Dragons coach is interested in potentially luring the young Wallaby over to the NRL as the club weighs up the possibility of potentially replacing centre Zac Lomax.

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This news comes less than 50 days after it was revealed by The Daily Telegraph that Petia had been approached by the NFL International Player Pathway, a Queensland NRL side and Japanese rugby clubs.

With Wallabies wing Mark Nawaqanitawase already leaving the code at the end of 2024 to join the Sydney Roosters, and with some uncertainty surrounding Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii’s move to rugby union, it would be a tough blow to see Petaia leave Australian rugby.

“It’s a scary prospect,” Cameron Shepherd said on Stan Sports’ Rugby Heaven.

“You think that there’s also maybe a lot of conversations saying you paid so much money for other players, why aren’t we spending more to retain that local talent?

“You look at Jordan Petaia, two World Cups, he’s 23, he’s played 30-plus caps for Australia, I think I’m pretty close to the mark on that one. He’s a talent, and he’s someone we have to work to retain.”

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It’s been a big couple of days for Australian rugby with reports that the Sydney Roosters were going to try and retain Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii breaking earlier this week.

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Journalist Neil Breen told 2GB radio this week that the Tricolours were “working overtime” to try and convince Suaalii to backflip on his lucrative deal with Rugby Australia and the Waratahs.

But as Rugby Heaven panellist Sera Naiqama explained, it would be “so dishonest” of Suaalii to make that decision to remain in the NRL after agreeing to the deal.

“It would be a huge blow considering that we locked his deal in at a time when Rugby Australia was in a lot of turmoil,” Naiqama said.

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“He cost a lot of money for us to lock him in for what five years? Valued at about a $5 million contract.

“For him to back out would be so dishonest. Don’t commit yourself to something you know you’re not going to see through.

“There’s got to be some sort of loyalty when you’re being called in with huge responsibility and huge money attached to your name.”

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S
SK 1 hour ago
What is the future of rugby in 2025?

Set pieces are important and the way teams use them is a great indication of how they play the game. No team is showcasing their revolution more than the Springboks. This year they have mauled less and primarily in the attacking third. Otherwise they have tended to set like they are going to maul and then play around the corner or shove the ball out the back. They arent also hitting the crash ball carrier constantly but instead they are choosing to use their width or a big carrying forward in wider areas. While their maul is varied the scrum is still a blunt instrument winning penalties before the backs have a go. Some teams have chosen to blunt their set piece game for more control. The All Blacks are kicking more penalties and are using their powerful scrum as an attacking tool choosing that set piece as an attacking weapon. Their willingness to maul more and in different positions is also becoming more prominent. The French continue to play conservative rugby off the set piece using their big bruisers frequently. The set piece is used differently by different teams. Different teams play different ways and can be successful regardless. They can win games with little territory and possession or smash teams with plenty of both. The game of rugby is for all types and sizes and thats true in the modern era. I hope that administrators keep it that way and dont go further towards a Rugby League style situation. Some administrators are of the opinion that rugby is too slow and needs to be sped up. Why not rather empower teams to choose how they want to play and create a framework that favours neither size nor agility. That favours neither slow tempo play or rock n roll rugby. Create a game that favour both and challenge teams to execute their plans. If World Rugby can create a game like that then it will be the ultimate winner.

34 Go to comments
J
JW 6 hours ago
'Let's not sugarcoat it': Former All Black's urgent call to protect eligibility rules

Yep, no one knows what will happen. Thing is I think (this is me arguing a point here not a random debate with this one) they're better off trialing it now in a controlled environment than waiting to open it up in a knee jerk style reaction to a crumbling organtization and team. They can always stop it again.


The principle idea is that why would players leave just because the door is ajar?


BBBR decides to go but is not good enough to retain the jersey after doing it. NZ no longer need to do what I suggest by paying him to get back upto speed. That is solely a concept of a body that needs to do what I call pick and stick wth players. NZR can't hold onto everyone so they have to choose their BBBRs and if that player comes back from a sabbatical under par it's a priority to get him upto speed as fast as possible because half of his competition has been let go overseas because they can't hold onto them all. Changing eligibility removes that dilemma, if a BBBR isn't playing well you can be assured that someone else is (well the idea is that you can be more assured than if you only selected from domestic players).


So if someone decides they want to go overseas, they better do it with an org than is going to help improve them, otherwise theyre still basically as ineligible as if they would have been scorning a NZ Super side that would have given them the best chance to be an All Black.

147 Go to comments
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