Joseph Suaalii has been painted into a corner for money … and he mightn’t get out of it

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If Joseph Suaalii, his family, friends, management and other hangers-on were concerned about Rugby Australia honouring its $5 million deal, comments from newly elected chairman Daniel Herbert on Monday would not have eased their minds.

Asked specifically by several media outlets if RA would consider “reneging” on the deal, Herbert replied: “We’re not doing that at the moment, no.”

At the moment. At the moment? Maybe hold off on those Nike Air Mag “Back to the Future” sneakers (RRP $79,683) until you see a couple of cheques, Joey.

Staying on top of the Suaalii pantomime since his deal was struck in April has been as exhausting as a Hamish McLennan exit interview.

Roosters chairman Nick Politis was so cranky about being strung along by Suaalii’s manager, Isaac Moses, he wanted the 20-year-old frogmarched out of Allianz Stadium as soon as news of the deal broke. (Suaalii is contracted to the Roosters until the end of 2024.)

Then they flipped the script: the Roosters wanted to squeeze some value out of the player to whom they’d already paid buckets of money.

New Rugby Australia chairman Daniel Herbert.Credit: Jamila Toderas

Then they flipped the script again: they wanted him back in 2027 when his RA contract ended after the Rugby World Cup. Politis revealed last week Suaalii has told him this is what he wants to do, although Suaalii hasn’t confirmed this publicly.

Rugby’s spectacular self-immolation in the past couple of months has raised the spectre of the deal falling over altogether. Never, in the history of the world, has the term “cold feet” been bandied around so much.

Suaalii apparently has cold feet. I mean, who would want a part of this rah-rah shitshow?

RA, too, has cold feet. I mean, why are they paying this mungo so much money while the game withers on the vine, and especially so now the shiny white knight of private equity isn’t coming to save the day?

The problem is that neither party has anywhere to move. Rugby has a signed contract for three years without any get-out clauses their way, while the Roosters don’t have wriggle room in their salary cap for the next three seasons even if he did get out of it.

Rugby union-bound Roosters star Joseph Suaalii.Credit: Getty

Cynics often say the Roosters never lose a player they want to keep, but the simple fact is that quality players like Joseph Manu, Sam Walker, James Tedesco, Billy Smith and several emerging youngsters will need upgrades in the next three years.

In other words, Suaalii would have to play for another NRL club if the RA deal fell over. That might work for everyone else around him, but Suaalii’s devotion to his Roosters teammates and coach Trent Robinson means he’d be unhappy.

Perhaps ARL Commission chairman Peter V’landys can rush through those salary cap exemptions for rugby players he’s been prattling about. Do players who have signed with rugby but not yet played rugby count? I’m sure Politis will ask the question.

What is clear, though, is that Suaalii is fast becoming known for the endless theatre around his contract instead of what he can actually do.

He’s been branded as overhyped and a dud buy for rugby without playing a single second for the Wallabies or Waratahs.

When he struggled for form in 2023, he was dismissed as overrated – despite the standout season he had the previous year before his mind was clouded by endless talk about his future.

Suaalii has been earmarked for greatness since the age of 12. Unfortunately, he’s also carried a price tag.

When he was 12, a family friend approached South Sydney about securing him. To its credit, the club waved the person away.

When he was 16, he was caught in a tug-of-war between Souths, the Roosters and RA before he eventually signed with the Roosters.

Back then, interim RA chief executive Rob Clarke did his best to hose down stories that Suaalii had been offered $3 million. Not only did Clarke understand that was too much to offer a teenager, no matter how talented he was, he also knew it sent the wrong message to other rugby stakeholders.

Stop! Hammer Time. McLennan came in as chair and started trophy hunting big names. First came Eddie Jones, then Suaalii.

For whatever reason, McLennan figured disheartened rugby fans would return in droves to see an untested kid in a game he hadn’t played at senior level. It was a publicity stunt, as Jones has previously said.

“But he’ll fill stadiums!” McLennan ambitiously declared before drawing up a hit-list of NRL players to sign even if he didn’t have the money to sign them.

Until the bitter end, McLennan was still spinning the spin. “If you look at the Suaalii deal, certain quarters think that’s money not invested well and I just think it’s a no-brainer,” he told Channel Nine on Monday night. “He’s a terrific talent, he’s brought interest back to rugby, he would be an icon for younger players.”

What neither McLennan nor Suaalii’s management considered was the weird dynamic of a shy, unassuming 20-year-old playing against seasoned veterans on a fraction of his salary.

They didn’t consider his development as an athlete, who might have the physical attributes of a superstar but is still a long way off having the mindset of one.

They didn’t consider the best thing for Suaalii might be to learn his trade instead of having enough money to buy those Nike Air Mag “Back to the Future” sneakers.

Instead, they saw dollars. Which Suaalii looks like getting – at the moment.

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