Highly rated soon-to-be Australian Rugby Union player Joseph Suaalii has sparked early excitement ahead of his official transition from rugby league, even before playing his first game in the 15-man code.
After their preliminary final loss to the Melbourne Storm, the 21-year-old recently concluded his commitments with the NRL’s Sydney Roosters and is now officially a Rugby Union player.
Suaalii announced his switch to rugby union in March 2023, in a reported $5 million deal over three years, set to commence at the end of 2024. However, with the Wallabies struggling after a poor Rugby Championship campaign, speculation is growing about when Suaalii might make his debut.
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In an interview earlier this month, Suaalii hinted that he would be joining the Wallabies for their upcoming Spring Tour of the United Kingdom and Ireland despite having yet to officially join the squad.
“I am honestly not sure (if I will play), but I am going on that Spring Tour at the end of the year,” Suaalii said.
“There is no Super Rugby (left this year). I know once I finish here (with the Roosters) I will be straight into it.
“Footy is footy. It’s a footy ball at the end of the day. It’s just about playing.”
Wallabies coach Ian Schmidt responded cautiously to Suaalii’s comments, stating that while he had not spoken to the player directly yet, he was keen to do so.
“Yeah, I was interested that Joseph mentioned that,” Schmidt said of the Spring Tour.
“I haven’t spoken to him directly yet because I wanted to leave him to play for the Roosters.
“Obviously they played last night and were knocked out by the Melbourne Storm.
“So Joseph, now, we will potentially have a conversation.
“We’ve just got to wait for the powers to deem that he’s available to us, and then, you know, after that, he’ll be a guy that we’ll have a conversation with for sure.” Schmidt
Schmidt also expressed excitement about Suaalii’s potential contribution to the Wallabies, emphasising his athleticism and goal-kicking ability. There is a possibility that Suaalii could be included in the Spring Tour squad for development purposes, even if he doesn’t play in any of the high-profile matches.
Wallabies captain Harry Wilson echoed the enthusiasm, calling Suaalii’s arrival “super exciting” and praising his football skills. “He’s a terrific footballer and adds a lot of value to Australian rugby,” Wilson said. “Everyone’s pretty excited to have him.”
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