The war of words between RA (Rugby Australia) chair Hamish McLennan and the rugby league has elevated. Hamish recently lashed out at the rival for criticizing the move regarding Joseph Suaalii.
The RA fans were informed regarding the team signing Suaalii into a three-year contract. The player has reportedly charged around 1.6 million dollars a year from 2025 ahead. As expected, paying such an amount for the 19-year-old rugby player was astonishing.
Joseph Suaalii entered NRL as a 17-year-old back in 2021. The young talent has been called the future great by many, with the player’s defection to rugby causing consternation across the league.
The move regarding Suaalii has put the player in line for a historical Irish and British Lions tour of Australia. At the same time, the player is also in line for the Rugby World Cup in 2027. With the upcoming massive series and remarkable salary, NRL fans have also questioned how the player will perform in club rugby.
Peter V’landys, the ARLC boss, conducted an interview with The Sydney Morning recently. According to Peter, once Joseph starts playing rugby, the player will be bored and will make a return to the rugby league. That is what most of the players that switch codes do.
Brandon Smith, Suaalii’s teammate from Roosters, also shared a cheeky shot at RA. The player insisted that gaining an outside back from the league was not going to help the team beat the All Blacks, nor was it going to affect the odds at rugby betting sites.
The player added that, just like Peter mentioned, those 1.6 million dollars could have been better spent on rugby’s grassroots.
Many fans and experts have called the move a desperate attempt, so it remains to see how RA aims to come back at them. While Suaalii has showcased immense talent, outshining such an outburst would prove to be a difficult task for the player as well.
