“He’s coming back,” Suaalii promises the Roosters boss in the face of impending $5 million in salary
Roosters chairman Nick Politis has dealt another crushing blow to Rugby Australia as the NRL intensifies its war on the code by revealing that Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii has informed him he will be rejoining the Tricolours in 2028 following his three-year stint playing the 15-man game.
When the 80-year-old billionaire Politis was questioned about the Dragons losing Suaalii to Rugby Australia in a reported $4.8 million deal after the 2024 season, he also called two players “jealous” and “stupid.”
Joseph is a good boy, Politis said to Channel 9.
“It’s unfortunate that the union took his life, but he promises to return in 2028.”
Phase One
Politis responded, “Of course,” when asked if he would welcome Suaalii back to the team after his time playing rugby. Constantly a Rooster
Contrary to rumors, the Roosters and Politis were incensed about how the gifted 20-year-old and his manager, Isaac Moses, clandestinely negotiated their contract with Rugby Australia while completely concealing it from his NRL club.
Suaalii’s deal now seems more like a headache for RA management, despite the fact that it was initially heralded as a major win for the Wallabies and NSW Waratahs (where Suaalii will play his club football) and a catalyst for a hiring frenzy of NRL talent to the 15-man code.
First off, the influx of signings never materialized; at the last minute, Angus Crichton, a fellow Rooster, had his $1.6 million contract with RA collapse.
Second, there is a belief that the young outside back’s enormous rugby salary—$1.6 million annually—will boost the player market and make many more well-known rugby players envious of their pitiful pay.
The prospect of representing Australia at the Rugby World Cup in 2027 and playing for the Wallabies during the British and Irish Lions Tour of Australia in 2025 was a major factor in Suaalii’s decision to switch to rugby.
Even though the NRL cannot compete in major international events like those, the 13-man code is making every effort to take revenge on rugby by encouraging Australia’s rugby union to convert to rugby league.
The strongest hint yet that the Australian Rugby League Commission may approve salary cap exemptions for teams that sign players from competing codes came from NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo on Tuesday.
The idea of having a war chest to attract the top players from other sports around the globe has been discussed for years, and Abdo has now confirmed that salary cap exemptions are a possibility and will be covered at the board meeting the following month.
Although the precise meaning of that is still unknown, rumors have it that the Roosters are interested in signing Wallabies star Mark Nawaqanitawase.
“Would relief from the salary cap be used? Sure. The commission will undoubtedly take that into consideration and do so in due course, according to Abdo.
“Whether it’s the men’s or women’s competition, we want the best athletes to compete in our sport.
“We want to grow, so while nurturing rugby league talent through our own routes is our main priority, we’re also open to luring and, in certain cases, welcoming back players from other codes.
For that, we want to establish a fantastic atmosphere.
We are aware that players are drawn to teams that are truly tribal in nature and that offer high-performance playing environments in front of boisterous crowds in addition to salary caps. Players also find our clubs to be appealing due to the caliber of the centers of excellence they see there.
When you combine that with the opportunity for some players to play in the State of Origin or for others to participate in Test matches in the Pacific Championships, it presents a very alluring offer to players.
Fearing that the wealthy and powerful would take advantage of this loophole to further distance themselves from the pursuing pack, Abdo emphasized that any change that might be made would need to be equitable for all 17 clubs.
He declared, “There will be limits and restrictions on any changes the commission makes to that policy, and they will have to be very carefully considered.”
It won’t be an open competition. It will be a sensitive matter, and the focus will be on ensuring that every club has an equal chance to acquire one or two exceptional players who they may hire from various international codes.
But we’ll give it careful thought because we want to make sure that we concentrate on our pathways and preserve the equilibrium of competition.
The commission will also talk about the possibility of adding an 18th team as early as 2026 at its meeting next month, in addition to potential rule changes.
With growing concerns about China’s influence in the Pacific, Papua New Guinea has emerged as the front-runner. The Australian government is reportedly willing to financially support the bid to strengthen diplomatic ties in the region.
The NRL has gained a lot of knowledge from the Dolphins, the most recent expansion team. For this reason, adding a team like PNG by 2026 might be too soon, considering issues with infrastructure, travel, and hiring.
Moving from 17 to 18 is the next step, according to Abdo, because “growth is absolutely at the forefront of the commission’s focus” and “they’ve said all along that they want to invest in growth and growth in the men’s and women’s teams.”
We’re working diligently to determine the best time to do that and how it all fits together. And it goes without saying that we’ve received a ton of interest from fans throughout the Pacific, Australia, and New Zealand in addition to those in PNG.
And the fact that there is such a high demand is fantastic for our sport.
The commission will deliberate carefully, consider all of the opportunities that present themselves, and then begin to plan for the specifics of that growth.
