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Why the Roosters believe Joseph Suaalii is ready for the NRL
The first thing you need to know about Joseph Suaalii is that he’s the first through the door.
He drives into Roosters HQ at Moore Park in the morning, parks his car with his P-plates on, and readies himself for a gruelling day of pre-season training.
They don’t get much out of him. Don’t misinterpret that as typical shyness from a rookie awkwardly feeling his way. It speaks more of his sense of professionalism.
Some players yahoo, some shit-stir, some have a laugh. Suaalii is all business. When training starts, he throws tin around the gym like he’s been playing in the NRL for years.
Then, when it’s time to step out onto the training field, his teammates see what all the fuss was about last year. The coaches see it. The random guy walking his dog sees it.
Suaalii moves with an efficiency and fluidity that draws comparisons to Trell, GI and Izzy.
He’s been dropping jaws with those moves since he was a kid, forcing rugby union and Souths to scramble so hard for his signature last year that he snubbed both and ended up at the Roosters.
Some at the club reckon Suaalii wouldn’t need ID to get into a pub. He looks about 24, they tell you, maybe older. But that’s the dilemma facing the Roosters, and even more so the NRL, because we all know the hottest prospect of the rugby codes in many years is still just 17 years old.
The rules can’t be clearer: players aren’t allowed to make their NRL debut until they are 18. Suaalii won’t be blowing out those candles until August 1.
Souths dangled the prospect of an exemption under Suaalii’s nose when they were trying to sign him long-term last year. Now the Roosters are asking the same question, although they’re taking their time.
Reports that they’ve already applied for an exemption are off the mark, but they plan to finalise their submission in the next two weeks.
As it stands, the club is still doing physical testing on the wildly talented teenager who unexpectedly fell into their laps two months ago. The Roosters are laying down as many markers as they can, testing his strength and balance; seeing if his quads and hamstrings can handle the rigours of senior football.
So far he has handled everything asked of him, including contact work and wrestling.
The Roosters also have no intention of playing Suaalii in every game this year. They’d ease him in, on the wing or in the centres, and his game time would be limited.
Handling the physical rigours of a brutal sport is one thing, but the mental strain is equally critical.
The 18-year-old age limit was introduced for several reasons but mostly because of a spate of suicides among young players across rugby league.
Now, the NRL says it needs to take “each case on its merits”. If that’s the case, why have a rule in place at all?
It also opens itself up to claims of favouritism. If the Roosters are given an exemption, you can bet rival clubs and their supporters will be howling their disapproval at the moon.
As far as the Roosters see it, however, not every 18-year-old is the same. Brad Fittler and Tim Brasher played first grade when they were still at school. Willie Mason was a man playing among boys when he was still, really, a boy. Payne Haas had to wait until he was 18 to debut for the Broncos but from all reports could’ve slotted into the front row within minutes of coming out of the womb.
But many players can’t. Some wanted the Roosters to play halfback Sam Walker last year after he turned 18, but coach Trent Robinson knew he wasn’t ready.
You could trust Robinson to do the right thing by Suaalii, too. You could also expect Wayne Bennett to have done the right thing at Souths, if that’s where Suaalii had landed.
Other clubs, other coaches, who are desperate for success, I wouldn’t be so sure. Because it’s easy for a coach to fall in love with players like Suaalii. They believe they’ve found The One and become giddy thinking about the success he’s going to bring both of them.
But being blessed with the body for athletic greatness means little if you don’t have the character to complement it. The Roosters already see this in Suaalii, well ahead of his time, and that’s why they want to play him sooner than later.
The first thing you need to know about Joseph Suaalii is that he’s the first through the door.
He drives into Roosters HQ at Moore Park in the morning, parks his car with his P-plates on, and readies himself for a gruelling day of pre-season training.
They don’t get much out of him. Don’t misinterpret that as typical shyness from a rookie awkwardly feeling his way. It speaks more of his sense of professionalism.
Some players yahoo, some shit-stir, some have a laugh. Suaalii is all business. When training starts, he throws tin around the gym like he’s been playing in the NRL for years.
Then, when it’s time to step out onto the training field, his teammates see what all the fuss was about last year. The coaches see it. The random guy walking his dog sees it.
Suaalii moves with an efficiency and fluidity that draws comparisons to Trell, GI and Izzy.
He’s been dropping jaws with those moves since he was a kid, forcing rugby union and Souths to scramble so hard for his signature last year that he snubbed both and ended up at the Roosters.
Some at the club reckon Suaalii wouldn’t need ID to get into a pub. He looks about 24, they tell you, maybe older. But that’s the dilemma facing the Roosters, and even more so the NRL, because we all know the hottest prospect of the rugby codes in many years is still just 17 years old.
The rules can’t be clearer: players aren’t allowed to make their NRL debut until they are 18. Suaalii won’t be blowing out those candles until August 1.
Souths dangled the prospect of an exemption under Suaalii’s nose when they were trying to sign him long-term last year. Now the Roosters are asking the same question, although they’re taking their time.
Reports that they’ve already applied for an exemption are off the mark, but they plan to finalise their submission in the next two weeks.
As it stands, the club is still doing physical testing on the wildly talented teenager who unexpectedly fell into their laps two months ago. The Roosters are laying down as many markers as they can, testing his strength and balance; seeing if his quads and hamstrings can handle the rigours of senior football.
So far he has handled everything asked of him, including contact work and wrestling.
The Roosters also have no intention of playing Suaalii in every game this year. They’d ease him in, on the wing or in the centres, and his game time would be limited.
Handling the physical rigours of a brutal sport is one thing, but the mental strain is equally critical.
The 18-year-old age limit was introduced for several reasons but mostly because of a spate of suicides among young players across rugby league.
Now, the NRL says it needs to take “each case on its merits”. If that’s the case, why have a rule in place at all?
It also opens itself up to claims of favouritism. If the Roosters are given an exemption, you can bet rival clubs and their supporters will be howling their disapproval at the moon.
As far as the Roosters see it, however, not every 18-year-old is the same. Brad Fittler and Tim Brasher played first grade when they were still at school. Willie Mason was a man playing among boys when he was still, really, a boy. Payne Haas had to wait until he was 18 to debut for the Broncos but from all reports could’ve slotted into the front row within minutes of coming out of the womb.
But many players can’t. Some wanted the Roosters to play halfback Sam Walker last year after he turned 18, but coach Trent Robinson knew he wasn’t ready.
You could trust Robinson to do the right thing by Suaalii, too. You could also expect Wayne Bennett to have done the right thing at Souths, if that’s where Suaalii had landed.
Other clubs, other coaches, who are desperate for success, I wouldn’t be so sure. Because it’s easy for a coach to fall in love with players like Suaalii. They believe they’ve found The One and become giddy thinking about the success he’s going to bring both of them.
But being blessed with the body for athletic greatness means little if you don’t have the character to complement it. The Roosters already see this in Suaalii, well ahead of his time, and that’s why they want to play him sooner than later.
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