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'Not be vindictive': Rugby Australia boss sends warning to League over Suaalii reaction
By Ben Smith
Rugby Australia boss Hamish McLennan has offered some sage advice to rugby league if they want a chance at getting star recruit Joseph Suaalii back.
The reaction by rugby league figures to the original news of Joseph Suaalii's impending switch to rugby union has been bitter, with figurehead pundit and Bulldogs Chief Phil Gould telling the Roosters star to 'go now' and get out of 'our game'.
The discussion dominating rugby league now is whether Joseph Suaalii should be prevented from playing State of Origin, Australian rugby league's showpiece event between Queensland and New South Wales.
RA chairman McLennan said that they need to be 'dignified' in how they handle Suaalii and avoid burning bridges with the young man.
“League should pick on talent and form, and not be vindictive,” McLennan told the Nine papers.
“I suspect they’ll have a better chance of ever getting him back if they’re dignified about it.
“If Joseph’s wish was to return to league at some point in the future, we’d be relaxed about it.
“It’s a great honour to play for the Wallabies or in a Lions series, but we wouldn’t be punitive.”
Wallabies head coach Eddie Jones was excited by the prospect of seeing his future player in the Origin arena and did not want to see him miss out over the contract situation.
The 63-year-old believed performing well at Origin level was a good indication of how a player would handle Test rugby.
“The league recruits we had in the past, Wendell Sailor, Lote Tuqiri and Mat Rogers, all were brilliant at Origin,” the Wallabies coach said.
“It’s a true test of a league player, and they showed they could cut it there, and it would be good to see Joseph in that same arena.
“I think if you can handle what Origin throws at you, it shows you will be able to handle Test rugby.
“It’s the highest of standards and it would be great to see him make it into the Blues side and then play well.”
Suaallii was involved with the NSW Blues squad in 2022 but has not featured yet in a State of Origin game.
He represented Samoa at the Rugby League World Cup in 2022 and helped the Pacific side make the final.
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Latest Comments
500k registered players in SA are scoolgoers and 90% of them don't go on to senior club rugby. SA is fed by having hundreds upon hundreds of schools that play rugby - school rugby is an institution of note in SA - but as I say for the vast majority when they leave school that's it.
Go to commentsDon't think you've watched enough. I'll take him over anything I's seen so far. But let's see how the future pans out. I'm quietly confident we have a row of 10's lined uo who would each start in many really good teams.
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