Souths sign $1.7m freak with richest teen deal in NRL history:
https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nr...r/news-story/31a265aca277bcc78b0e6e4373f85c4d
Sam Burgess lauds ‘unbelievable’ Rabbitohs prodigy with courage beyond his years:
https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nr...6/news-story/1a91072a6431efed80c723c1b4a7ec56
Absolutely stoked with this!! Must admit, I've never seen this guy play but have already heard a lot about him obviously and you can just tell he will be a superstar if he stays on this course. I mean, look at the money we've thrown at him, that speaks volumes. Look at how many others were chasing him (just about every other NRL club and Rugby Union), that speaks volumes. And look at the way some absolutel legends of our game talk about him and rate him, that speaks volumes. Obviously, this has happened many times and the kids have failed to live up to the hype but I've never seen such hype around someone of that age. Great move Souths!!
On another note,
Clubs could be set for early return to home grounds:
https://www.nrl.com/news/2020/06/17/clubs-could-be-set-for-early-return-to-home-grounds/
NRL clubs hope to be playing from home by Round 8:
https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nr...s/news-story/8df10193aa8ef3b8896001fbaf7dd08e
You've just lost him apparently, all because the NRL wouldnt allow him to sign that contract until he was 18, Union has swooped
https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/s...y/news-story/c988fdfc34e1ca37d58f1c678edb03d5
Rugby Australia is set to steal teenage sensation Joseph Suaalii from the South Sydney Rabbitohs on a three-year deal worth a record $3 million.
In a stunning backflip, Suaalii will become the richest 16-year-old sportsman in Australian history.
Contracted to Souths until the end of next season, Suaalii last month agreed to a
three-year extension at Redfern worth $1.7 million. But the Rabbitohs could not register the contract with the NRL until Suaalii turned 17 on August 1, which has given RA time to swoop in with a mind-blowing $1-million-a-year offer.
That equates to a weekly payment of nearly $20,000.
South Sydney thought they had won Joseph Suaalii’s prized signature.
RA sources close to Suaalii told The Daily Telegraph on Tuesday afternoon the boom fullback would now reject Souths to become a Wallaby.
It is a massive and timely coup for rugby union, a sport in a desperate state of decline due to poor on-field performances and the devastating impact of COVID-19 on its finances.
Under NRL rules, Suaalii could not play NRL until he turned 18. Those rules, implemented to protect rising stars, are set to cost rugby league a next-generation star.
Instead, Suaalii could now represent Australia in Rugby Sevens at the Tokyo Olympics, should they go ahead next year.
The Daily Telegraph could not reach any South Sydney officials for comment on Tuesday.
Suaalii — who stands 196cm and weighs 96kg — spent the off-season training with South Sydney’s NRL squad.
Suaalii with Wayne Bennett and John Sutton after signing with South Sydney.
Just after pre-season training concluded, new Wallabies coach Dave Rennie
unsuccessfully attempted to sign Suaalii. Not to be discouraged, Rennie went back again and nabbed his man.
Only last month, Rennie revealed: “I met him (Suaalii) when I was here in January, impressive athlete and a very mature kid for 16.
“As you get with guys like Joseph, they command a lot of attention and clearly Souths are very interested in him and have thrown some serious money in front him.
“So he’s just an example of the type of kids that we want to keep in our game, but it’s a competitive market and it’s not easy.”
The Daily Telegraph understands Suaalii will play Super Rugby Australia for the NSW Waratahs.
Wallabies coach Dave Rennie has landed a big blow on rugby league. Picture: Hanna Lassen/Getty Images
A Glenmore Park product in Sydney’s west, Suaalii has been in the South Sydney system since he was 11, with many believing he was destined to become a rugby league superstar.
There were suggestions Souths had plans to fast-track Suaalii straight into their NRL side the day he turned 18 next year.
Rabbitohs legend Sam Burgess even described Suaalii as “unbelievable.”
“Look, I hate rapping young kids,” Burgess told Fox Sports. “I‘ve seen him first-hand, training with the first team, and forget his athletic ability — what I saw inside Joseph Suaalii that day, I saw (how) we took him to the edge of the cliff and he hung on for dear life and he had the courage of a 25 to 28-year-old man.
Sam Burgess is a huge fan of Suaalii’s. Picture: Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images
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“And he was riding contact — this was six months ago — like any other first-grader. I‘ve never ever seen a kid do that and never mind an outside back.
“So I hate rapping a young kid because it‘s unwarranted, but I’ve seen him first-hand, he’s pretty special.”
At just 16, Suaalii has already represented NSW in rugby league, rugby union, AFL and basketball. He also represented the Australian Schoolboys and Australian under 18s rugby union sides.
