Suaalii has put to bed any dispute about NRL players being far superior footballers to their rugby union rivals.
But it only adds to the debate that if there was ever to be a cross-code showdown we now know who’d win by the length of the Randwick straight.
In no way is this intended to be disrespectful of Suaalii’s stunning effort.
But the fact is that while Suaalii was an outstanding young player on the rise at the Roosters, at this point of his career he didn’t rank anywhere near the NRL’s top players.
If you think that’s being unfair just look at some of the names ahead of him.
From Nathan Cleary to Jahrome Hughes, Kalyn Ponga, Jarome Luai, Isaah Yeo, Cameron Munster, Harry Grant, Tom Trbojevic, Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, Stephen Crichton, Dylan Edwards, Tom Dearden, Mitchell Moses, James Tedesco, Matt Burton, Latrell Mitchell, Joseph Tapine, Payne Haas, Reece Walsh and Haumole Olakau’atu.
That’s 20 for starters, and I could go on and on.
In fact, “Buzz” Rothfield did go on and on this year when he didn’t even rank Suaalii in his top 50 NRL players list.
Of course, Suaalii was selected in Michael Maguire’s NSW team for the State of Origin series opener.
But that was in the absence of Turbo and Latrell who, let’s face it, would both start in the centres ahead of Suaalii if all three were fit and raring to go.
And don’t forget Stephen Crichton would be first centre picked on this year’s form.
Even on the wing Suaalii wouldn’t get a spot in the Blues ahead of either Brian To’o or Zac Lomax.
Yet Suaalii had the entire rugby world waxing lyrical.
While former Wallabies were blown away by Suaalii’s skills, power and athleticism, even the Poms were gushing with tributes including that the former Rooster “looks like a world star already”, along with suggestions it “rekindled memories of Jonah Lomu’s contribution at the 1995 World Cup”.
Fair dinkum, it just goes to show how starved of star power the poor buggers have been for so long.
Proof NRL will survive without Suaalii; why Rugby should be thanking league bosses: Crawls
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