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Why don't we ever "raid" Union?

Gobsmacked

Bench
Messages
2,649
As funny as that would be they just aren’t worth the dollars

your paying the price of a lambo for a holden

History, in all sporting codes, is dead set littered with "The best young player in years" players.

How many were? Really REALLY were? In hindsight?

Hindsight is 20/20, we all know that. But jeez, he's only 1 player. Let him go. If he succeeds his value is judged by his success, if he doesn't then likewise.

Risk/Reward, ballsy move at his age, but it's his life and career. Unless the whispers in his ear are a little too "dominant"
I don't think anyone is genuinely blaming the kid. 1.6 million! He didn't really have a choice.
 

wazdog

Juniors
Messages
377
Given he refused to commit for more than a season at a time tells you everything you needed to know about his motives. Souths initially signed him with this clause, the roosters accepted this clause. He hasn't played them - these clubs were so blindsided by the idea he's the reincarnation of Clive Churchill they were willing to let a kid with no runs on the board dictate terms.

I couldn't believe Souths initially agreed, and then the roosters agreed, how many other players in the NRL have a yearly get out clause?

Reading posts of fans from both codes, they've speculated for years he'd switch in time for the rugby world cup, or the English tour whenever that is. If armchair experts saw it coming, why didn't the chooks? The manager never went back to the roosters because he was never planning on staying. The roosters could have offered him more and I think he'd still have gone

The Bunnies didn't agree to get out clauses hence him going to the Roosters. A transfer fee of $110k was agreed to let him go a year early.

 

Chief_Chujo

First Grade
Messages
7,419
I don't think anyone is genuinely blaming the kid. 1.6 million! He didn't really have a choice.
Of course not. But his choice has created a problem for the game and he isn't immune from consequences. You can't have him developing in the best rugby comp, either code, in the world and building his profile while at the same time being an 18 month walking billboard for union. It makes us look like a development comp and provides 18 months of advertising on the biggest sport in Australia for the code that has been trying to kill us since the beginning. I even think roosters should get cap dispensation to drop him it's that serious. At the very least word needs to come from high that he is persona non grata when it comes to rep footy.
 

Gobsmacked

Bench
Messages
2,649
Of course not. But his choice has created a problem for the game and he isn't immune from consequences. You can't have him developing in the best rugby comp, either code, in the world and building his profile while at the same time being an 18 month walking billboard for union. It makes us look like a development comp and provides 18 months of advertising on the biggest sport in Australia for the code that has been trying to kill us since the beginning. I even think roosters should get cap dispensation to drop him it's that serious. At the very least word needs to come from high that he is persona non grata when it comes to rep footy.
I totally agree. I'm not happy about our game being used to promote that dribble.
 

Gobsmacked

Bench
Messages
2,649
Dead right. 😁

Time will tell if ability matches price tag, but the young fella has made that the focus.
Honestly, in league he'll never be worth that. He's a great prospect but only an athlete!
Not a match winning ball player, game manager.. never going to be a captain. not even close.
He’s not worth half that to Union either.
Edie Jones is trying to buy success because it's clear he has an open checkbook to do so.
Make no mistake about it, RA are on the ropes! They are throwing all they have behind Eddie and the Wallabies success because that's the ONLY way out of the death spiral that union is in in this country.
It's a hail mery
 

aqua_duck

Coach
Messages
18,316
I honestly don’t understand the disdain toward Suualii, sure he’s going to union but there is literally no one here who would turn down a $1.6 mil a year job offer, yet people are acting like he bashed his missus, sexually assaulted another woman, imported and sold narcotics, then went and stabbed someone at church party.
I don’t remember this sort of disdain for RTS, Brad Thorn, Koroibete, Radradra, and Vunivalu.
People saying oh the roosters got played and that they should get rid of him immediately are being ridiculous, fact of the matter is he’s still one of their better players and by the time he leaves he would’ve been there for 4 years which is way longer than the average tenure of a NRL player at a single club.
 

Wb1234

Referee
Messages
21,838
Dead right. 😁

Time will tell if ability matches price tag, but the young fella has made that the focus.
He’s years away from reaching potential

once he goes to union he will go to crap

most take a year or two to get used to the pace of league again

he was average at full back in the World Cup

three years in union is a long time
 

Wb1234

Referee
Messages
21,838
I honestly don’t understand the disdain toward Suualii, sure he’s going to union but there is literally no one here who would turn down a $1.6 mil a year job offer, yet people are acting like he bashed his missus, sexually assaulted another woman, imported and sold narcotics, then went and stabbed someone at church party.
I don’t remember this sort of disdain for RTS, Brad Thorn, Koroibete, Radradra, and Vunivalu.
People saying oh the roosters got played and that they should get rid of him immediately are being ridiculous, fact of the matter is he’s still one of their better players and by the time he leaves he would’ve been there for 4 years which is way longer than the average tenure of a NRL player at a single club.
His ego

souths and roosters he showed zero loyalty towards

now he’s leaving the roosters because they extended Tedesco contract by two years
 

Wb1234

Referee
Messages
21,838
No. 1.6 million.
Nah he could’ve signed next year for that money with the aru and not extended with the roosters

he extended the option then right after Tedesco extended and then he had a sook bc he realised he would have to wait behind Tedesco

even the roosters were paying him overs he’s not worth 700k

the aru are happy to take him now on 1.6 million
 

Wb1234

Referee
Messages
21,838

McLennan further stirred the pot, saying another high profile NRL player had reached out.

“The genie is out of the bottle,” McLennan said. “He wants the international exposure, the big stadiums and the international events.

“At rugby we are more pro-player. Longer careers, greater life experience, more focused on player welfare and more fun.”

FMD this is funny
 

Chief_Chujo

First Grade
Messages
7,419
Nah he could’ve signed next year for that money with the aru and not extended with the roosters

he extended the option then right after Tedesco extended and then he had a sook bc he realised he would have to wait behind Tedesco

even the roosters were paying him overs he’s not worth 700k

the aru are happy to take him now on 1.6 million
Yep. Or he could have waited until next year to announce the switch and no one would be calling for his dropping. But now he's an advertisement for the enemy and needs to go.
 

Chief_Chujo

First Grade
Messages
7,419

McLennan further stirred the pot, saying another high profile NRL player had reached out.

“The genie is out of the bottle,” McLennan said. “He wants the international exposure, the big stadiums and the international events.

“At rugby we are more pro-player. Longer careers, greater life experience, more focused on player welfare and more fun.”

FMD this is funny
Tbh he is playing it well. Their entire relevance is based off league. V'landys needs to not respond to the bait because that's exactly what McLennan is after.
 

aqua_duck

Coach
Messages
18,316
Nah he could’ve signed next year for that money with the aru and not extended with the roosters

he extended the option then right after Tedesco extended and then he had a sook bc he realised he would have to wait behind Tedesco

even the roosters were paying him overs he’s not worth 700k

the aru are happy to take him now on 1.6 million
So he should be publicly flogged because he wants to play fullback? FMD how many players over the years have moved club because they wanted to play a certain position (typically a spine position)?
Look I understand it’s disappointing he’s leaving but the over reaction is getting beyond ridiculous. To suggest he should be kicked out of the game immediately like Gus alluded to is just idiotic but tracks with Gould’s history of sacking people mid contract
 

Chief_Chujo

First Grade
Messages
7,419
So he should be publicly flogged because he wants to play fullback? FMD how many players over the years have moved club because they wanted to play a certain position (typically a spine position)?
Look I understand it’s disappointing he’s leaving but the over reaction is getting beyond ridiculous. To suggest he should be kicked out of the game immediately like Gus alluded to is just idiotic but tracks with Gould’s history of sacking people mid contract
What if he was going to AFL?
 

martielang

Bench
Messages
3,375
If people are already worried about him being a ‘billboard’ for the ARU over the next 18 months, doesn’t that prove the ARU have made the right move securing him for that money? Even without setting foot on the field he’s caused a stir and some exposure.

I also don’t get the 3rd best fullback chat. He’s just as likely to play inside/outside centre and will be an absolute monster.
 

Chief_Chujo

First Grade
Messages
7,419
If people are already worried about him being a ‘billboard’ for the ARU over the next 18 months, doesn’t that prove the ARU have made the right move securing him for that money? Even without setting foot on the field he’s caused a stir and some exposure.

I also don’t get the 3rd best fullback chat. He’s just as likely to play inside/outside centre and will be an absolute monster.
I just hate union mate. They have tried to kill us since birth. Even joined up with the Nazis to wipe us out in France. You might say it's ancient history but the last time they were successful in this country they immediately started talking about wiping us out again. I don't want any advertisement for them from our game.
 

aqua_duck

Coach
Messages
18,316
He’s years away from reaching potential

once he goes to union he will go to crap

most take a year or two to get used to the pace of league again

he was average at full back in the World Cup

three years in union is a long time
Take a year or two to get used to the pace of league again? Who exactly are you referring to? SBW came back to league after like 5 years and was once again one of the best forwards in the NRL after the first month of so, Burgess came back and was club best and fairest his first season back, Rogers and Tuqiri even though they were older when they returned were pretty good from the get go
 

aqua_duck

Coach
Messages
18,316
What if he was going to AFL?
What does it matter exactly? Karmichael Hunt and Izzy went to AFL expansion franchises that were based in RL heartlands and people weren’t asking for them to be kicked out and black listed. Most people understood they signed for money and accepted that, but with Suualii that notion is not accepted and people are treating him like he’s committed high treason and should be locked up
 

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