NRL stars Nathan Cleary, Wade Graham, Benji Marshall voice concerns over changing age rule for Joseph Suaalii
Wade Graham has spoken of his own plight in a bid make the NRL think twice about changing age rules for the likes of Joseph Suaalii who he says is too young to handle it.
Sharks
Don't miss out on the headlines from Sharks. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Three of the game’s biggest stars, Wade Graham, Benji Marshall and Nathan Cleary, have warned of the dangers of changing age rules that would allow teen sensation Joseph Suaalii to make his NRL debut in 2021.
Suaalii, who only turns 17 on Saturday, was the subject of a multimillion-dollar bidding war between South Sydney and Rugby Australia.
Suaalii is expected to commit to the Rabbitohs on his 17th birthday but under current age rules won’t be able to make his NRL debut until he is 18-years old.
Kayo is your ticket to the 2020 NRL Telstra Premiership. Every game of every round Live & On-Demand with no-ad breaks during play. New to Kayo? Get your 14-day free trial & start streaming instantly >
MORE NRL NEWS
Secret deal with Crowe that helped Souths seal Suaalii
Teams: Matterson in, Broncos selection shock
Rich deal: Roosters boss reveals Keary’s future
The NRL is considering an exemption for Suaalii but veteran Cronulla forward Graham has voiced concerns whether players like the teenager are ready for the brutal physicality of top flight rugby league.
Graham made his debut at 17 for the Penrith Panthers in 2008, playing eight games and a further 22 games in 2009.
A candid Graham admitted his body wasn’t ready to deal with NRL football and forced him under the knife for a shoulder reconstruction when he was just 19-years old.
“Speaking from experience, I debuted as a 17-year old. I certainly look back at my time, when I came through and it was definitely too early for me. My body wasn’t quite ready for it,” he said.
“I had shoulder surgery the next season (2009) because of the damage the game brought to my body. I spent the next 12 months in the gym trying to be strong enough to play week in week out grind of the NRL.”
Graham proposed a cap on the number of NRL games for a player under 18 during their debut season in a bid to protect teenagers like Suaalii.
NRL RICH LIST
How blue-collar kid became NRL’s richest
The secret to building a great NRL roster
“The adage back then was, if you’re good enough, you’re old enough. I understand why the rules came in to protect the younger players. But there is always an exception to the rule. You look at guys like Israel Folau and Greg Inglis coming through as teenagers and dominating on the world stage so it’s hard to deny someone (like Suaalii) if they are physically ready,” Graham said.
“Instead of holding a player back at that age, if they’re good enough, there might be ways to look at capping the number of games they can play in the (debut) season.”
“The NRL is a war attrition … and it takes a while for your body to mature enough to be able to handle that.”
Tigers veteran Marshall said despite the fact Suaalii looked ready to play in the NRL, there were dangers with changing the rules.
“The reason the rules got brought in to change kids from being able to play until they’re 18 was to look out for the welfare and long-term being able to handle playing with men,” Marshall told NRL 360.
“Each case is different but I’m scared that if we change the rule now clubs are going to start signing kids at 15, 16 on bigger deals when they haven’t played first grade before.
“It could have a massive effect on the long-term health of some of these young guys.”
Penrith halfback Cleary also cautioned against prematurely blooding the game’s hottest prospects too early and said the intense media scrutiny could have a detrimental impact on Suaalii.
The Panthers superstar, who made his debut at 18-years old in 2016, said the expectation and scrutiny of being an NRL player is like being ‘hit in the face’.
“I think it’s the increased scrutiny in the media and the stuff around it, which is the hard part. He’ll need a good support base around him, which I’m sure the Rabbitohs would have to help him through the tough moments and the scrutiny,” Cleary said.
“He’s more than talented enough, there wouldn’t be these raps around him if he wasn’t … it’s more about his mind and trying to preparing him for what’s to come.
“It kind of hits you in the face once you reach (the NRL), especially if you have a couple of bad games.”
Cleary also revealed after Suaalii dominated the headlines in recent weeks he decided to watch the rising back’s highlight reels.
“I actually watched his highlights yesterday. Every article I was seeing on social media was about him so I thought I may as well give him a look and I watched it … wow, he’s a special talent so I’m pretty interested to see how he goes,” he said.
Like Cleary, Parramatta halfback Mitchell Moses is just as impressed with Suaalii’s talents.
But unlike Cleary, Moses has seen Suaalii tear through his opposition first hand as a spectator at a schoolboy rugby match between St Joseph’s College and The Kings School.
“I’ve seen him play. My little cousin was playing Joeys and they played against Kings in a game last year and I went to watch it. The kid is a freak… this kid’s a bit different. He’ll be ready to play next year,” Moses said.
Originally published as NRL stars Nathan Cleary, Wade Graham, Benji Marshall voice concerns over changing age rule for Joseph Suaalii