Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii ignores critics and finds form for flying Roosters

Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii has put a spell of poor form behind him to produce a devastating month of rugby league. The Roosters star opens up to BRENT READ in an exclusive interview.

Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii. (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)

Sydney Roosters winger Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii has revealed that a determination to focus on himself and his family — not the barbs of the media and his critics — has provided the motivation for his stunning month of football leading into the finals.

Suaalii has been in red-hot form for the Roosters in recent weeks, having emerged from a lean spell to produce the sort of statistics that would have rugby union fans salivating over his impending arrival.

For the moment, his focus is purely on helping the Roosters extend their season into another week as they attempt to keep their winning streak going against Cronulla at Pointsbet Stadium on Saturday night.

Suaalii will head into that game having silenced many of his critics, some of whom had suggested the Roosters would be better placed cutting him loose early rather than holding onto him next season.

“One hundred per cent, I wasn’t at my best,” Suaalii said.

Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii silenced many of his critics with a turnaround in form. Picture: Getty Images

“Obviously my form hasn’t been the best it has been but it is all about going week to week and growing from there.

“Hopefully my form gets better and better every week.”

Asked whether he had been affected by the criticism he had endured earlier this season, Suaalii said: “Not really. I couldn’t care less. I focus on my family and myself and do what I do best — which is play footy.”

Not many wingers have played it better than Suaalii in recent weeks and his return to form has coincided with a hot streak for the Roosters that resulted in the club securing an unlikely finals berth.

Suaalii has scored five tries and averaged nearly 200 metres and five tackle busts a game over the past five matches. He has added a feather to his cap with his goalkicking and Roosters captain James Tedesco heaped praise on the 20-year-old for buffering the criticism and helping the club into the finals.

“He is probably another one who has let go a bit,” Tedesco said.

Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii’s return to form has coincided with a hot streak for the Roosters. Picture: NRL Photos

“A lot of us carried that through the first 12 rounds — a lot of weight on our shoulders and big expectation on the Roosters.

“Joey went through a lot of stuff with his contract and personal stuff. He is a good example of someone who has just gone I am going to go out and play footy and back myself, without worrying too much about anyone else.

“When he does that, he has that talent. When he is backing himself and playing a lot freer, you can see why the hype and all the talk was about him because he is a very special talent.

“It has been awesome to see but he is getting better and better.”

Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii has scored five tries, averaged nearly 200 metres and five tackle busts per game in his past five matches. Picture: Matt King/Getty Images

The Roosters are banking on him continuing that form in coming weeks. Few expected the Roosters to get this far given their start to the season. Fewer still expected them to be challenging for a premiership in September given where they were little over a month ago.

The Roosters never gave up hope and they won’t die wondering on Saturday night.

“We had a tough period where we were taking the losses pretty hard,” Suaalii said.

“To win five in a row shows how hard we have been working. We just want to keep it going.”