NRL 2023: Why early Roosters release for Joseph Sua’ali’i could backfire for Rugby Australia, Paul Kent

The only conversation about rugby union anywhere in Australia is all around Joseph Suaalii. If Hamish McLennan wants him early, he might need to be careful what he wishes for, writes PAUL KENT.

The Roosters have lost their way, and feel used by Joseph Suaalii. Picture: NRL Photos.

The Roosters Way lost its way Sunday.

Where it went, like where it came from, nobody knows.

Before the game Roosters coach Trent Robinson was almost buoyant.

The Roosters were coming off a solid 14-0 win over the Warriors, who are playing better than their reputation, and Robinson felt the club had turned the corner.

A strong win against North Queensland Sunday afternoon and the Roosters were back on the Rooster Way.

Asked before the Cowboys game what he wanted to see, Robinson, who had just spoken glowingly of the Warriors’ win, said: “You want to see an 80-minute performance of ‘Who are we? Who are we in 2023?’

“And that’s why I can’t wait to watch again today.”

What happened next has many of the Roosters disappointed, even a little confused.

No Rooster really wants to see it again.

Captain James Tedesco said the Roosters’ effort areas, a hallmark of the Roosters Way, were “As low as I’ve ever seen”.

It was only the beginning of the pain, though.

The Roosters have lost their way, and feel used by Joseph Suaalii. Picture: NRL Photos.

Right on cue, like a festering boil, Rugby Australia chairman Hamish McLennan - who loves nothing more than reading his name in the newspaper - kept up his cheap promotional tour by using his signing of Joseph Suaalii, on the popularity of the Roosters, to keep his name in the headlines.

The Roosters are said to be considering releasing Suaalii early and McClane climbed straight in, saying he heard the Roosters have salary cap problems, although he was admittedly light on detail.

A quick denial was released yesterday from the Roosters but it wasn’t worth the postage.

The suspicion out of the Roosters is that the rugby deal was one before the Roosters signed Suaalii on his latest one-year deal, threatening the goodwill the Roosters had shown to sign him year on year while backing their club culture to keep him at the club.

They felt used.

McLean might need to be careful he gets what he wishes for.

Right now the only water cooler conversation about rugby union anywhere in Australia is all around Suaalii’s eventual arrival in 2025, which buys Hubert McLennon many more months enjoying something he relishes above all else, his name in the newspapers.

Chairman of Australian Rugby Union Hamish McLennan should be careful what he wishes for. Picture: Tim Hunter.

Everything Suaalii is doing in the NRL is referenced against his eventual escort into a Wallabies jersey, which suits McClenahan’s purpose to advertise rugby and most of all himself. It’s why Maclenan bought him in the first place, a signing so outrageous, in real terms, it was recently revealed as part of the reason Rugby Australia chief executive Andy Marinos quit.

Don’t get in the way of a man and his ego.

Where the Rugby boss might outsmart himself, though, is if he gets his wish and Suaalii gets to rugby too early. The move might backfire.

After all, the moment Suaalii is gone the conversation stops. He is no longer an NRL player going to rugby, he is a rugby player, and aside from some early interest there is nothing left anymore to say.

Suaalii just becomes another one of those guys that went to rugby, a trivia question, and McLean has nothing left to do but read his scrapbook and continue campaigning to be named chair of the World Rugby by the 2027 World Cup, when he will put his name up in lights: “Humphrey B McLenahan”.

How much the distraction of Suaalii’s defection is affecting the Roosters is unknown.

It is one of a few burdening the club at the moment, where for the first time the Roosters appear to be without answers to their problems.

Right now the only talk in Australia about Rugby is about Suaalii. Once he actually joins rugby, that will come to an end. Picture: Getty Images.

For many years the vagaries of coaching seem to have avoided Robinson.

Coaching is an inexact science. As much feel as mechanics.

He came into the job certain at what the Roosters needed and immediately they flourished.

Even when the Roosters struggled he had a total understanding of where they were at and what they needed.

We spoke on the phone day early in the 2016 season, for instance.

The Roosters had won the minor premiership the year before but in 2016 they were struggling.

Mitch Pearce was suspended for many of the early rounds, at a great injustice, form was scratchy, and yet despite the concern Robinson was unrattled.

Sometime during the season before, he said, the Roosters realised they were heading for salary cap problems and as Robinson tried to work his way through to the solution he realised he had two options.

So he called chairman Nick Politis and told him the situation.

“The cap’s a problem and we can do it one of two ways,” he said.

They could manage the problem and take three years to fix it, at which they wouldn’t finish last, wouldn’t win a comp, but would sit around mid-table. Not too bad, but not good either.

Or, he said, they could take the pain all in one hit and finish near the bottom but be in position to win it the year after.

Politis, a winner, said get it done and get back to winning.

It sounded crazy at the time.

Yet the Roosters took their pain, finished 15th that year, and the following season were back and finishing second on the ladder.

The Roosters Way was born sometime around then.