NRL clubs chasing Jordan Petaia after Rugby Australia poach Joseph Suaalii
In targeting the hottest 16-year-old footballer in the country, Rugby Australia may lose their best 20-year-old superstar as several NRL teams prepare to open their books.
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While Rugby Australia have been making a play for schoolboy superstar Joseph Suaalii, NRL clubs are quietly circling around the hottest young Wallaby in the country.
Jordan Petaia, contracted to Australian rugby for four years, is being sounded out by at least three league clubs.
Rugby Confidential understands the Brisbane Broncos, whose academy 20-year-old Petaia spent time in alongside David Fifita, have reached out to a family member to gauge his interest.
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Another two clubs have also contacted either family members or associates of Petaia to see if he’s willing to make the switch to the NRL next year.
Petaia wants to be a long-term Wallaby, but uncertainty around whether RA can guarantee his full salary for the next four years will have him wavering.
Petaia spent his junior years playing league and if RA is unable to pay his full wage when the players’ pay cut agreement with their employer runs out on September 31, expect him to seek an early release from his contract and switch codes.
And this is the alarming situation facing rugby, not only for Petaia but all of their top stars.
To say players are upset about the revelations Suaalii is being chased for big money by RA is an understatement and a half.
Trust between the players and RA is at breaking appointment.
For weeks they’ve wanted clarity on their futures. Many suspect they’ll be asked to take further pay cuts beyond September 31, which will be met with venom in light of the Suaalii revelation.
RA is at pains to say they’re not offering Suaalii anywhere near the speculated $3 million for three years, or even the $1.7 million that’s been offered by his NRL club South Sydney Rabbitohs.
But the players don’t believe that Suaalii is suddenly interested in rugby for $200,000 a year and the dream of an Olympic gold medal.
Some believe that for the money RA would be outlaying for Suaalii, they should get back French-based lock Will Skelton, who would at least give them a chance of beating the All Blacks.
KIWI HUB FOR RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP
The Rugby Championship is set to be played in a New Zealand hub from November 7 to December 12 after World Rugby proposed that window for the four nation tournament.
However, there are also contingencies being put in place so that if TRC could not go ahead, Australia would still play a mammoth five Bledisloe Cup Tests against the All Blacks.
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It hasn’t been determined how many would be played at home and across the Tasman yet.
The Wallabies are set to enter camp as soon as the Super Rugby AU tournament finishes in September.
AUSSIE SEVENS BOOST
There is some good news for Australia’s Sevens players.
It’s understood funding of up to $1.5 million will be given to RA by the Australian Institute of Sport, allowing them to reinvest in their program.
Australia’s Olympic Sevens hopefuls had been forced to take pay cuts and some have joined Super Rugby franchises after the World Series circuit was shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Getting the major players contracted through to August 2021, ensuring they’ll feature at the delayed Tokyo Games should it proceed, is vital for Australia’s planning but not yet part of the AIS grant discussion.
As revealed last week, the 2021 World Sevens Series is likely to be cancelled, which has led RA to approach former Wallabies stars Samu Kerevi and Bernard Foley to be part of their Olympics tilt.