Cross-code phenom Joseph Suaalii set to join South Sydney Rabbitohs after backflip

After months of speculation, 16-year-old sporting prodigy Joseph Suaalii has seemingly come to a decision about his immediate future.

After months of speculation, 16-year-old sporting prodigy Joseph Suaalii has seemingly come to a decision about his immediate future.

In yet another bizarre twist, teenage sporting sensation Joseph Suaalii has reportedly backflipped on his decision to pursue a career in rugby union, and is set to sign with the South Sydney Rabbitohs this weekend.

The Daily Telegraph’s Phil Rothfield reported Suaalii will sign for the Rabbitohs on his 17th birthday, and is set to make his NRL debut next year.

Channel 9’s Danny Weidler reported the 16-year-old will join the Souths on a four-year deal worth $2 million.

Last week, it was believed Suaalii had turned his back on rugby league to sign a three-year deal worth $3 million with Rugby Australia. In doing so, the towering schoolboy was destined to represent Australian at the 2021 Olympic Games in Tokyo, and potentially the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France.

However, Rugby Australia interim chief executive Rob Clarke quickly denied the “totally fanciful” seven-figure sum.

The bombshell announcement received mixed responses from within the rugby community, many questioning whether a teenager is worth that sum of money.

But rugby league has seemingly won the tug of war, and under the NRL’s current rules, Suaalii will be eligible to make his first grade debut following his 18th birthday in August 2021.

South Sydney's Joseph Suaalii.

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However, ARLC chairman Peter V’landys confirmed the NRL would consider bending the rules to allow Suaalii to make his debut at the age of 17.

“We will look at anything that is of the benefit of the game,” V’landys told reporters.

“That is what the commission is there for — to look at the benefit of the game, the promotion of the game and the outcomes of the game.

“We should look at every case on its merits. We should not have blanket rules that stop you from doing things that are for the benefit of the game.”

Suaalii has previously been compared to Greg Inglis and touted as a future superstar of the sport. Rabbitohs legends Sam Burgess and Craig Wing recently spoke about the freakish talent with Wing describing Suaalii as a combination of Sonny Bill Williams and Inglis.

“The thing that really stands out with Joseph is he’s got the physique of a 19-year-old already,” Wing told foxsports.com.au in February.

“When he moves he’s really well balanced, he’s got a great running technique and he glides across the ground.

“If I was to sum him up I would say he’s like a combination of Sonny Bill Williams and Greg Inglis, if you put those two together.”

This is schoolboy Joseph Suaalii. Schoolboy ‘superstar’. I’m 47 and I don’t look as manly as this 16 year old. pic.twitter.com/vhFuENelHD

— Reg Roberts (@RugbyReg) July 26, 2020

Burgess also praised Suaalii’s courage while training alongside the South Sydney first-grade squad during the recent off-season.

“Look, I hate rapping young kids, but I‘ve seen him first-hand, training with the first team, and forget his athletic ability — what I saw inside Joseph Suaalii that day, I saw (how) we took him to the edge of the cliff and he hung on for dear life and he had the courage of a 25 to 28-year-old man,” Burgess said.

“In the pre-season we tested him out with a bit of physical stuff and he responded.

“He was ripping in with all the contact drills with the big boys. He’s got courage you don’t normally see in kids until they grow up.”