’It isn’t true’: Luke Keary spills on rumour that got personal for Joseph Suaalii

One of Joseph Suaalii’s closest teammates has given an intriguing update as rumours continue to swirl about his future.

Joseph Suaalii is moving and shaking.

Roosters star Luke Keary has given an intriguing update on the future of boom teenager Joseph Suaalii.

It was reported on Friday Suaalii is set to quit rugby league in a sensational code-hop to rugby where he would have the opportunity to play for the Wallabies against the British and Irish Lions in 2025.

The Daily Telegraph has reported he one-year deal is worth a staggering $1.6 million, however, Suaalii’s future beyond 2025 remains uncertain.

Keary on Saturday said he is certain Suaalii will see out the contract extension he recently signed with the Roosters through to the end of 2024.

However, Keary’s response to questions about Suaalii’s future was telling.

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Keary said he expects Suaalii to follow Sonny Bill Williams as a code-hopping star.

Suaalii’s future beyond 2025 remains up in the air despite expectations he would remain in the 15-a-side game through to the end of the 2027 World Cup, held in Australia.

“He hasn’t said anything to us as a team yet,” Keary told Triple M.

“We know this is happening. Good on him. He’s obviously a rugby boy. I speak to him a lot. His main thing is that he wants to win premiership. He hasn’t really spoken about rugby too much. But we know he’s all in with us.

“I think we’re about to see a Sonny Bill Williams type career. If he goes and plays that World Cup he’ll be 24-years-old. And hopefully we see him again in the NRL at some stage.

“I do know he’s a rugby kid and he loves rugby union. They were obviously always going to have a big go at him. It wouldn’t surprise me at all.”

Joseph Suaalii has been put on report for a late tackle in the Roosters clash against the Warriors. Credit: NRL Images.

Keary has also dismissed rumours the Roosters’ decision to extend captain James Tedesco’s contract pushed Suaalii out the door because of his aspirations to eventually wear the team’s No. 1 jumper.

It was reported Suaalli was disappointed by Tedesco’s extension through to the end of 2025 — a move that means Suaalii won’t get a shot to play the fullback role until 2026.

“None of this has really rattled him. The Teddy story, that wasn’t true. It was a bit personal that one,” Keary said.

“But you could see at training he wasn’t really affected by it.”

Keary said Suaalii would make a big splash in rugby if he does leave the NRL and predicts the wunderkind would be an Israel Folau-type player, beginning his career in the centres or on the wing.

Suaalii’s agent has reportedly been in direct negotiations with Rugby Australia chairman Hamish McLennan.

News Corp has reported that Roosters insiders are now “resigned to losing the talented outside back”.

The Lions only tour Australia every 12 years, and so the opportunity to play for the Wallabies would be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Suaalii.

The race for Suaalii’s signature was won by the Roosters in one of the biggest recent coups in rugby league. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)

Joseph Suaalii played rugby at The King's School in Parramatta.

NRL legend Andrew Johns has warned it would set a “dangerous precedent”, asking “what message does it send to the managers?” on Wide World of Sports.

“Every player would have a rugby union contract just dangling in front of them,” added Blues coach Brad Fittler.

Johns thinks that despite Suaalii being all but gone, he won’t necessarily be lost to the code.

“I guarantee he’ll come back at some stage, they all come back,” he said.

“Wendell (Sailor), Lote (Tuqiri), Mat Rogers, Sam (Burgess), Sonny (Bill Williams), they all came back.

“I wish him good luck on the world stage, but I can guarantee he’ll be back.”

The teenager, who played rugby as a student at The King’s School in Parramatta while a part of the Rabbitohs’ Harold Matthews Cup side, represented the GPS 1st XV, as well as the NSW Schoolboys and Australian under-18s Sevens rugby side.

Despite this, he was sensationally signed to the Sydney Roosters in November 2020 after a heated battle for his signature, with the eastern suburbs club successful over the Rabbitohs on the basis that Suaalii was given ‘get out’ clauses in his contract that gave him the freedom to switch codes if he desired.