Suaalii’s mentor says new rugby star will never return to league

The man who championed, and partly funded, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii says the Wallaby-in-waiting will never return to league.

Steve Nasteski, known in league circles as “the art dealer”, says the Roosters had better get used to watching Suaalii ply his trade as a rugby star around the world for the next decade or so.

Nasteski is a former prestige car dealer, art dealer and South Sydney tragic. He once had a collection of Brett Whiteley paintings and sold his Bondi Beach penthouse in the Bondi Pacific for $14.75 million to Ginia Rinehart, the daughter of mining billionaire Gina Rinehart.

“Joseph won’t be coming back,” Nasteski said. “The only way would be if rugby went broke. He’s about to become an international superstar in rugby, and not only will he be in demand from the Wallabies, but there will be teams all around the world that will love his physical style and everything else he brings off the field.

“Why would he come back? He will make $10 to $15 million on his contract in years to come easily, and he will also make a huge amount from endorsements in international brands. He’s a good-looking young man, speaks well and lives a good life – you couldn’t ask for a better than that as a marketable person. In fact, in all likelihood, he’ll be the face of the World Cup in a couple of years [to be held in Australia in 2027] and it doesn’t get a lot bigger than that.”

Suaalii signed an $8 million, five-year deal with Rugby Australia in March last year. The Roosters had been hoping Suaalii would either stay with the club or return after three years in the 15-man code. However, an option in his favour in the fourth and fifth year of his rugby deal, worth about $2 million a season, should ensure a long stint in that sport.

Joseph Suaalii models the Wallabies jersey to be used in the upcoming British and Irish Lions tour.Credit: Getty Images

Nasteski does have a regret when it comes to Suaalii and league.

“I actually feel a bit bad for bringing him to Souths as a youngster because if I left him in the Penrith system, he may have three competitions under his belt as a Penrith Panther,” he said. “I think about that and question myself, because if he stayed in their system, he would’ve been a superstar for the Panthers.

“I prefer him to be playing league because I think rugby is not the sport that league is. I remember when he was going to go to rugby as a youngster sitting at his home with [then Rabbitohs football manager] Mark Ellison and doing a deal for him as a 17-year-old for three years for $1.5 million with the Rabbitohs.

“Before he could sign it, the agent Isaac Moses, who I referred to as ‘The Mess Moses’, made a mess of what we were trying to do and instead put together a five-year deal with all these [get-out] clauses in it [in Suaalii’s favour] that [then Souths coach] Wayne Bennett didn’t want a bar of.

Rugby convert Joseph Suaalii battles the Eels’ defence for the Roosters.Credit: Getty Images

“The Roosters ended up doing a deal with [Suaalii in 2020]. I reckon even [Roosters chairman] Nick Politis would now agree with my view of Moses. I reckon we could’ve kept him [Suaalii] in league, either through the Rabbitohs, or even the Roosters but, unfortunately, he’s gone to another sport now and he will be a huge success.

“I think he will dominate. He will make a very good fullback. He’s already shown he can kick the ball as a goalkicker, and he’s got a big boot on him as well, which we haven’t really seen in league. Joseph is going to become a worldwide sensation, and I’m delighted for him and his family.”

Izzy for real?

While on Suaalii, you have to wonder what kind of reaction his praise for Israel Folau received in the offices of Rugby Australia.

We don’t need to go over the acres of coverage that Folau received for a highly controversial Instagram post that eventually saw him run out of the game in 2019. Suaalii has declared that Folau was not only a boyhood hero, but also a mentor. He also liked the controversial post Folau was eventually sacked for.

RA can’t be the thought police and control player’s views, but in background checks it may have been worth canvassing what players think about controversial topics.

It is also worth pointing out that it didn’t take long to discover Suaalii’s Instagram support for his hero. Rugby has put a huge investment into Suaalii, and the code will be hoping for a very different experience to the one they had with Folau.

Foxx hunt

The Eels are emerging as a chance to secure the services of Josh Addo-Carr after he was sacked by the Bulldogs on Thursday.

The Dragons have been mentioned as a new home, but Eels coach Jason Ryles has the link with him from their time in Melbourne. Ryles is after players with speed – something the “Foxx” still has.

Josh Addo-Carr could be on his way to Parramatta.Credit: Getty

It was a tough day for Addo-Carr on Thursday, but it also ended badly for board member Joey Thomas. The former player locked his keys in his car and left the lights on. He spent hours after the board meeting trying to break into his own vehicle.

Mitch rules the roost

The exit of Terrell May from the Roosters is the first public act from new director of football Mitch Aubusson. He didn’t act without coach Trent Robinson, but he was the driving force.

Rooster legends Jake Friend and Boyd Cordner have also been working on getting the culture of the club back on track. May did nothing wrong, but his attitude was not what the club wants.

Roosters prop Terrell May.Credit: NRL Photos

And they didn’t like the impact that was having on others, such as Spencer Leniu and Siua Wong. It’s a significant U-turn for a club that has had its recruitment questioned since the signing of Matt Lodge.

Madge angry about suggestions he went behind Walters’ back

A secret gift to Blues players has cast doubt on suggestions Michael Maguire was involved in long-term discussions with Brisbane to replace Kevin Walters as coach.

Maguire spent the weeks after the State of Origin series working on next year’s campaign with the Blues, and a part of that was organising rings for the team who won the series against all odds. NSW came from a game down to win the series 2-1 after Suaalii was sent off in game one.

Maguire worked hard on making a connection with the playing group, and his move to get rings to celebrate their success was considered a full-circle moment for the group — after some tough recent series defeats — and an incentive for players for next year’s campaign. Maguire was the driving force behind the ring idea, but did it with the support of NSWRL chief executive Dave Trodden.

What has annoyed Maguire is the inference that he had been campaigning behind Walters’ back for some time, and had been using his position as Blues coach as a fallback option, if nothing came of those discussions.

Maguire has been criticised for keeping the Blues in the dark at a review meeting, which took place on the day the news of the Broncos’ interest emerged. The Broncos say they did not express interest in the NSW coach before that meeting and when they did, I have been told Broncos chief executive Dave Donaghy called NSWRL chairman Paul Conlon to inform him they had started discussions with Maguire.

I have been told by sources with knowledge of the situation that the intention was to give Walters at least a third of next year to prove he could turn things around.

Michael Maguire will return to the NRL coaching ranks with the Brisbane Broncos.Credit: Getty Images

People with knowledge of the anonymous survey conducted by the club have told me it was the results of that survey – conducted electronically – that cost Walters his job. I have been told a minority of players surveyed supported Walters’ game plans.

That was the hammer blow that brought forward his departure from the club and the desire to get Maguire on board.

Walters’ reaction to the survey has been well documented and his outburst in front of staff did not go down well. Maguire has been spending time in Sydney, but he moved to Brisbane full-time on Wednesday.

Offer too good to refuse for Gutho

The looming signing of Clint Gutherson is a good one for the drama-filled Dragons. Gutherson will bring leadership to the club and it is expected he will be the skipper of the team, following the dramatic departure of former skipper Ben Hunt on Wednesday.

It will be quite the coup for the Dragons, but, even though there will be denials, they were not at the top of Gutherson’s destination list. However, the Dragons’ offer has been the standout, and Gutherson will bring a never-say-die approach.

Gutherson is a player that players enjoy playing with. That quality is vital as there are some of the Dragons’ playing group who need convincing the club is going in the right direction.

The signing of another of the game’s good guys, Damien Cook, is also key. Gutherson and Cook will help make up for the loss of their only two Australian representatives, Hunt and Zac Lomax, who will play with Parramatta next season. And, of course, the addition of Valentine Holmes brings speed, class and a quality goalkicker to a club that desperately needs it.

Hunt had a simple message for family and friends following his departure: “Freedom feels good.” Hunt’s management were asked how to resolve the stand-off and they said a contract termination.

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