Rugby chief doubles down on Roosters discontent

Rugby Australia says it is prepared to not only take Joseph Suaalii a year early but one of his teammates as well.

Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii. Picture: NRL Photos

Rugby Australia chair Hamish McLennan has doubled down on his hope of recruiting Roosters star Angus Crichton following talk that the club from Sydney’s eastern suburbs could cut teen sensation Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii from his NRL contract a year early.

Following rumours that Roosters powerbrokers are looking to move on Suaalii, McLennan speculated that the NRL’s glamour club had “salary cap” issues and confirmed to The Australian that rugby would be happy to take Suaalii next year and his teammate Crichton.

An early release from the Roosters would financially benefit Suaalii, who will be on a reported $700,000 next season.

Hamish McLennan. Picture: Britta Campion / The Australian

The teen star has signed a deal with the Wallabies and Waratahs from 2025 for four years believed to be worth around $6m.

An early release from the Roosters could also open the door for Suaalii to compete at the Paris Olympics in Sevens.

Crichton was a two-time Australian schoolboy rugby star who left the code after being told by the Waratahs as an 18-year-old that he would not play Super Rugby until he was 23.

The decision ­ultimately resulted in him playing for the South Sydney Rabbitohs and then the Roosters, with whom he has a contract until the end of next year.

McLennan said Crichton was named on an internal RA list of NRL players that rugby was looking to poach.

“If the Roosters have salary cap issues, and that’s what I’m constantly told by my NRL friends, then we could look at Angus Crichton as well,” McLennan said.

Suaalii signed a mega deal to play for the Wallabies and Waratahs in March, causing a commotion in many corners of the NRL community.

Figures such as Bulldogs football boss and Nine commentator Phil Gould called for the Roosters to axe him immediately, so as not to give a rival code airtime over the remainder of Suaalii’s two-year deal in rugby league.

McLennan said Suaalii’s treatment by certain NRL power­brokers was “thuggish”.

“I thought we were dysfunctional two years ago but the Roosters and the NRL make us look like the Waltons,” he said.

“Their treatment of Joseph and anyone who tries to better themselves is reprehensible.

“Is this how the richest club in the NRL treat their players? If they want to break their contract with Joey, (his agent) Isaac (Moses) should lawyer up first.”

Roosters chairman Nick Politis currently refuses to deal with Suaalii’s agent Isaac Moses after the teen star signed with Rugby Australia on a mega deal to take him through to the home World Cup in 2027.

Suaalii has been well supported by Roosters coach Trent Robinson, who was pragmatic about the young star’s move to the 15-man code, and described detractors such as Gould as “fearful” and “ridiculous”.

However, Politis said on Monday night that while a release was not on the cards, he didn’t rule it out completely. He said the decision would rest with Robinson.

“For starters, you can’t blame Joseph for the way the team is performing,” Politis said. “We have no plans to release him at this stage.

“The final say on recruitment is always with ‘Robbo’ (Robinson) anyway. He’s working very hard with all the players to turn things around for our next game.”

The signing of Suaalii has ­created immense debate in both codes and there has been talk of RA poaching more rugby league players.

In January, shortly after signing with RA, Wallabies coach Eddie Jones singled out former Australian schoolboy rugby representative and Souths skipper Cameron Murray as someone who could play across both codes.

Other poaching targets mentioned by RA sources include ­Parramatta centre Will Penisini, Penrith captain Nathan Cleary and Brisbane star Payne Haas.