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0 ARLC Commission chairman Peter V’landys has taken a swipe at rugby union while predicting Joseph Suaalii will return to the NRL after news emerged of his switch to rugby on Saturday.
Suaalii has reportedly signed a deal with the 15-man game for $1.6 million a year and will leave the Roosters at the end of next season to take up a three-year, multimillion-dollar contract with the NSW Waratahs and RA.
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But V’landys believes the 19-year-old will get “terribly bored” in the rival code and will return to the NRL in the future.
“It’s hard to blame Joseph for going to rugby and considering it as his future when he is going to be paid twice the money for doing half the work,” V’landys told the Sydney Morning Herald.
“In rugby they play around 33 minutes per match, but in league the ball is in play for 57 minutes, so it would be a lot easier to earn your money.
“Besides, I really think that after Joseph plays rugby for a little while he will get terribly bored and return to rugby league. That’s what the majority of the players who switch codes do.”
Rugby Australia boss Hamish McLennan issued a statement to celebrate the news: “Welcome back to rugby, Joseph.”
The deal will see the young star with the Wallabies through the British and Irish Lions 2025 tour and the 2027 Rugby World Cup, and is reportedly one of the richest deals in Australian rugby history.
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