Joseph Suaalii signs rugby mega-deal, tells Roosters he’s leaving

Joseph Suaalii of the Roosters has signed with Rugby Australia. Photo / Getty

Joseph Suaalii has officially signed with Rugby Australia and the NSW Waratahs and informed the Roosters he’ll leave the NRL club at the end of next season.

Suaalii had been heavily linked with a Rugby Australia mega-deal ahead of the 2025 British and Irish Lions tour and 2027 Rugby World Cup.

The 19-year-old has now penned a deal - reportedly worth $1.6 million per season - until the end of 2027 to become Australia’s highest-paid rugby player in history.

“Welcome back to Rugby, Joseph,” RA chair Hamish McLennan told The Australian.

“This is the first step in building towards the Lions and the Rugby World Cup in Australia.”

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.

With Suaalli reportedly disappointed by the club’s re-signing of fullback James Tedesco until 2026, given his own desire to play the position himself, the teenage prodigy is set to become the latest name in a long list of dual-code NRL stars that have crossed over into union.

Given his Sydney base, he is likely to play for the Waratahs in Super Rugby, who like the Roosters and Suaalii himself, are based in the city’s east.

Suaalii grew up playing club rugby league before balancing the code with his rugby union duties at the King’s School, before debuting with the Roosters as a 17-year-old.

“Joseph has been transparent with the club and we respect his decision,” Roosters coach Trent Robinson said.

“He has made his commitment to the Roosters club for the next year and a half crystal clear, and we’re excited about the path we’re on.”

The fullback played for the Rabbitohs in the Harold Matthews Cup while also gaining selection in union representative sides; GPS 1st XV, the NSW Schoolboys and Australian Schoolboys sevens.

“The Sydney Roosters have been great to me and my family since I got here and the club is always going to be a big part of me,” Suaalii said.

“There’s still a long way to go in my journey with the Roosters and my sole focus is on working hard every day to keep improving and performing my role for the team.”

NRL legend Andrew Johns has warned the deal 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.”