Latrell Mitchell remains close to many of his old Roosters teammates, and it appears he did his former club a huge favour by signing a new multimillion-dollar deal with the Rabbitohs.
What the Roosters may not know – but they will when they read this – is that Souths were preparing a massive play for Joseph Suaalii as a back-up plan if they missed out on Mitchell. Sources with knowledge of the situation have told this column that Suaalii was seen as the Rabbitohs’ plan B.
Joseph Suaalii enjoyed a breakout season for the Roosters in 2022.Credit:NRL Photos
Where it doesn’t quite add up is that the offer for Suaalii was prepared in June and Mitchell only officially re-signed on December 20.
Nevertheless, Souths now say they have given up on trying to bring back Suaalii, who was a South Sydney junior before the Roosters lured him in 2020.
This column has seen the Suaalii contract offer on a South Sydney letterhead and can reveal the figures: $800,000 in 2024; $900,000 in 2025; and $1 million in 2026. It would appear $2.7m over three years is not over the odds for a player of his enormous potential, despite Suaalii being only 19.
Suaalii has a unique contract with options in his favour that make him effectively a rolling target for opposition clubs.
South Sydney say they are no longer in the market for Suaalii given that they signed Mitchell on a four-year deal in December at the same time as they extended the contract of Cody Walker for two more years. Both will be with the Rabbitohs until the end of 2027.
In the offer document, Souths talk about Suaalii committing for more than three years and float the idea of monthly meetings to discuss “business prospects away from the playing field to help identify and make the most of those opportunities for you to increase your profile and contacts.“The offer goes on to say: “We would be honoured if you would commit to our club for the 2024, 2025 and 2026 seasons (and hopefully well beyond that period).”
The figures offered indicate the kind of money the Roosters will have to pay to keep Suaalii. But the club won’t be bullied into any deal by Suaalii’s agent, Isaac Moses.
Roosters chairman Nick Politis has made it very clear to Moses they want an answer soon on Suaalii’s option for 2024.
And the Roosters have no shortage of fullbacks, with superstars in James Tedesco and Joey Manu.
Tedesco spoke to me about Suaalii during the week and said he was “ready to dominate” the competition. He understands the contract pressure on Suaalii.
“I’ve told him I’m here to discuss anything with him and support him all the way because he is dealing with a lot,” Tedesco said.
Justice of the peace
There is still some decency in rugby league. The battle between the Rugby League Players Association and the NRL has been bitter and protracted as they negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement, but talks were put on hold as NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo and ARL Commission chairman Peter V’landys respected a family illness that union boss Clint Newton has been dealing with. His daughter has been in ICU, and the game’s bosses got their priorities right.
Shaky foundation
One of the more important rugby league organisations, Family of League, the group formerly known as Men of League, is in crisis with widespread discontent threatening its future.
Five life members – Jim Hall, Greg Veivers, Peter Simons, Ken Vessey, Darryl Van der Velde and founding member Max Brown – have written a letter to Family of League chief executive Stephen Lowndes expressing their concerns.
“We are most concerned about the emerging situation where committees are resigning, or are contemplating resigning, or in some cases where branches are considering ceasing operation or breaking away to operate independently of the foundation,” Simons wrote. “As life members, we have devoted tens of thousands of hours of our time to support the Men of League; in addition as a group we have spent thousands of dollars to ensure that support.
“We have taken this action not only out of our concern, but also on behalf of many of the committees who have contacted us who have also expressed their concern.”
Of the 38 committees listed on the foundation’s website that make up the organisation, 12 have expressed concerns with the board and many others are watching closely to see what the board does next. Some committees have already withdrawn from the foundation and others are considering doing so. Several committees have decided to go it alone if the board does not listen to their concerns.
“Firstly, there is concern about the way the 2020 EGM was conducted, resulting in a number of changes to the constitution,” it reads. “There is a dispute about who was consulted about the changes and the general running of the meeting. There is also concern about the manner in which directors are appointed and not elected. It appears that a practice has developed of new directors being appointed by the current directors, without due regard to the provisions of the constitution and the provisions of the Corporations Act.
“The foundation handles significant funds for a broad and good charitable purpose. It has always been the case that the foundation was set up to operate to achieve its purposes openly and transparently and in accordance with the law.”
Lowndes said the foundation was aware of the concerns but expressed disappointment that the issues were being played out publicly.
“There are a number of inferences by these life members, who are greatly respected by everyone within the organisation, to inappropriate and unconstitutional practices, which are simply incorrect,” he said.
“The changes made in 2020 to which they refer may be unpopular with them, but they were in fact made after a thorough governance review to redress the oversights and mispractices of the past that became apparent as a result of that review. There is no doubt that past boards have always acted in good faith and in the best interests of members and the rugby league community in general.
“It is important to say that governance of the foundation is stronger now than it has ever been and the organisation is unequivocally compliant with all relevant legislation, regulation and contemporary practice befitting a charitable organisation.”
Lowndes said it was the board’s intention to consider the concerns at their first meeting of the year next week.
A matter of pride
Sharks front-rower Toby Rudolf spent his final week of pre-season searching for a float to be on during the Mardi Gras parade on Saturday.
Now that’s not a sports story we’d have read a couple of decades ago. But it is what makes Rudolf a person to be admired. He is not the trailblazer Ian Roberts was, but he is certainly worthy of strong support as he tries to change hearts and minds.
Cronulla Sharks forward Toby Rudolf.Credit:Getty
“I was really disappointed the NRL didn’t have a float this year,” he said. “I desperately wanted to go on that. I hope that I can find another float to go on, and I’ve been looking at the lifesavers’ float because I was a junior lifesaver at Maroubra Beach. I hope that works out.
“I really hope that NRL players aren’t in general tarred with one brush, because of what happened with the Manly [pride jersey] situation [when seven players refused to wear the jersey], because I think overall NRL players are very accepting and open to all sorts of situations and I hate for a minority view to be one that’s accepted widely.
“I’m not trying to make this the focus of what I’m doing. I’m not trying to say my view is right and their’s is not. It’s just important to me because I have so many family and friends in the LGBTQ community. I’m not trying to step on toes here … I just think the minority view should not be the one that is considered to be the one that all NRL players have.
“I just wanted to have fun by getting on a float in the Mardi Gras, because it looks like a great time at Oxford Street. I had a lot of support and I received support from the Sharks in trying to help me find a float to go on at the Mardi Gras.
“I just wanted it to be made known that the majority of players are very welcoming to all people and all sexualities. I will continue to speak out in that area. But I’m not here to try to upset those who don’t hold my views. I just want to have a good time and have fun, simple as that.”
Sterling send-off
Peter Sterling was given a delayed, but still highly emotional, farewell last week by his colleagues at Channel Nine. Sterling took off on a European vacation after retiring in 2021, but the good folk at Wide World of Sports made sure they celebrated his career.
There was a thought that Ray Warren should also have been given a send-off, but in true Warren fashion, he said he didn’t want any fuss, so he declined the offer. He still attended the soiree for Sterling and was very emotional at the event.
Paul Vautin had people in tears of laughter with stories from The Footy Show. Vautin, and the game’s most powerful voice, Phil Gould, remain from the time when Sterling was a key caller. They will again be as central figures for Nine this year.
