The man that made the stunning claim that the Roosters need to move on James Tedesco in order to keep Joseph Suaalii has been slammed “a fool.”
Steve Nasteski, a man known in NRL circles as “the art dealer”, said last week that Tedesco “has to leave the Roosters next year of Joseph will be gone.”
Nasteski spotted Suaalii playing for the Glenmore Park Brumbies and played a key role in getting him to the Rabbitohs before the Roosters lured him to Bondi.
Stream every game of every round of the 2022 NRL Telstra Premiership Season Live & Ad-Break Free During Play on Kayo. New to Kayo? Start your free trial now >
Suaalii was earmarked for a big future in the NRL before he had even turned 18. Now 19, he has 23 games under his belt, was included in the extended New South Wales Origin squad and is on the Kangaroos’ radar for the upcoming World Cup.
But league legends Gorden Tallis and James Graham believe Nasteski’s comments were out of line and “disgraceful.”
Speaking on Triple M, Tallis couldn’t believe the idea of Tedesco — arguably the best player in the world — being moved had been floated Nasteski.
“A guy that had 20 runs, 280 metres and probably in the last three years has been the game’s best big-game player,” he said.
“He is the Roosters, he is probably the No.1 player in the world and I believe he will be named the Kangaroos captain — or he will be in the fight.
“I know Suaalii is a great player, an unbelievable young talent but to say that a legend has to leave the club.”
Graham was just as shocked by the claim and put the blowtorch on Nasteski for putting Suaalii in a vulnerable position.
“What a fool for saying that. What about the pressure you put on Suaalii… Are you joking? Why would you say that publicly?” Graham said.
MORE NRL NEWS
FINALS DRAW: Sharks earn home final as week one match-ups locked in
‘EXTREMELY UGLY’: Kimmorley reflects on Tigers season after horror final game
‘HEART AND SOUL’: Grant’s desperate plea for Munster to snub Dolphins
‘HE’LL BE GONE’: Roosters ‘once in a lifetime’ warning as shock move emerges
“Suaalii should get rid of him then. Seriously, you’ve got a 19-year-old kid, one of the best prospects of the game and (Nasteski) has come out and said this.
“Don’t speak like that publicly, you’re affecting Suaalii’s character because that makes him look bad but by all accounts he’s a stand-up guy on a massive trajectory.
“He doesn’t need people thinking this is how he’s acting behind closed doors.
“The important thing though is that Suaalii is the person getting kicked around and he doesn’t deserve that.
“He’s 19-years of age, one of the game’s greatest prospects getting spoken about like this in the media thinking he’s that much of a diva to have those sort of demands… Come on, that’s not on.
“There’s games within the game but to treat a 19-year-old with this sort of disdain is disgraceful.”
Fox League’s James Hooper pointed out that Nasteski is “heavily involved” with the Rabbitohs and believes his comments were “deliberately timed to try and unsettle the Roosters ahead of Sunday’s elimination final.
Get all the latest NRL news, highlights and analysis delivered straight to your inbox with Fox Sports Sportmail. Sign up now!!
However, Triple M’s Ben Dobbin believes it could hint there’s some unrest in Suaalii’s camp.
The teenage star has desires to play fullback in the future, while he’s also being heavily pursued by Rugby Australia.
“James Tedesco is at the Roosters until the end of 2024, there’s every possibility that he’ll be a lifelong Rooster,” Dobbin said.
“At what point does any ding dong come out and try and say that he needs to get him out?
“Tedesco is not leaving the Roosters so that would say if old mate’s got this relationship with Joseph that maybe there is some cracks there.
“Maybe Joseph isn’t going to be at the Roosters for a long time because that to me is a threat — and I’ll read it.
“If he thinks he has to leave the Roosters next year or Joseph will be gone, well where’s he going to go?”
