Here’s the truth about how the Sydney Roosters orchestrated one of the great recruitment coups by poaching teenage superstar Joseph Suaalii away from the grasp of arch rivals South Sydney.
As far as big signatures go, the Roosters’ Suaalii play ranks right up there with all of Uncle Nick Politis’ best gets including Cooper Cronk, Sonny Bill Williams, Brad Fittler and Phil Gould.
What made it even sweeter, Suaalii had been in the South Sydney system at Redfern since age 14.
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The Roosters have called BS on the Bunnies claim from ex-boss Shane Richardson about the Tricolours paying the teenage gun more money.
Fox League has confirmed South Sydney offered Suaalii a four-year contract worth $2.55 million to begin in 2021.
The Roosters landed the young gun teenager on a four-year deal for $1.92 million.
The deal breaker for the Bunnies was Suaalii’s management insisted on a get out clause in the deal every year meaning the teenager was free to leave provided he informed South Sydney by round 11.
SuperCoach Wayne Bennett was still in charge at Redfern at the time and told the teenager there was no way the clauses were being included.
Bennett simply trotted out the old line about there being no “I” in team.
At this point Suaalii’s management got the Roosters on the hook and Politis travelled to western Sydney to break bread with his family and begin the process of bringing him to Bondi Junction.
The Roosters quickly realised the get out clauses were the circuit breaker to strike the deal, agreed to them and ultimately signed Suaali’i on a four-year contract worth $1.92 million.
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In his first season in the NRL with the Tricolours last year, Suaalii was paid a minimum wage contract of $120,000.
It goes up to $350,000 this season which is clearly value for money given the way the 19-year-old has been playing.
For the record, Suaalii has already taken up the option to remain at the Roosters for next season and the club is busily working on trying to get him locked in for 2024 as well.
The Bunnies are still furious about the Roosters claiming credit for Suaalii’s rise to stardom given the way long-time Rabbitohs supporter Steve Nasteski is regarded as the talent scout who first identified the teenage prodigy.
Nasteski is an art dealer by trade and remains adamant art dealers always have the best eye.
The multi-millionaire businessman even went as far as paying for AFL star Adam Goodes to coach the ex-Souths rookie how to best catch a Steeden.
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Suaalii and Nasteski’s son Luca Ace-Nasteski would meet Goodes at Erskineville Oval for catching practice.
Suaalii and Ace-Nasteski both played in the South Sydney Harrold Matthews and SG Ball sides together before the Roosters orchestrated one of their best-ever coups against the arch-enemy Rabbitohs.
The Bunnies will have to add another chapter to the Book of Feuds.
