Contract clause could have Sua’ali’i gone from NRL for five years
A secret contract clause allowing Joseph Sua’ali’i to extend his three-year deal with Rugby Australia by an additional two years could see the winger out of the NRL for longer than expected.
It has been revealed that agent Isaac Moses included a provision in the 21-year-old’s contract that enables him to earn an extra $4 million by staying with rugby union for five years.
This amount surpasses what the Sydney Roosters player could earn in the NRL, increasing the likelihood that he will activate the clause in 2027.
Those close to Sua’ali’i already predict he will excel in the switch to rugby, with former coach Matt Parish declaring he could become one of the greatest league-to-union converts ever.
“I’ve got no doubt, no doubt whatsoever he’ll be the greatest league convert to union,” Parish said this week. “And I’m not the sort of person who exaggerates.
“I know union well, and I think they got him cheap. I know this is a big statement, and this isn’t taking anything away from the other great players who have switched from league to union, but he’s an exceptional talent and one of the best young human beings I’ve ever been associated with.
“They’re getting a great player whose best football is ahead of him. He has great character, and his preparation is second to none. I’ve got no doubt that his habits and what he does off the field will rub off on the other guys in that Wallabies squad.”
Parish coached Sua’ali’i when he was a teenager playing for Samoa at the 2022 Rugby League World Cup, where the island nation made a stunning run to the final of the tournament.
He is now set to join the Australian setup, with an eye on playing for the Wallabies in the 2027 Rugby World Cup. After crashing out in the group stage last year, the Wallabies currently sit fifth in the betting to win in 2027, returning $8 behind New Zealand ($3.50), South Africa ($4), France ($6), and Ireland ($6).
Sua’ali’i is expected to join the Wallabies squad on their end-of-year tour this year, where they will face England, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland.
