Brad Fittler 'coaching for his job' as Joseph Suaalii Origin question arises

Sydney Roosters star Joesph Suaalii's defection to rugby union has presented a thorny conundrum for NSW Blues coach Brad Fittler, amid the fallout of the 19-year-old's decision. Suaalii signed a three-year, $1.6 million contract with Rugby Australia earlier in March, which will begin from after the 2024 NRL season.

The response in the NRL world has been mixed, with league legend Phil Gould blasting Suaalii over the decision and questioning why he wasn't just going straight to the rival code. Teammate Brandon Smith even joked he was taking the 'easy money' on offer from RA - however the barrage of NRL criticism was met with an accusation of the league being 'crybabies' from RA chairman Hamish McLennan.

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While the news sent fans into overdrive, it'll be some time before Suaalii dons a Super Rugby or Wallabies jersey. In the meantime, there are two State of Origin series the talented teenage will no doubt be hoping to make an impression on.

While there is some debate to be had as to where Suaalii fits in the Blues' backline picture, the Daily Telegraph's Brent Read suggested Fittler would have little choice but to pick him. After losing two of the last three State of Origin series, Read said Fittler was 'coaching for his job'.

“Freddy can’t afford to rule anyone out, right? Because Freddy’s coaching for his job,” Read told NRL 360. “If he wins this series he gets an automatic trigger (on) his extension. After last year’s series and three of the last four series, Freddy’s got to get it right.”

Fellow panellist Paul Kent said the days of being 'blacklisted' for Origin were well and truly done, however Fittler also couldn't risk picking him as a development player once again, as he did in 2022. He suggested Suaalii would have switched codes by the time he was in the side proper.

Meanwhile, Buzz Rothfield was sceptical Suaalii would even make the side, describing him as the 'number seven fullback'. “In the centres for Origin he’s got Latrell, Turbo, Wighton, Staggs, Campbell Graham ahead of him. He’s not going to play centres," he said. “On the wing you’ve got Addo-Carr who surely they’ll pick, Brian To’o and (so on).”

Joesph Suaalii's code switch makes waves in rugby world

The 19-year-old played schoolboy rugby, before switching codes and making his NRL debut as a 17-year-old in 2021. A freakishly talented outside back, Suaalii has been earmarked as a future great in the NRL, with news of his defection back to rugby after the 2024 season with the Roosters causing consternation across the league world.

RA's eye-watering move for Suaalii puts him in line for a historic British and Irish Lions tour of Australia in 2025, as well as a home Rugby World Cup for the Wallabies in 2027. While those two blockbuster series and his whopping salary would have been tough to turn down, NRL fans have questioned how Suaalii will fare during three years in club rugby, with the NSW Waratahs.

ARLC boss Peter V'landys told The Sydney Morning Herald: "After Joseph plays rugby for a little while, he will get terribly bored and return to rugby league. That’s what the majority of the players who switch codes do.”

Suaalii's Roosters teammate Brandon Smith also took a cheeky swipe at RA and insisted that recruiting one outside back from rugby league isn't going to help the Wallabies beat the All Blacks. "Like (ARLC chair) Peter V'landys said, go over, get that easy money and then come back to the real sport," Smith said. "That $1.6 million could've been spent better on the grassroots of rugby."

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