Wallabies legend David Campese has blasted Rugby Australia for throwing millions at Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii – as it was revealed the union could keep the star on just $100,000 a year
- The Roosters star will switch codes in 2025
- Originally started in rugby
- Can be maintained cheaper
Wallabies icon David Campese is furious with the $4.8million cash splash on NRL winger Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii and the negative impact it has had on rugby juniors in Australia.
Rugby Australia confirmed on Saturday that the Sydney Roosters star will be out of the 17-man code when his current contract expires at the end of 2024.
He was signed for a whopping $1.6million a season to play for the New South Wales Waratahs and Wallabies, though he started in the rugby junior system initially.
News Corp revealed that Suaalii’s agent took an offer to rugby powerbrokers in 2018 that would have locked up the young star for three years for just $100,000 per season.
That offer was rejected and now rugby has been forced to pay megabucks for a player who Campese believes should have been retained in the first place.
Suaalii was embroiled in a multi-million dollar tug-of-war between the NRL and Rugby Australia and eventually decided to switch codes to play for the Wallabies
Former Australian winger David Campese (pictured at the 1991 Rugby Union World Cup final) was furious with the governing body for not getting the chance to lock Suaalii on a cheap deal.
‘Imagine what rugby union could do on the tracks with the money they spend on a player,’ he told the Daily Telegraph.
‘This is why we’ve been losing kids to rugby league for years … no investment in juniors.
‘They say Suaalii will be paid about $5million over three years – think what you could do with junior development and schools with that kind of money.’
Campese wants to see more investment in juniors, with promising young talent snapped up in deals such as a $100,000 offer from Suaalii’s agent that was initially rejected by rugby officials.
‘If we had the right systems in place, players like Joseph would have stayed in the union in the first place,’ said Campese.
‘Now we are spending all the money to get him back.
‘That’s why we’ve been exposed to NRL clubs. No money for rugby union kids.
‘Why don’t we take care of ourselves?
‘If you don’t have foundations, you can’t build a house.’
Eddie Jones has made no secret of his desire to boost the Wallabies’ current stocks of talented NRL players in his second spell as coach
Campese (pictured celebrating with Matt Giteau after the quarter final of the 2015 Rugby World Cup) said the union’s young players had the right to delay Suaalii’s deal
Campese is also concerned about the impact the Suaalii signing will have on young rugby players coming through the ranks and aspiring to play in the World Cup.
‘I heard he was a very good player,’ he said.
‘But how does Max Jorgensen feel? How are the other best young players feeling?’
This comes after NRL analyst and Bulldogs boss Phil Gould told the young star that he should leave the game immediately.
‘Go away. Don’t let the door hit you in the ass on the way out,’ he said.
Sydney Roosters teammate Brandon Smith also made a rude comment after Suaalii’s announcement.
‘That $1.6 million could be better spent in grassroots rugby than taking away our beautiful boy Suaalii … a $1.6 million winger from the Roosters won’t help (the Wallabies) beat the All Blacks,’ he said.
