It is rugby’s $5 million blunder.
Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii could have signed a multi-year deal with union for $300,000 five years ago.
Instead, rugby let him slip to league, he made his NRL debut in 2021, and has now signed a contract to return to the XV-man game for 18 times that amount.
Code Sport understands Suaalii’s deal is valued at a total of $5.35 million over three years, set at $1.6 million in 2025, $1.8 million in 2026, and $1.95 million in 2027, making it the richest contract ever signed in Australian rugby.
But in September 2018, Suaalii could’ve been signed for a fraction of that price.
At the time, Suaalii was 15 years old, playing rugby at The Kings School while also performing well in league and basketball – which is the sport he was on scholarship for.
Given his incredible physical attributes and natural talent, hype was building quickly.
Suaalii and his father met with a few player agents, who each had different pitches.
READ THE FULL STORY OF HOW RUGBY WON SUAALII BACK AND THE ONGOING TURF WAR BETWEEN RUGBY AND NRL
But one was going to deliver him to the NSW Waratahs for $100,000 a year over three years.
Documents seen by Code Sports, under the condition of anonymity, show that this offer was made to Rugby Australia, and some officials were keen on the idea.
However, NRL clubs were circling so time was of the essence.
The most fascinating part about the pitch was that Suaalii would commit to rugby long-term, aged just 15, if he was taken on the end of year Wallabies spring tour in 2018 or 2019, and allowed to train with the national squad when they were in Sydney.
He wanted to be a part of the Wallabies system that he believed he’d feature in before his 20th birthday.
The pitch landed in RA officials’ inboxes on September 27, 2018, the day before Suaalii and his father travelled to Samoa for a charity trip.
But mid-tier RA officials wouldn’t sign off on the proposal.
In the meantime, South Sydney Rabbitohs had time to build their own compelling offer for Suaalii, and were so desperate, had a go-between meet Suaalii’s father at Sydney Airport upon return from Samoa.
Suaalii signed on the spot, and rugby had lost their chance.
READ THE FULL STORY OF HOW RUGBY WON SUAALII BACK AND THE ONGOING TURF WAR BETWEEN RUGBY AND NRL
Originally published as Joseph Suaalii contract: The $5m blunder that saw rugby lose to the star to rugby league