Joey: Rugby-bound Suaalii being dudded by Roosters

1 year ago 109

League fable Andrew Johns has picked isolated the stuttering Roosters attack, outlining however teen prima Joseph Suaalii is suffering arsenic a result.

The Chooks person won 5 of 9 games - positive a bye - to beryllium eighth connected the NRL ladder, but person performed good beneath what astir expected of them this season.

While their defence is statistically amended than astir of the competition, they person scored much points than lone 1 squad - the Tigers.

With typical superstars James Tedesco, Joey Manu, and Brandon Smith successful the spine - arsenic good arsenic Luke Keary and the precocious axed Sam Walker - the Roosters were tipped to stroke teams isolated with the ball.

Joseph Suaalii celebrates with Roosters teammate Corey Allan. (Getty)

Instead fans person been subjected to a clunky and disjointed attack, and the contented came to a caput during a demoralising 20-6 Magic Round nonaccomplishment to North Queensland.

"They are a squad of world-class individuals, but that's the problem, they are playing similar individuals," Johns told Wide World of Sports' Freddy and the Eighth.

"Hopefully their onslaught starts to hum. It's each caller combinations. Brandon Smith astatine dummy-half, he's a runner, not a ball-player.

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"We've got Joseph Manu astatine five-eighth, he's a runner. I conscionable person not seen... Keary bring Manu into play, and Manu bring Tedesco into play.

"I deliberation Tedesco is playing similar an other forward. I deliberation the halves and the fullback person got to get unneurotic and enactment immoderate plays on."

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A casualty of the stuttering spine is teen centre Suaalii.

His signifier since signing a $1.6 million-a-year woody with Rugby Australia has been truthful underwhelming, sparking reports this week the Chooks were acceptable to offload him early.

But Johns says his teammates person been doing him nary favours.

"They had Joseph Suaalii connected the close side... I don't deliberation helium got the shot successful immoderate benignant of operation (against the Cowboys)," Johns said.

"He was conscionable moving from dummy-half oregon doing hit-ups.

"They've got to benignant retired immoderate combinations."

The Roosters instrumentality connected Penrith connected Friday.

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