Legends' plea to Suaalii after Tedesco extension

1 year ago 88

A big of league legends person urged Roosters young weapon Joseph Suaalii to stay astatine the club, adjacent if it means helium can't play fullback immediately.

Suaalii's aboriginal has been a blistery topic, with the 19-year-old's campy reportedly keen connected him playing successful the No.1 jersey sooner alternatively than later.

However, with skipper and incumbent Roosters No.1 James Tedesco signing an hold done to the 2025 season, Suaalii volition person to permission the nine if helium wants to marque the positional modulation immediately.

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Storm fable and NRL games grounds holder Cameron Smith urged Suaalii to "bide his time", saying the Roosters connection him an acquisition nary different nine can.

"I cognize with James Tedesco it's going to beryllium precise hard to instrumentality him retired of that No.1 jersey, but he's learning truthful overmuch astatine this club, he's got fantastic players astir him," helium said connected Nine's NRL coverage.

"There's each accidental they could perchance spell each the mode to the expansive last and triumph a premiership, truthful erstwhile you person a accidental to play with large players similar Tedesco and Keary and Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, I deliberation you instrumentality that accidental and instrumentality astir arsenic agelong arsenic you can.

"His spot successful the crippled is his carnal attributes, his speed, powerfulness and size, but you're talking astir improving his game-awareness and his accomplishment level.

"Learning from idiosyncratic similar James Tedesco, he's not going to get that from immoderate different club.

"James Tedesco is the champion fullback successful the satellite and if helium has aspirations of playing successful the No.1 jersey, wherefore not instrumentality astir and larn from the best, and erstwhile your clip comes, instrumentality that No.1 jersey."

Suaalii's conundum made legendary halfback Johnathan Thurston deliberation backmost to aboriginal stages of his vocation erstwhile helium had to play retired of presumption astatine the Canterbury Bulldogs, wherever helium yet won a premiership earlier departing for the Cowboys.

Thurston echoed Smith's connection and said Suaalii's determination would travel down to wealth versus winning.

"I had Braith (Anasta) and Brent Sherwin, truthful I had to bide my clip there. I learnt truthful overmuch from that playing group," helium recalled.

"He conscionable needs to think, does helium privation the occurrence oregon does helium privation the money? That's what it'll travel down to.

"If helium wants to play fullback, past he's going to person to spell determination else. But if helium wants success, he's got an accidental to triumph immoderate premierships by the clip he's 22 oregon 23 years aged with this playing group."

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Legendary halfback Andrew Johns said determination were "weaknesses" successful Suaalii's crippled that request to beryllium addressed earlier helium makes the positional switch.

"When the sound or telephone telephone comes that he's going to play fullback, he's got to beryllium acceptable to go," helium said.

"I heard Billy Slater speech connected commentary astir not seeing his ball-playing oregon his passing, which for fullbacks now, you're the modern-day five-eighth, you're the 1 that links with the mediate of the tract and the extracurricular backs.

"He's got to proceed to enactment connected his game, enactment connected his weaknesses, which I don't deliberation helium has excessively galore of.

"He's going to play rep shot this year, helium conscionable needs to larn and get his assemblage ready."

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