Grenade lobbed on 'Michael Jordan of the NRL'

1 year ago 101

Paul Gallen has fired a blunt connection astatine Joseph Suaalii aft his puerility mentor declared the Roosters indispensable offload James Tedesco to clasp the teen prodigy, who's eyeing the captain's No.1 jumper.

Steve Nateski, an avid Rabbitohs instrumentality who ensured Suaalii landed astatine South Sydney arsenic a 12-year-old and advised him and his household for overmuch of his teenhood, gave the Roosters a troubling thought to see successful an interrogation with The Sydney Morning Herald.

"Tedesco is simply a once-in-a-generation player, but Joseph is erstwhile successful a lifetime. He is going to beryllium the Michael Jordan of the NRL," Nateski said.

"No player, not Greg Inglis, not Izzy Folau, nary 1 has had the interaction of Joey successful his archetypal 18 games — and helium is simply a fullback and helium wants to beryllium a fullback.

"I deliberation the Roosters volition request to determination Teddy connected adjacent year. The terms if they don't volition beryllium Joey. He is simply a fullback and a superstar."

Gallen was emphatic successful his effect to Nateski connected Nine's 100% Footy.

"You wouldn't beryllium putting anyone successful beforehand of Tedesco astatine the infinitesimal oregon successful the adjacent twelvemonth oregon two," Gallen said of the Dally M Medallist.

"He is unbelievable."

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Suaalii has dazzled successful a breakout play with the Roosters, but connected the close helping alternatively of astatine fullback.

He wore the No.1 arsenic a Rabbitohs inferior and besides played astatine fullback successful rugby national astatine The King's School.

Gallen defends polarising Shark Park telephone

The Roosters are faced with the colossal situation of trying to acceptable Tedesco, Suaalii and Joseph Manu connected their books beyond this season.

Stream the NRL premiership 2022 unrecorded and escaped on 9Now.

Suaalii is contracted to the Tricolours until the extremity of this twelvemonth and has subordinate options for 2023 and 2024.

Rugby Australia is said to beryllium dangling a $10 million, multi-year carrot successful beforehand of Suaalii successful a bid to prise him distant from rugby league successful clip for the 2023 Rugby World Cup successful France.

"I don't deliberation there's immoderate accidental successful the satellite that Suaalii is going to play retired his vocation astatine the Roosters ... I don't deliberation there's immoderate chance," Phil Gould said connected 100% Footy.

"I deliberation helium could spell to different code.

"If wealth is going to beryllium the governing happening here, helium won't beryllium playing rugby league."

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