Phil Gould SLAMS Joseph Suaalii for rugby union switch and urges the Roosters star to ‘go NOW’

Phil Gould has launched a scathing attack on Joseph Suaalii, urging Rugby Australia’s newest recruit to leave the NRL immediately. 

On Saturday, the 19-year-old officially announced he will leave the Sydney Roosters at the end of his current contract in 2024 after agreeing a three-year deal with Rugby Australia.

Suaalii will play for the New South Wales Waratahs and is set to become one of the biggest-paid rugby players in Australia after signing a deal worth $1.6million per season.

His departure is a huge blow to the NRL and comes just months after new Australia boss Eddie Jones warned he would raid the code in an attempt some of its biggest stars to switch to rugby.

While Suaalii and Roosters boss Trent Robinson have both insisted the teenager remains fully committed to the Tricolours, Gould said the NRL should get rid of him immediately.

Joseph Suaalii has confirmed he will join the Wallabies at the end of 2024 

Phil Gould has blasted the Roosters star and suggested he should leave the NRL immediately

‘Every time he scores a try. Every time he does something in our game people are going to refer to the fact that he’s going to rugby,’ the Bulldogs supremo said on Nine’s 100% Footy on Monday night.

“Why do we need that? Go now. Don’t let the door hit you on the arse on the way out. Go. Go now. Gone. He’s made his decision. You sign a contract for rugby 18 months before his league contract ends.’

Gould insisted he had nothing against Suaalii, but argued there was nothing to be gained by him remaining in rugby league for another 18 months when his future was already decided. 

‘You can’t sign with any other rugby league club in that time,’ he said. 

‘He can only sign somewhere else. He’s made his decision. I have nothing against the kid. I’ve loved having him in the NRL. 

‘He’s a tremendous athlete and is great for the game. But he’s decided to be a rugby player. Bye bye. Off you go.’

Suaalii’s move will be rugby’s biggest coup out of the NRL in two decades, after Mat Rogers, Wendell Sailor and Lote Tuqiri all crossed codes in the early 2000s during Jones’ first stint in charge of the Wallabies.

The former England coach, however, insisted he had no role to play in convincing Suaalii to swap league for rugby.

‘I’ve got no idea mate,’ he told reporters on Friday. 

‘I’m only worried about this World Cup.’

The Roosters young gun’s switch to rugby has reignited a bitter feud between the two codes, with Rugby Australia boss Hamish McLennan called Peter V’landys and NRL powebrokers ‘cry babies’.

It comes after V’landys, who is chair of the ARL Commission, criticised the Roosters star for chasing ‘easy money’, before claiming he would get ‘terribly bored’ and return to rugby league. 

Suaalii’s move will be rugby union’s biggest coup out of the NRL in two decades

NRL supremo Peter V’landys (left) accused Suaalii of chasing ‘easy money’, but was rebuked by Rugby Australia boss Hamish McLennan (right) who called him a ‘cry baby’ 

McLellan (left) welcomed Suaalii’s return to rugby as a bonus coming just two months after the Wallabies appointed Eddie Jones (middle) as coach

‘It’s hard to blame Joseph for going to rugby and considering it as his future when he is going to be paid twice the money for doing half the work,’ V’landys told the Sydney Morning Herald on Sunday. 

‘Besides, I really think that after Joseph plays rugby for a little while he will get terribly bored and return to rugby league. That’s what the majority of the players who switch codes do.’ 

McLennan delivered a swift rebuke blasting V’landys as ‘childish’ for his comments.

‘What a bunch of cry babies,’ McLennan told The Australian.

‘They’ve completely thrown their toys out of the cot. They can say what they want but we won’t be bullied.’