Darren Arthur, ESPN NRL EditorNov 7, 2024, 02:00 PM ET
CloseDarren has been a keen follower of sport his entire life, developing a strong love of rugby league, cricket, baseball and just about any competitive event involving an Australian athlete. Darren’s editorial journey included stops at AOL|7, Wide World of Sports and Sportsfan.
Despite the regular battles of a largely media-driven “war” between rugby league and its winter rivals, the average fan is more than capable of enjoying the best of all codes. Sure, rugby league is our favourite and we will always defend its position as the greatest game of all, but as true sports fans we can allow ourselves to consume a good game of rugby union or AFL, when time allows. We might even tune into the world game, particularly if a national team is involved.
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Which brings me to the manufactured angst surrounding the defection of Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii to rugby union. If you believe much of what you read, rugby league fans are dirty that the former Roosters star has left the code to try his hand at rugby union. There have even been snide claims that his fast-tracking into the Wallabies squad has cheapened the famous gold jersey. It is bitter rhetoric that I would argue doesn’t have a place in the minds of most rugby league fans, aside from a few jaded Roosters faithful. The majority of us are more than happy for him to be making the most of his talents in a way that makes him most happy. If anything we are curious to see how he goes.
Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii at Wallabies training in England. Warren Little/Getty Images
With Suaalii selected at outside centre to face England this weekend, there is a strange sense of pride. Here is a young developing rugby league player who is considered so good that he is being rushed straight into the Wallabies side, without yet touching a Gilbert in a professional game. Most of us will tune in just to see how he performs and cheer him on whenever he contributes to the team. I personally hope he carves England up.
It should be remembered that most rugby league fans are Australians first and foremost and the ongoing demise of the once mighty Wallabies may incite the occasional snigger, but deep down it cuts at our national pride. Australia have not beaten England in England since the 2015 Rugby World Cup and have just one victory over them since. As Australian sports fans we hate nothing more than losing anything to England. Be it cricket, rugby league, rugby union, football or darts. Imagine if Suaalii contributes to a famous Wallabies victory in front of a packed crowd in Twickenham.
Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii makes a break for the Roosters. Mark Kolbe/Getty Images
I still remember the roar at the pub I was in when former Brisbane Broncos winger Lote Tuqiri soared to bring down a high kick for the first try of the 2003 Rugby World Cup final against England. In the Wallabies team that day were fellow code-hoppers Matt Rogers and Wendell Sailor. I also remember the horror of watching England’s Jonny Wilkinson kick the Cup-winning field goal in extra time. That night I was left wondering why Australia, after that success in the sixth minute, never again kicked to the corners for their rugby league high-flyers. I mean if you are going to take some of our best players, at least use them!
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It has long been a fantasy of mine that Rugby Australia could “borrow” some of rugby league’s superstar backs for the months leading up to a World Cup, ensuring the strongest possible chance of claiming that glorious little gold cup for Australia. A fruitless dream, I know.
Rugby league has survived defections to rival codes for years, and it will survive players pursuing their rugby union dreams into the future. For many years, before the advent of professional rugby union, the talent traffic almost exclusively headed in the opposite direction. Today there are still those opting to give rugby league a crack, including Carter Gordon who joined the Titans and Mark Nawaqanitawase who has joined the Roosters, ironically to fill the jersey vacated by Suaalii. The talent pool is big enough for players to change codes and still be replaced by an equally talented alternative.
So, rather than participate in the animosity, sit back and celebrate the wealth of talent Australia has nurtured, no matter which code these players choose to play. If you can manage to stay up until 2:10am on Sunday morning, strap yourself in to see whether Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii can make an instant impact in his chosen code. With any luck and with plenty of rugby league fans cheering him on, he will become an integral part of the Wallabies returning to the pinnacle of world rugby.
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