Rugby Australia boss told to grow up over Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii’s defection from the NRL

Bitter war of words over Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii’s defection to the Wallabies continues… and Rugby Australia boss told to ‘grow up and be a man’ after scathing criticism

  • Paul Kent has called the head of RA
  • McLennan says he “needs to grow up”
  • Follow Suaalii’s defection from NRL

The war of words that followed the defection of Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii to the Wallabies has continued, with veteran rugby league journalist Paul Kent stating that Rugby Australia (RA) boss Hamish McLennan needs to “grow up and be a man”.

Speaking on NRL 360, co-host Kent didn’t mince words after McLennan teased that more NRL players might follow Suaalii’s lead.

The 19-year-old has signed a three-year, $4.8m contract with Rugby Australia with a view to playing the British and Irish Lions in 2025 and the Rugby World Cup on home soil two years later.

Suaalii will remain under contract with the Roosters for the next two NRL seasons.

After Bulldogs supremo Phil Gould declared earlier this week: ‘Go now. Don’t let the door hit you in the ass on the way out. Go. Go now’, tensions have been building between the two rival football codes.

The war of words that followed Joseph-Akuso Suaalii’s defection to the Wallabies has continued, with veteran rugby league journalist Paul Kent (pictured) stating Rugby Australia boss Hamish McLennan needs to “grow up and be a man.”

Speaking on NRL 360, Kent didn't mince words after Hamish McLennan (pictured) teased that more NRL players could follow Akuso Suaalii's lead.

Speaking on NRL 360, Kent didn’t mince words after Hamish McLennan (pictured) teased that more NRL players could follow Akuso Suaalii’s lead.

McLennan called a number of other comments, including a cheeky jab at Roosters’ hooker Brandon Smith, “thugs”.

His comments got under the skin of Kent, who took aim at the RA chief on Wednesday.

“He’s the president, I’ve never heard of him before last week, but I’ll tell you what, he’s got a little bit of a problem with this guy,” Kent said.

‘He is [McLennan] driven by ego and continues to talk about rugby league like… all this crap that rugby people talk about, ‘good for you playing an east coast game, we travel the world’. Well good luck. The fact is that this [Australia] is where we live.

“This whole Suaalii situation is taking advantage of the popularity of rugby league, so don’t try to fool rugby league and call it a small game. The point is that athletes are better.’

Kent referred to Roosters manager Trent Robinson’s benchmark comments: “As he said, of any rugby code, league or union, anywhere in the world, this is the main competition, that’s the fact.”

That’s why they come here and that’s why they admire the way these guys play football.

“And he tries to get some publicity out of rugby league, I just think the sooner he can shut up the better for everyone.”

Suaalii, 19, defected to ARU on a terrific three-year deal starting in 2025 worth $4.8 million.

Suaalii, 19, defected to ARU on a terrific three-year deal starting in 2025 worth $4.8 million.

Kent added: “He called the rugby league people thugs today because they weren’t happy with the way this deal was done.”

“He was the one who made the little backroom deal and he didn’t want the rugby league people to know what was going on.

Come on, grow up and be a man about it.