According to the Sydney Roosters, Joseph Suaalii has said he plans to rejoin the NRL after the Rugby World Cup in 2027.

Suaalii has agreed to a mega contract with the 15-man game, so it’s possible that he will leave the Sydney Roosters early. Nevertheless, he will join Rugby Australia in 2025.

Suaalii, whose estimated net worth is $1.6 million annually for three years, will rise to the status of one of the highest-paid athletes in the country as rugby union gets ready to take on the British and Irish Lions in 2025 and host the World Cup in 2027.

Suaalii’s decision to switch was thought to have been influenced by those two incidents in particular. Rugby Australia was also pursuing several other NRL players, but was unable to secure agreements with Payne Haas, Cameron Murray, Will Penisini, Nelson Asofa-Solomona, and Angus Crichton, with whom negotiations are rumored to have broken down.

However, Roosters head coach Nick Politis hinted that Suaalii’s transition to the 15-man format will only last a short while. After his three-year, megamoney contract expires, he may be welcomed back to the Roosters.

Joseph is a good boy, Politis said to Channel 9.

“We’re sorry to lose him to union, but he says he’ll be back in 2028,”

The money might be the main obstacle to convincing Suaalii to leave rugby union. It’s doubtful that any NRL player will be valued $1.6 million in 2028, even with a rising salary cap, though it’s unclear if union would still have that much money available for the star back.

Additionally, it will probably coincide with the NRL’s next expansion, which implies a financially strapped expansion team might make an offer for Suaalii.

Nevertheless, Politis stated that Suaalii is a Roosters player and is unlikely to play for another NRL team.

At this point, Suaalii will play the entire 2024 season for the Roosters, part of an incredibly talented backline that also includes the recently acquired Dominic Young from the Newcastle Knights, James Tedesco, Daniel Tupou, Joseph Manu, and himself, who has his own concerns about where he will play in 2025.