Wallabies previous and current have hit again at NRL star Brandon Smith within the cheeky disagreement following the announcement of Joseph Suaalii’s big-money transfer to union in 2025.
Smith – ever the comic – was at his hilarious finest in a press convention on Sunday morning, the day after the $1.6m-per-year deal hit the news.
And he was glad to take potshots at his younger Roosters teammate for quitting league.
Smith joked that “a $1.6 million winger isn’t going to help you beat the All Blacks”, whereas claiming union ought to have spent the cash on the grassroots as an alternative of the teenager expertise.
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But former 20-cap Wallabies centre Morgan Turinui hit again, labelling him a ‘fool’ for considering Suaalii gained’t make the Wallabies stronger.
“Brandon Smith opens his mouth and confirms what we’ve always thought of him,” Turinui stated on Stan Sport’s Between Two Posts.
“The old saying, attributed to the (Abraham) Lincolns and Mark Twains, ‘if you’re a fool and you keep your mouth shut, you’re probably better off than opening your mouth and confirming to everyone that you are.’
“Like, let’s be frank – Jason Robinson wins a World Cup with England, league convert, Lote Tuqiri is outstanding, league convert, Dell (Wendell Sailor) does well, (Mat) Rogers does well, league converts have done well.
“They’ve been successful against the All Blacks or whoever it is. Joseph Suaalii is a fine footballer who will make the Wallabies better.”
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Fellow ex-Wallaby Stephen Hoiles was ‘irritated’ by the assaults on union by the likes of Smith, saying he couldn’t perceive why league gamers ‘really dislike rugby’.
“The league attack on union from the players, it always irritates me as a boy who grew up playing both,” Hoiles stated on Stan.
Like we sit right here, we love our league. We watch it, we speak about it, when Australia play rugby league, I help the Kangaroos.
“I don’t think league guys are the same. I think they really dislike rugby. I don’t know why … it just seems like it’s the cool thing to do to bag rugby. I found that a bit ordinary.”
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But current Wallabies have been more than pleased to take a dig at league and Smith’s feedback.
“Yeah, I saw that (Smith’s dig),” Tahs star Jed Holloway stated, per SMH. “I just reckon Joseph wants to do more travel than the east coast of Australia. But it’s always nice to have a bit of a dig between rugby and rugby league.”
And Brumbies gun Nic White stated: “He’s an unbelievable talent and we’d certainly like to have a guy like Joseph playing here with us than over there playing for the mungoes. It’s good for the game.”
Source: www.foxsports.com.au