Former Rugby Australia boss Hamish McLennan has implored the sport to target Nathan Cleary at their next marquee rugby league convert after Joseph Sua’ali’i made the switch.
Sua’ali’i, whose time at the Roosters ended this season, signed a lucrative three-year deal with Rugby Australia worth $5 million, with a two year player option for a further two years worth an additional $4 million.
While this contract has reportedly disgruntled some members of the Australian rugby union community, McLennan told the SMH the 21-year-old is already significant return on investment, and that Cleary could do the same.
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“Joseph has already driven massive interest in rugby union and paid for himself over and over again,” he said.
McLennan believes “the game needs another five Josephs at the World Cup for ‘27”, adding “I’d be having a crack at the likes of Nathan Cleary and a few others.”
Attracting big name stars could have impacts well beyond the field for union, which has struggled for a foothold in Australian sporting society in recent years, and potentially inspire a regeneration of the game.
“The decades-long under performance of the Wallabies means they need investment in the top tier to drive value in sponsorship, media rights, and crowds,” McLennan explained.
“We haven’t won a World Cup since 1999 and a Bledisloe Cup in 23 years, so you don’t need more evidence the system needs an overhaul and to be centralised.”
McLennan heralded Sua’ali’i’s signing as brilliant for bringing attention to the game, but believes more must be done to inject more top level talent into rugby union or else “there will be nothing left to sell.”
