Joseph Sua'ali'i

Joseph-Aukuso Sua'ali'i (born 1 August 2003), also known as Anavaotaua Iosefa Aukuso Suaali’i, is a international rugby league footballer who plays as a er or for the Sydney Roosters in the National Rugby League.

At age 17 years and 294 days, Sua'ali'i was the first player since Jason Taumalolo in 2010 to debut prior to their 18th birthday.

Sua'ali'i scored his first NRL try the following week as the Sydney Roosters defeated the Canberra Raiders in round twelve.

Sua'ali'i played in the Roosters' next three fixtures (Gold Coast Titans, Penrith Panthers, Melbourne Storm), winning one and losing two.

Following the Roosters' heavy round sixteen defeat to the Melbourne Storm, Sua'ali'i did not play again for the remainder of the season, as, announced on 13 July 2021, he had accrued a foot injury.

Sua'ali'i was absent from the first five rounds of the 2022 NRL season from a foot (lisfranc) injury.

Following round four, Sua'ali'i said “My foot is going well, feeling good.

I've been making sure I've been looking after it and doing everything I can to stay on top of it.

I'm happy here learning the game.

But there's no rush.

I'm just trying to go game-by-game.” After sitting out for another round, Sua'ali'i re-appeared for the Roosters in round six against the New Zealand Warriors.

Getting a try assist in his next appearance in the Roosters' 14–12 defeat to St. George Illawarra Dragons, Sua'ali'i scored his first try of the season in round eight against the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs in a 16–12 loss.

In rounds nine and ten Sua'ali'i continued his attacking form from the previous round, scoring four tries over the next two fixtures: a double in a 44–16 win over the Gold Coast Titans, and, in incredible fashion, a double in a 31–24 victory over the Parramatta Eels.

Between rounds eleven and sixteen managed to score four tries, with the Roosters only managing to snag one win from six games.

Up to round sixteen the Sydney Roosters were in poor form, sitting tenth on the Premiership ladder.

However statistically Sua'ali'i was fairing very well.

He had ten tries (one assist), he averaged 131 run metres, 27.5 kick return metres, 5.6 tackles (62 total), 3.2 tackle breaks (35 total), and had eight linebreaks.

From round eighteen until the second-last round (twenty-four) Sua'ali'i, and the Sydney Roosters, were outstanding.

Sua'ali'i scored six tries in a seven match win-streak, to finish the season in sixth place.

Regarded as the league's "in form" team, Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks was the only other team to have won their last five matches by seasons end.

In round one of the 2023 NRL season, the Sydney Roosters played away against the newly-entered team the Dolphins.

Joseph set the Australian 12-year-old male high jump record in 2015.

He is the nephew of Samoan Australian boxer Paulo Aokuso.

In 2018, Sua'ali'i played rugby league for the South Sydney Rabbitohs in the Harold Matthews Cup (under 16s).

He played rugby union as a fullback for The King's School's 1st XV from the age of 14, and in 2018 was selected to represent the GPS 1st XV, and the NSW Schoolboys and Australian Schoolboys in rugby sevens.

In February 2019, Sua'ali'i re-signed with the Rabbitohs until the end of the 2021 season.

He captained the Harold Matthews Cup team in 2019, scoring fifteen tries in nine matches, and was named the Harold Matthews Cup Player of the Year.

Described as a teen prodigy, Sua'ali'i received significant media attention during contract negotiations in 2020 as well as during his announcement in March 2023 of switching to rugby union starting in 2025.

In 2021, he was granted an exemption to play in the NRL prior to his 18th birthday, prompting discussions about the welfare of young players.

Sua'ali'i was born in Penrith, a western suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, the son of a Samoan father and an Australian mother of Cambodian and European heritage.

He grew up playing rugby league for the Glenmore Park Brumbies and then moved to the Coogee Wombats from age 12.

Sua'ali'i attended Regentville Public School and attended The King's School, Parramatta.

Conflicting reports in mid-2020 suggested that Sua'ali'i had agreed to a multi-million dollar contract with either the Rabbitohs, or Rugby Australia, which they denied.

In discussions with both those enitities, Sua'ali'i reportedly wanted 'get out' clauses available in his favour.

In November 2020, it was reported that the Sydney Roosters had signed Sua'ali'i from 2022 onwards, with the 'get out' clauses having been accepted by the club.

The signing was officially announced on 1 December, with Sua'ali'i joining the Roosters effective immediately after he was released from the final year of his Rabbitohs contract.

Sua'ali'i made his debut for North Sydney Bears in round one of the 2021 NSW Cup season.

Sua'ali'i scored two tries in North Sydney's 48–20 loss to the Blacktown Workers Sea Eagles.

On 15 March 2021, the ARL Commission granted Sua'ali'i an exemption to play in the NRL before turning 18-years-old.

Sua'ali'i made his NRL debut on 22 May 2021, playing at for the Sydney Roosters in their round eleven loss to the Brisbane Broncos.