Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii has broken his silence on his highly-anticipated move to rugby union, saying he is unsure whether he will ever return to the NRL after fulfilling his childhood dream with the Wallabies.
The 19-year-old prodigy's focus remains on the Sydney Roosters and improving his form, which he admits has been below par since signing his mammoth rugby union contract in March.
Suaalii penned his $4.8 million deal to switch codes from 2025 in the hopes of playing for the Wallabies against the touring British & Irish Lions that year and at the Rugby World Cup two years later.
When the second of those Australian-based tournaments wraps up, Suaalii's future could be up for grabs once again as he will only be 24 years old.
Suaalii's current teammates have previously predicted he could make a return to rugby league with the Roosters, just as fellow code hopper Sonny Bill Williams did in the 2020 season.
But when asked whether he would consider a return to rugby league, Suaalii said the decision was too far away to consider.
"I honestly don't think that far. I just go day to day, week to week, so I don't really look too far - about what I'll do in five to six years time," he said.
"All my head's just on playing for Roosters this year and next year, and to try to win a premiership.
"I haven't really thought about it (the union deal). I've just signed."
Suaalii will spend his time improving rather than dwelling on the "outside noise" and his long-term future.
"I haven't been the standard I want to be and where the team needs me to be too. I just haven't been playing well," he said.
"But I think that's just part of the process in footy - ups and downs and all that."
The Roosters winger played both codes through his schoolboy career and said he did not have a preference for one over the other, but that it was a childhood dream to play rugby union for Australia.
"It's always been a dream of mine to play the Lions tour, at the World Cup - especially at a home World Cup. I remember watching Kurtley Beale and Israel Folau when I was younger." he said
"It happens every 12 years, that's why it's so special, I don't think many people get to play in a Lions tour (at home).
"Obviously money plays a part too but that was probably my main thing - chasing the dream."
But the desire to follow his heart didn't make it any easier to leave the Tricolours.
"It was probably one of the hardest decisions to leave this club that I love," he said.
"I see this place as home for me. They've helped me big time since I walked through these doors when I was a 17-year-old."
After poaching him from cross-town rivals South Sydney, the Roosters lobbied the NRL to grant Suaalii an exemption to play before his 18th birthday in 2021.
He has since shown flashes of his strong potential and returns from a three-match suspension this weekend to line up for the Roosters, who must build on last week's defeat of Newcastle to continue salvaging their faltering season.
