If you ever needed proof that NRL-turned Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii is highly competitive, you don’t need to look much further than the Wallabies’ latest team photo.
The former Sydney Roosters star has had a whirlwind start to his rugby career after being parachuted straight into a struggling Wallabies team after the NRL season ended.
He made an immediate impact with a man-of-the-match performance on debut in a stunning victory over England, before coming off the bench to help the Australians annihilate Wales.
However, a bizarre act by the former NRL star in the team photo ahead of the clash with Wales has now come to light.
“This is the team photo before the Wales test, Joseph Suaalii in the second row, second from the left,” presenter Michael Atkinson said on Stan Rugby.
“This is a guy who’s about six feet tall, six foot five, and he thinks he still needs to stand on his toes.”
Suaalii, second from the left in the second row, appears to be one of the tallest on the team.
Closer inspection shows the former Roosters star was on tiptoe for the photo.
The Wallabies’ prized signing has revealed that his relationship with alcohol is very different to that of most footballers.
Former Wallaby Tim Horan revealed that Suaalii was no Robinson Crusoe when it came to this practice.
“Everyone, everyone in the back does that,” he said.
“Everyone whose back is turned stands on tiptoe.”
Suaalii himself has also recently revealed another competitive advantage he has over many other players.
Speaking on the Straight Talk with Mark Bouris podcast, he revealed that he had never touched alcohol in his life.
“I’ve never had a sip of alcohol,” he admitted.
‘My parents never drank, I never saw them drink growing up and I always had fun without drinking. I’ll still go out.
As a teenager signed by the Sydney Roosters, it would have been easy for Suaalii to have been led down another path, however, he revealed that one of his teammates helped keep him on track.
Suaalii made an explosive debut for the Wallabies against England (pictured) after being thrown into the deep end following the NRL season.
The cross was just as damaging coming off the bench in the Wallabies’ win against Wales.
“I felt like another person who helped me a lot was Joey Manu,” he said.
“He doesn’t drink, he feels very comfortable with himself.
‘Once I first got into the NRL and saw him doing that too, I thought I wanted to do it.
“That’s my brother, I want to do what he’s going to do.”
The door has now been opened for Suaalii to return to the starting team against Scotland in the Wallabies’ quest for a Spring Tour Grand Slam after a three-match suspension ended Samu Kerevi’s tour.
The centre-back’s yellow card for a high shot was converted to a red card after 20 minutes in Australia’s defeat of Wales in Cardiff on Sunday (AEST).
On Wednesday, the 31-year-old’s fate was decided: a disciplinary committee upheld the decision on the field and halved the standard six-week suspension due to his guilt, remorse and good record.
Kerevi can remove another match from that suspension by completing World Rugby’s coaching intervention programme. But his tour of the British Isles has ended.
He will miss this weekend’s Scotland Test and his Japanese club Urayasu D-Rocks’ first Test match.
Ireland’s final test falls outside the international window. Kerevi was not available for that match anyway and was therefore not considered by the panel.
The Wales test was Kerevi’s first in 13 months, since his ill-fated World Cup.
Suaalii, who came off the bench against Wales, is set to return to the starting position in which he impressed on his debut against England a fortnight ago.
Other options include Hamish Stewart and Josh Flook, who have joined the senior squad of the touring Australian XV following Dylan Pietsch’s injury.