South Sydney are preparing to trump the Australian Rugby Union and rival NRL clubs by signing teenage prodigy Joseph Suaalii to the richest contract in the history of Australian sport for a 17-year-old.

Fox Sports has learned the Bunnies intend to table Suaalii, 16, a three-year, million-dollar plus deal on August 1 of this year – the day of his 17th birthday.

Suaalii is the young gun athlete who has represented NSW in rugby league, rugby union, AFL and basketball and been wooed by some of the biggest names in Australian sport.

Craig Bellamy, Cameron Smith, Wayne Bennett, Michael Maguire; they’ve all had a crack at the kid who grew up in Penrith heartland at Glenmore Park.

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At 196cms and 96kg, watch his highlights reel from South Sydney’s Harrold Matthews side or The Kings School First XV and it’s easy to see what all the fuss is about.

But perhaps the most important detail Rugby Australia has missed so far – Suaalii is an out-and-out rugby league kid.

Grew up in Glenmore Park, attended Regentville Public School, started playing rugby league aged four.

Sure he’s currently attending The Kings School in Parramatta, where he was given a special exemption to play first XV rugby aged 14.

But he played all his junior football for Glenmore Park and then the Coogee Wombats in the South Sydney juniors competition.

So how does the Rabbitohs connection work if he’s grown up in Sydney’s golden west?

Suaalii got spotted playing a trial against the Coogee Wombats aged 11 and was persuaded to switch allegiances.

Last year, he played nine games for the Bunnies in the under 16s competition.

His numbers were off the charts; 15 tries, six try-assists, 14 line-breaks, 11 line-break assists, 84 tackle busts, ten offloads and 1028 running metres at an average of 114m per game.

Champion NRL player Craig Wing worked with Suaalii at Souths last season and has described him as a combination of Sonny Bill Williams and Greg Inglis.

“The thing that really stands out with Joseph is he’s got the physique of a 19-year-old already,” Wing said.

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“When he moves he’s really well balanced, he’s got a great running technique and he glides across the ground.

“If I was to sum him up I would say he’s like a combination of Sonny Bill Williams and Greg Inglis, if you put those two together.

“He’s got great ball skills, really tough, good in the air, awesome off-load – he’s got everything.

“He’s definitely going to be a star of the future. The thing that really impresses me the most is he’s selfless.

“He works as hard as anyone then he’s carrying the water around for everyone during a break. He’s very, very driven. He’s a leader.

“What I really like is he doesn’t get around with swagger. He doesn’t have that “I’ve already made it” swagger which lots of young kids these days do.

“The feedback I’ve heard out of Souths is he’s like the Terminator.

“When I was playing I didn’t see any kids as talented as Joseph is.

“All the hype is not undeserved. I do think he’ll live up to expectations.”

Sterlo's Super League cameo 4:04

Good rugby league judges reason Suaalii could play NRL tomorrow if the rules allowed for it.

This summer, he spent three days a week for one month training with the South Sydney NRL squad.

The word is some of the things he did at training simply had seasoned NRL stars shaking their heads.

In the lead-up to the 2017 NRL grand final, Suaalii was given the Melbourne Storm pitch by coach Bellamy and captain Smith on the team walk on game day.

On NRL grand final day. The Storm went on to beat the Cowboys but missed out on convincing the teenager to move to Melbourne.

Last month, it was Rugby Australia and new Wallabies coach Dave Rennie who showed up at the front door of his western Sydney home.

The offer? Try the Wallabies starting fullback role as soon as he turns 18 and a three-year contract to play for the Waratahs including a Rugby Australia top-up.

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It’s not the first time Rugby Australia has come knocking, either. The previous Wallabies coach, Michael Cheika, also showed up at the prestigious Kings School at Parramatta with Israel Folau in tow to try and sign him, too.

But Bunnies fans should rest easy. Suaalii is expected to overlook all the overtures from rival NRL clubs and rugby and everyone else.

The pride of the league is where rugby league’s hottest talent sees his future. And it’s all expected to be sewn up as of his 17th birthday, August 1 this year.