Oh that's right, there's a Test match on!

How can kiwis be picked for an Australian local compettion named as State of Rrigin between Queensland and New South Wales. I dont get it. I mean Origin should be where you came from, which should be place of birth or at least where you grew up and resided for say i dont know maybe 7 years of your life. Maybe they need to change the name of the competion cause in its current format it has no meaning. and TOB you need to get out more and see the world. Your might be shocked to find out that the world is bigger than Queensland.

Scott, I feel sorry for you if you missed this match. Outstanding game of rugby league at the highest level....can't wait for the world cup next year. So much for the market perception....looking at the kiwi side it was the strongest side they have put out in a long time, i'm not sure why you wrote them off. In fact i think it was a better kiwi side (on paper) than the one that won the world cup.

Hi Terry, that's the first time I've heard that re Kasiano wanting to play for Samoa. I,ve only ever heard and read his written intention/desire to play for the Kiwis. Born , raised , played otahuhu leopards etc.. Do you have a reference for that? I for one am all for players representing their heart first. You can be born anywhere in the world but still define yourself by your parentage..this seems largely lost in this argument abut eligibility..unfortunately there is no balance to the way RL is presented to the world.. Unlike other codes where International bodies supersede club and national administrations for the elite players. RL is run by myopic cyclops with no peripheral vision.. International League is the only area of growth available to RL. That's (internatinals) the only aspect RU (that and its old boys/white collar affiliations) has over RL as a sport. The day that RL (ARLC) pulls its head out of its own ass will not be a day too soon. Then and only then will you see regular fixtures and interest (money) from other countries.. RL needs to wake up and realise its part of a Global community.. Token internationals and self serving interests domestically are a blight on our games potential..

kasiano wants to play for samoa..problem is international league is rubbish and samoa hasn't played a league test in 3 years..

Scott I think you've missed the point on a team of stars (a team of individual talent ie Australia - not New Zealand) and a star team (ie if the Kiwis work together they can be unbeatable). Rugby League is a team sport. It's how well the team gel as a playing squad and is typically why New Zealand do well in Tournaments rather than one off tests.

scott how come you keep mentioning the market for this game? i understand that its a great way of determining favourites but since when are sporting events decided by betting prices?

changed tack pretty quickly on no kiwis making the team

benji marshall

I feel the RL community at large is being let down badly. There is too much back patting about recent negotiations, it's time to look forward in our game not backwards.. Isn't it interesting, for years NZ struggled to make ground in internationals because they could only field amateur league players against professional Australian players,. (That and the fact that RL is second to RU in NZ) . That in some way lead to SOO shifting up,the rep ranks in the late 80's early 90's as it was more intense (professionals playing professionals). Now NZ have plenty of talent playing professionally, but because they can only play professional RL in Australia outside of playing for the Warriors they are also available for Australia, further increasing the 'eligible' pool of talent for the States and Australia (who don't need them but will take them anyway on a technicality). This win at all costs attitude and bending the intent of the rules to suit ( as in conveniently disregarding a players sworn and written intent to play for their country) is killing the international game. The ARLC can put the blame on other bodies within our code for the state of Internationals but the reality is that they largely are fostering/creating the problem and are the only body with the clout to change it..

Your Origin as you put it has been 'tainted'/improved/bolstered with top Kiwi talent at the expense of International Rugby League long before Tamou or Ben Teo. I'm sure someone will rattle off a long list.. New Zealand will never have its own Origin series. I get sick of numptys suggesting it, For starters as it stands the NRL/ARLC has absolutely no stomach for it. It is a fact.. If their was a Kiwi Origin at the same time as SOO, there would be almost no one left playing for their clubs on the weekend, only second stringers.. THAT Is the principal reason it won't get off the ground .. It is feared that No one will pay to advertise during a degraded competition.. So in a way, SOO and the Kangaroos are bolstered by kiwi talent on two fronts, selection for SOO positions and by default Kangaroos , and life support for the NRL clubs during SOO period.. There certainly is enough NZ talent playing professionally to make an Origin Style series work. You just won't get the ARLC or NRL clubs to agree to any of it. It's a crying shame that we have myopic backward cretins running the game. Simply remove the tethering of International reps to SOO and you have no problem.. Purists (blind to reality) will argue that it's not true SOO then, which is utter rubbish. It hasn't been played by '100% pure' dyed in the wool Aussies for years anyway. Just accept that fact and confirm it in writing .. Regrettably, there is only going to be further shoring up of SOO and pilfering of International talent from this bunch of pri@ks, at the upcoming IRL and ARLC meeting as the only thing up for discussion is barring Junior Kiwis from playing SOO. All this will mean is that the Kiwi stocks will get handed over earlier in that they will elect to chase the money made available to SOO earlier, further weakening the International game.. The International game is the ONLY vehicle to get RL accepted Internationally. Lets all remember that SOO was also lopsided and predictable right up until they changed the eligibility rules in the late 80's . It was only one game away from getting dumped as a fixture. It's time for another revolution in our thinking for the game to grow beyond being a second string domestic competition (in competition with AFL who have no plausible International outlet yet, although they aspire and plan to do otherwise. I hate to say it but the AFL do forward plan far far into the future. Look what they've done with Aus kick in schools. They are actively chopping/ converting future RL fans and talent down generations ahead. By the time our admin wake up they will have lost significant market share as the AFL, have indoctrinated kids and future football playing teens into their code already) . Unfortunately the ARLC is not interested in growing the game beyond re selling SOO concept to the world. I can assure you the result of that 'ambition' will be almost as predictable as the result of this one off Rugby league test.. Spread the talent Internationally and watch this game soar .. At present we give RU a free pass internationally. This is going to sound ridiculous to some, but I believe that the NZRL should withdraw from future one off Internationals against the Kangaroos altogether. It is clear that the ARLC are not interested as principals/keepers of the game in the southern hemisphere in supporting RLs standing internationally (outside of picking the eyes out of IRL talent to serve themselves in token one off events or for SOO). .They should instead insist on having their players available to play the Poms year in year out mid season. Anyone but the Kangaroos.. That might shake some sense into these fwits..C

Your Origin as you put it has been 'tainted'/improved/bolstered with top Kiwi talent at the expense of International Rugby League long before Tamou or Ben Teo. I'm sure someone will rattle off a long list.. New Zealand will never have its own Origin series. I get sick of numptys suggesting it, For starters as it stands the NRL/ARLC has absolutely no stomach for it. It is a fact.. If their was a Kiwi Origin at the same time as SOO, there would be almost no one left playing for their clubs on the weekend, only second stringers.. THAT Is the principal reason it won't get off the ground .. It is feared that No one will pay to advertise during a degraded competition.. So in a way, SOO and the Kangaroos are bolstered by kiwi talent on two fronts, selection for SOO positions and by default Kangaroos , and life support for the NRL clubs during SOO period.. There certainly is enough NZ talent playing professionally to make an Origin Style series work. You just won't get the ARLC or NRL clubs to agree to any of it. It's a crying shame that we have myopic backward cretins running the game. Simply remove the tethering of International reps to SOO and you have no problem.. Purists (blind to reality) will argue that it's not true SOO then, which is utter rubbish. It hasn't been played by '100% pure' dyed in the wool Aussies for years anyway. Just accept that fact and confirm it in writing .. Regrettably, there is only going to be further shoring up of SOO and pilfering of International talent from this bunch of pri@ks, at the upcoming IRL and ARLC meeting as the only thing up for discussion is barring Junior Kiwis from playing SOO. All this will mean is that the Kiwi stocks will get handed over earlier in that they will elect to chase the money made available to SOO earlier, further weakening the International game.. The International game is the ONLY vehicle to get RL accepted Internationally. Lets all remember that SOO was also lopsided and predictable right up until they changed the eligibility rules in the late 80's . It was only one game away from getting dumped as a fixture. It's time for another revolution in our thinking for the game to grow beyond being a second string domestic competition (in competition with AFL who have no plausible International outlet yet, although they aspire and plan to do otherwise. I hate to say it but the AFL do forward plan far far into the future. Look what they've done with Aus kick in schools. They are actively chopping/ converting future RL fans and talent down generations ahead. By the time our admin wake up they will have lost significant market share as the AFL, have indoctrinated kids and future football playing teens into their code already) . Unfortunately the ARLC is not interested in growing the game beyond re selling SOO concept to the world. I can assure you the result of that 'ambition' will be almost as predictable as the result of this one off Rugby league test.. Spread the talent Internationally and watch this game soar .. At present we give RU a free pass internationally. This is going to sound ridiculous to some, but I believe that the NZRL should withdraw from future one off Internationals against the Kangaroos altogether. It is clear that the ARLC are not interested as principals/keepers of the game in the southern hemisphere in supporting RLs standing internationally (outside of picking the eyes out of IRL talent to serve themselves in token one off events or for SOO). .They should instead insist on having their players available to play the Poms year in year out mid season. Anyone but the Kangaroos.. That might shake some sense into these fwits..

I agree that they only have a certain life expectancy as football players. I believe that the answer lies in making it more financially attractive to play for New Zealand. The NZRU needs to create strategies to increase revenue and increase player payments. Also I believe that life after football for many players is extremely rewarding financially. With the connections many of them have forged over their football careers it is not as bad as we are made out to believe it is.

Scott if you are so confident the Kangaroos are going to win by a cricket score why dont you put some money on it. The Kangaroos are paying $1.60 to win by 13+. Why dont you take out a mortgage on your house for 100k and you will make a very quick and easy 60k. It is very easy to shoot your mouth behind the keyboard but you wouldnt put your money where your mouth is.

Scott I hope if it is a close game or the Kiwis win you write an article admitting you were wrong. I remember the last world cup got slammed by the media and the so called experts claiming it was a farce and a complete waste of time and it should be scrapped. Then after the memorable final which would have had to have been one of the greatest games of RL of all time all the so called experts were nowhere to be seen.

PJ are you seriously deluded enough to think rugby is anywhere near as popular as league in QLD. The QLD Reds are the only rugby team in QLD and represent all of QLD just like the QLD Maroons. Would you like to compare apples with apples and compare the Reds to the Maroons. I didn't think so. RL has and always will be by far the no.1 sporting code in QLD. The other sports soccer, union, Afl will have their bandwagon support when their team does well but RL will always be king.