- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
The idea of playing in the biggest arena that rugby league can offer in front of millions of people around the world makes one salivate. Who wouldn’t love it?
With the 2014 State of Origin series just around the corner, the growing pressure on international players to be eligible for State of Origin has been in a talking point the last few years.
There is a growing trend of more Polynesian players making the NRL and in the junior ranks. This means there are more players who come from outside Queensland and NSW and who may not be eligible to play State of Origin.
But that does not necessarily mean it would be a bad thing.
New Zealand internationals like Sonny Bill Williams and Kieran Foran have expressed their interest to play Origin, while making clear their allegiance to New Zealand.
The solution is an obvious, but difficult one. There needs to be a Polynesian Origin series between New Zealand and the Pacific Islands.
An All-Pacific Islands team would be ideal as it would undoubtedly strengthen the national teams of Samoa, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu and Tonga.
The opportunity for Polynesians to experience rugby league at a higher level, with high-pressure games against some of the world’s best players, would be extremely valuable for international rugby league.
This concept would not only reduce the State of Origin eligibility debate, but will mimic the experience that the Australian players endure on a yearly basis – which arguably is a prime reason for their domination on the international stage.
However, the effects a Polynesian Origin would have on the standard of rugby league, with players missing for their clubs due to representative duties, would be a concern and the scheduling of rugby league matches would have to be altered
The league often suffers from poor performances which lead to poor attendances and viewers as a result of missing representative players.
Can you imagine the cringe-worthy football that would be on display if we lost our best Polynesian players on top of the players missing for NSW and Queensland?
Attendances and television ratings would suffer as a result.
The NRL would have reschedule the draw to allow stand alone weekends, with the Polynesian Origin and State of Origin games being played on Saturday and Sunday Nights.
If an alternate State of Origin is not formed to allow high profile internationals to play at a high level on a consistent basis, it will be inevitable that Polynesian players will be able to don the blue or maroon jumper due to their growing presence in the game.
This concept of a Polynesian Origin sounds exciting, but is the idea worth the hassle of reshuffling an entirely new NRL schedule?
Reckon you can pick the winning team? Build your own dream team with Draftstars daily fantasy and compete on any match. For great odds on the NRL head on over to PlayUp. Imagine what you could be buying instead. Set a deposit limit.