With rugby league fields across all levels providing a snapshot of Australia’s rapidly changing demographics, the term ‘origin’ now caters for boundaries far beyond the Tweed.
The changes are obvious at the highest level, with Pacific Island heritage players accounting for over 30 per cent of the NRL. The proportion pushes 40 per cent in the NRL U20s and Sydney’s second tier competitions.
A Blues versus Maroons contest featuring similar Pacific Islander representation is gathering more steam than a Fuifui Moimoi hit-up.
Once the NRL finally implement the game’s biggest no-brainer – a team representing Brisbane’s greater western suburbs – then, along with Sydney’s west, rugby league will have secured the code’s biggest breeding grounds and hub of Pacific Island talent.
So, how long before ‘state’ is dropped from the concept and ‘origin’ redefined to include Pacific borders?
Australian rugby league is well served by the Pacific nations and while second generation players comfortably comply with current Origin eligibility guidelines, the day will come, just like it did for Sydney-based Queenslanders, when the desire to team with their own will become irresistible.
How a combination of Pacific Island talent would be assembled is a question best answered once the relevant parties jump on the ever-growing snowball. Whether it’s New Zealand Maori, Samoa, Tonga or a combination including Fiji and the Cook Islands, you can be assured the passion and intensity will be no less than today’s concept.
Adding to the complexity is the fact many Pacific Islanders are happy Blues or Maroons, but let’s be honest, rubbery Origin selection criteria has heightened pre-match debate since Toowoomba-born Peter Sterling’s Blues debut, and New Zealand international Tonie Carroll’s matching winning try for the Maroons.
Either way, rugby league’s changing face will continue, including modes of Pacific Islander representation at the highest levels, and a possible culmination during the next decade with a portly, greying Sonny Bill Williams returning to lead a new breed onto Ipswich Dome for the inaugural tri-Origin series.
Statler and Waldorf
Roar Guru
Leave origin alone.
Tricky Ricky
Guest
With the number of boys coming through the NRL with Filipino origins I'd like to see an Asian Origin side too. Now the Pommies are heading over to the NRL in more numbers than ever how about a NRL Pommies vs NRL Pacific Islands curtain raiser to next years Origin matches.
Tricky Ricky
Guest
With the number of boys coming through the NRL with Filipino origins I'd like to see an Asian Origin side too. Now the Pommies are heading over to the NRL in more numbers than ever how about a NRL Pommies vs NRL Pacific Islands curtain raiser to next years Origin matches.
code 13
Roar Guru
Well the biggest argument I hear about developing islander talent is the cost. Why should an Australian competition develop overseas players blah blah blah? Regardless that it grows the overall talent pool, the things I'm suggesting are actually income generators. NRL games that might only get a small crowd in Sydney could pack out Port Moresby or Suva, likewise with a Pacific Cup. Test matches against the big 3 and All Stars would allow the APRLF to have a regular income stream. Then every 4th year a 3 game Pacific Nation series against England, New Zealand & Australia - with the right preparation that squad could beat the others - that would do wonders for the game. In time its likely to be so successful it might even be a 4 way series. We wouldn't even have to worry about the debate with Islanders electing to play Origin, with more opportunities in All Stars, Tests & Pacific Nations they will opt for their own countries.
sheek
Roar Guru
This is irrelevant. As far as State of Origin eligibility rules are concerned, it's where you played your first senior game that counts. A Mongolian born of a Russian father & Chinese mother can play for NSW if his first senior game was in Glen Innes, for example. That's why you have Samoans desperately trying to be Queenslanders (Milford), or PNGers trying to be NSWmen (Mead). Or is that the other way around? Anyway, I'm confused with all the rush to be either a Maroon or Blue. I forget who from where is trying to be what from why. State of Origin is an enjoyable concept, but it is being ruined by everyone trying to cash in, from sponsors, marketeers, corporates & media to Kiwis, Maoris, Samoans, Fijians, Tongans, PNGers, even Englishmen, desperately wanting to be NSWmen or Queenslanders. It's just so typical of the human race, we eventually kill off the things we love.
Jason Hosken
Roar Guru
Nice wrap Code 13. Some of your suggestions are under way at the lower levels and I reckon will increase in prominence. So long as progress is on the table then the game will be better placed with more options down the track.
Jason Hosken
Roar Guru
Thanks Turbodewd. Fair call. I'm more coming from the direction of promoting rugby league and an alternate avenue to expose more players to a higher level. Similarities with how the Ashes kicked off in the 1870's - essentially England v England in the beginning. Are we not using 'Australians' in the current Pacific Island international teams?
mike
Guest
hehe, like the sbw description. imagine that!...portly! haha.
code 13
Roar Guru
How can rugby league stamp its dominance on the Pacific Islands? 1. Second Tier Growth - getting PNG into QLD & Fiji into NSW cups is a step in the right direction but also creating an end of year play off structure (Challenge Cup style) between NSW, QLD, PNG, NZ, Fiji, WA, VIC, NT 2. More Islander Players in the NRL - relaxing visa restrictions, encouraging scouting camps, trial matches, regular NRL games and providing cap exemptions to ensure each country - PNG, Fiji, Samoa, Tonga & Cook Islands has a full test squad playing in the NRL at any given time 3. Regular Pacific Cup & Pacific Shield tournaments - The cup needs to be a regular tournament in all years except the world cup year. There also needs to a biennial format for the second tier non-test sides. 4. More International 9s - even if its at secondary level akin to the recent Commonwealth Games format. The Pacific Games is a logical start. 5. More Tests Against The Big 3 - every year Australia & New Zealand should be playing a warm up match against one of the nations and England should do the same when on tour. Obviously keeping the 4 nations format helps meaning 1 team gets extended play against all big 3 teams. 6. Pacific Islanders touring side - every 4th year after the world cup year should be touring year to the opposite hemisphere. When the Ashes & Baskerville series are played, a combined Pacific Islanders side (combined PNG, Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, Cook Islands & Others) would play 1 game each against England, Australia & New Zealand. These matches would create substantial income that could go directly into developing the game in the region 7. Indigenous vs Islanders All Stars - the format should be reworked so that the two largest minority groups in the game are represented. Again this will provide more year-in year-out development money. Indigenous vs Islander All Stars
Flick
Roar Rookie
Less than 1% of the Australian population is of PI heritage yet ATM represents around 40% of the NRL playing lists, well that is certainly a changing demographic, or is it ?. The big change is not to Australian demographics as you have alluded but to NRL demogaphics.
turbodewd
Guest
Jason, your article is unintentionally divisive. If someone is an Australian of Samoan heritage they will be a Blue or a Maroon - its that simple. I am puzzled that people think that you can assemble an pacific island team....using Australians....whaaa????
Johnno
Guest
NZ VS Pacific All stars side, is where the pacific belong in origin. And have on flexible heritage rules. So if Tony Williams or Hayne don't get picked for NSW they can play for Pacific Islands. And same with kiwi boys like Konrad Hurrell if he don't get picked for NZ he can play for pacific islands.
Gurudoright
Guest
The only way it could work is have a pacific origin team vs a 'kiwi' origin team played on the night before origin. The players need to get similar money as the SOO players get to compete otherwise it is always going to be a money issue. Why chose to play for NZ or Fiji when you get make an extra $50,000 a year by choosing to play for NSW or Qld and then possibly more to play for Australia. That way you have players choosing to play for who they actual want to represent without it coming down to money and channel 9 or Fox have another representative match to show.
Cadfael
Roar Guru
I go along with GW but with one rider and that is if a player whose parents were born in Tonga, Fiji, Samoa, etc., but the player was born in Australia, then that player has the option of deciding who he will play with, his parental home country or Australia (like Bob Fulton). Otherwise he plays for his island nation. No secondary countries like we have see with Hayne and Civinocea who have both played for Australia and Fiji. It is one or the other. The problem is SOO. We've had players like Tamou give up on playing for NZ so as to play origin. This has to stop. If they are selected or represent their country as a junior, that's where they stay. This is the only way international league will go forward.
Jason Hosken
Roar Guru
The existing Origin concept is great and still has legs but I wonder if it will still have the same feeling within the next 10 plus years. The game is always looking at expansion, Origin should be no different where warranted. Best example I can think of is the Caribbean countries aligning to form the West Indies cricket team. Further down the track if Pacific Islander involvement continues to grow, may be there will be a place for a Pacific Origin team, with the same players then representing their country for international fixtures. Good problem to have - at least it shows the game is on the move, applying heat to southern hemisphere rugby.
Jason Hosken
Roar Guru
Perhaps an extension of the origin concept could assist improving the international game. A larger pool of players playing at the higher levels.
Zedman
Guest
The SOO concept works between Nsw and Qld because it thrives on the mistreatment of state selections from years ago. This is why Qld must be the underdog,so they can beat up on the bad guys. Unfortunately eight years of success has, IMO, seen Soo become a bit stale.I don't think you can adapt it to other teams and expect the same outcome. Pacific Islander presence in the Nrl is 30 per cent,I would of thought it was much higher than that .
Go warriors
Guest
The same argument could be said if a player is born and raised in another state and plays for the Storm for example could he be eligible for Origin. Personaly I say no. The international game needs a strong Samoa, Tonga, Fiji etc. I believe we should be incouraging these players to play for the Islands. Origin will always be strong but we need to make the international game stonger as well.
Mitchoh
Guest
If two German parents have a baby born in NSW, that baby's origin is NSW. Same with any race.