At last a competitive fourth nation has emerged in international league, showcased by Samoa’s shake-up of a lacklustre England and nail-biting loss to New Zealand.
With a squad that can be described as the best of the rest after New Zealand and Australia scraped the cream from the top, one wonders how the pedestrian Samoan attack would have fared had Anthony Milford played.
But that loss is in the past, the future is securing the current playing group long-term.
The likes of Tim Lafai, who has openly expressed a desire to represent Australia, or Daniel Vidot, who has been mentioned as a Maroons selection possibility, need not be lost to Samoa.
Samoa’s improvement in the Four Nations can be attributed to the much-improved schedule in the last two years. With two Pacific Test matches and a World Cup campaign under their belts, the squad has played far more top-class Test rugby league together than is the norm.
The RLIF and NRL need a strategic plan to encourage a similar schedule and continuity in the squad for Samoa. This could be achieved by allowing each NRL club a salary cap-exempt player who fulfils international duties outside the top three nations.
Next year any player named in the squads for either this year’s Pacific Test or Four Nations should be registered in a club’s top 25, but their contract should be salary cap exempt (some kind of salary roof would need to be set).
This scenario could have many positive outcomes for the smaller nations, their players, NRL clubs, and international rugby league.
Firstly, clubs would encourage young fringe players who are eligible for a smaller nation to declare their allegiance so the club could take advantage of the cap exemption.
Secondly, players would see a career advantage in this scheme as being aligned to a smaller nation would give up and comers a value increase to the clubs.
Thirdly, clubs and the NRL would have to encourage the international game to take advantage of the scheme.
Fourthly, the cap could be spread among the 24 remaining players, increasing the code’s ability to keep its stars.
To be signed onto this scheme a player’s international alliance would be a lifelong commitment, and after this year’s international season players who represent a top-three nation would not be eligible to take up the scheme.
The scheme could be grown and tinkered to further encourage supporting the international game.
pjm
Roar Rookie
You're right. There's no money in small countries like Ireland, Tonga or Jamaica so no point spending millions of dollars investing in there. Russia is big but doesn't understand the concept of sportsmanship and I don't want to be involved with them at all.
pjm
Roar Rookie
Good idea. Then Origin will be devalued so much we can get rid of it and have an uninterrupted club season and no gripes about burn out.
kiwijack
Guest
How many Aussies have overseas passports and were not born here.
code 13
Roar Guru
Look at the Australian & New Zealand team lists (also State Of Origin) over the years and they're littered with players who were eligible for other countries. They opt for those 2 countries because they get regular matches. Steve, several of the players were born in Samoa and before you get on your high horse you should keep in mind that the vast majority of the Samoan Union team was born in New Zealand...
Johnno
Guest
Glen Inness Many of the ex-socceroos almost did lace up for Croatia and were lobbied alot to do. Mark Viduka,Kalac,Culina and many more. Joe SIminic and Joey Didulicia, gave up on playing for the socceroos and went and played for Croatia.
Paneer
Guest
Well said.
Glenn Innes
Guest
Paneer Yes but the author has come up with an answer to your problem, simply bribe Australian players with a tenuous genealogical link to another country to play for them . Johhno - Who exactly is going to provide the financial compensation of which you speak, other than the NRL and a handful of super League clubs who in Rugby League has two cents to rub together?What little money the RLIF has no doubt ends up in the hands of luxury hotels and expensive restaurants Tripod and Steve - Don't waste your time, you might as well try and catch air with a butterfly net The future of elite international Rugby League is the Australian Polynesian diaspora playing for their nation of choice depending on the Australian and Kiwi selectors willingness to pick them. I mean imagine if someone suggested that Australian born Soccer players of Croatian heritage should go play for Croatia,or those of Greek heritage should play for Greece etc etc that they should eschew their nation of birth and play for their heritage.Yet that is exactly what the author is suggesting,just with different ethnic groups and a different sport. .
Cathar Treize
Guest
How do you know? Do you know the RL development plan for Samoa? The results? I hear the Samoan matches are live on FTA in Samoa. I'd like to know where you get your information that this has failed from?
Cathar Treize
Guest
Evidence?
tripod
Guest
Great another Australian team dressed up as a international side ,this is not how you develop the game in their home country
Cathar Treize
Guest
Actually as part of their team bonding, the squad have been to Samoa. Whether they have a passport or not doesn't matter. They are all very proud of their heritage and play with pride and Samoans here, in Samoa & abroad would be proud of their efforts so far.
Cadfael
Roar Guru
I think you may find that when the RWCs are played, it does impact on the SANZAR season and the revenue from that, So they get compensation because of this. The league's Four Nations and RLWC are played outside the two main competitions so compensation for the NRL and ESL may be hard to justify.
Paneer
Guest
Guys, international football works for soccer because there are lots of nations of similar sizes. but with rugby league there are a handful of nations and the disparities are big. All Im saying is that international league can exist, but it will always be modest. Our real goal should be to make the NRL the premier rugby-based comp in the world - thats the real goal. Not Tonga vs Ireland or Russia vs Jamaica...that wont bring in the bucks or the crowds.
tripod
Guest
How many Samoan players have a Samoan mailing address , a Samoan passport, played rugby league in Samoa or even been to Samoa who are we kidding ?
kiwijack
Guest
Easliy fixed problem. Let anyone play SOO and then play for their country. I bet NSW would not knock back the chance to have Foran at 5/8. He could play for his club, NSW and NZ everyone wins. But If you play for your country of heritage or birth thats it, thats where you stay. Pacific cup should be played as double headers with 4 nations. See Easy problem solved everyone happy.
Epiquin
Roar Guru
Very reasonable idea Johnno
mushi
Guest
there are some leaping assumptions in there to get to "may very well be a sound business investment"
Johnno
Guest
Maybe the ESL/NRL should ask for a cut or some sort of financial compensation for RLIF sanctioned tournaments! The IRB rugby give Aust/NZ/South Africa unions, financial compensation when the WC is on.
Ryan Chidgey
Roar Rookie
I really don't believe that securing 20 players outside of the australian rep scene could really be seen as diminishing the player pool as 400 players are registered in the top 25 for the 16 clubs if this was a concern each club could be limited to one or two contacts that are exempt. None of the current samoan squad has played senior level representative (excluding city country)for origin or a top 3 nation in the past 2 years besides Pritchard so the loss would be minimal. A salary roof would cap the exempt salaries. say at $300000 for arguments sake this would not allow clubs to Rort the system by switching superstars alliance and would encourage clubs to support international league. Nothing would stop the club topping up thier Stars wages with the exempt players cap. At no point would a player from nz aus or eng qualify but players from any other nation would not just PI. Players who are exempt would need to play minimum amount of tests to meet requirements with injuries taken into account forcing the internation schedule to grow. The idea of hertiage athletes exists in many sports its the chopping and changing in league that is so harshly ridiculed.
kevin dustby
Guest
but he chose to play for his country of birth and the greatest team in history. who knows if money is the reason?