The Tonga squad to play the Cook Islands in the Asia-Pacific 2017 rugby league World Cup qualifier has today been named.
Tonga have great depth in the outside backs with Konrad Hurrell, Mahe Fonua and Solomone Kata all set to provide a huge chance at a 2017 Rugby League World Cup berth. Another of Tonga’s strong positions is hooker where they hold a plethora of NRL-quality players such as Pat Politoni, Joel Luani, Nafe Seluini and future Kiwis hooker Sione Katoa.
With Tyson Frizell, Sika Manu and David Fifita Mate Ma’a will enjoy huge size in their forward pack with enough depth to fill two teams. The only position they will struggle to fill is the halves with one preferred position player – Daniel Forster.
Like many other Pacific Islands nations, Tonga will struggle and look to slot Tuimoala Lolohea in at five-eighth which could be blocked by New Zealand as they bid to fill the void left by 2014 Golden Boot winner Shaun Johnson in their tour of England.
The squad is as follows:
Sitaleki Akauola (Wests Tigers), Charlie Fainga’a (Redcliffe Dolphins), Sosaia Feki (Cronulla Sharks), David Fifita (Cronulla Sharks), Glen Fisiiahi (Vodafone Warriors), Asipeli Fine (Wests Tigers), John Folau (Parramatta Eels), Mahe Fonua (Melbourne Storm), Daniel Forster (Penrith Panthers), Tyson Frizell (St George Illawarra Dragons), Danny Fualalo (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs), David Fusitua (Vodafone Warriors), Salesi Funaki (Wests Tigers), Siliva Havili (Vodafone Warriors), Delouise Hoeter (Wests Tigers), Malakai Houma (Cronulla Sharks), Saulala Houma (Cronulla Sharks), Konrad Hurrell (Vodafone Warriors), Sebastine Ikahihifo (Vodafone Warriors), Solomone Kata (Vodafone Warriors), Sione Katoa (Penrith Panthers), Antonio Kaufusi (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs), Felise Kaufusi (Melbourne Storm), Leilani Latu (Penrith Panthers), Brenko Lee (Canberra Raiders), Leva Li (Gold Coast Titans), Tuimoala Lolohea (Vodafone Warriors), Sione Lousi (Vodafone Warriors), Joel Luani (Wests Tigers), Lorenzo Ma’afu (Townsville Blackhawks), Sika Manu (Penrith Panthers), Willie Manu (Penrith Panthers), Feleti Mateo (Manly Sea Eagles), Manu Ma’u (Parramatta Eels), Fuifui Moimoi (Leigh Centurions), Ben Murdoch-Masila (Penrith Panthers), Joe Ofahengaue (Brisbane Broncos), Michael Oldfield (Catalans Dragons), Agnatius Paasi (Gold Coast Titans), Mickey Paea (Hull FC), John Palavi (Vodafone Warriors), Mosese Pangai (Townsville Blackhawks), Tevita Pangai (Canberra Raiders), Pat Politoni (Cronulla Sharks), Vaha Pulu (Sydney Roosters), Tony Satini (Manly Sea Eagles), Nafe Seluini (Burleigh Bears), Ukuma Ta’ai (Huddersfield Giants), Kelepi Tanginoa (North Queensland Cowboys), Jorge Taufua (Manly Sea Eagles), Sio Siua Taukeiaho (Sydney Roosters), Peni Terepo (Parramatta Eels), Vai Toutai (Parramatta Eels), Anthony Tupou (Cronulla Sharks), Siosaia Vave (Manly Sea Eagles), Atelea Vea (St Helens), Albert Vete (Vodafone Warriors), Malakai Watene-Zelezniak (Penrith Panthers)
Predicted First XVII: 1 Glen Fisiiahi, 2 Sosaia Feki, 3 Konrad Hurrell, 4 Mahe Fonua, 5 Solomone Kata, 6 Tuimoala Lolohea, 7 Daniel Forster, 8 David Fifita, 9 Pat Politoni, 10 Ben Murdoch-Masila, 11 Tyson Frizell, 12 Manu Ma’u, 13 Sika Manu
14 Sio Siua Taukeiaho, 15 Feleti Mateo, 16 Anthony Tupou, 17 Joe Ofahengaue
Tonga will play the Cook Islands at Campbelltown Stadium on October 17.
UPDATE: October 7
Kristian Woolf has named his final 18-man squad. It is as follows: 1 Solomone Kata, 2 Jorge Taufua, 3 Mahe Fonua, 4 Moses Pangai, 5 Delouise Hoeter, 6 Pat Politoni, 7 Daniel Forster, 8 Albert Vete, 9 Joel Luani, 10 Peni Terepo, 11 Sika Manu, 12 Manu Ma’u, 13 Joe Ofahengaue, 14 Nafe Seluini, 15 Ukuma Ta’ai, 16 Ben Murdoch-Masila, 17 Leilani Latu, 18 David Fifita
Sean (BNE Nth)
Guest
My 2017 Mate' Ma'a RLWC Squad: 1. W Hopoate (Bulldogs) 2. S Feki (Cronulla) 3. S Kata (Warriors) 4. K Hurrell (Titans) 5. D Watene-Zelezniak (Penrith) 6. T Lolohea (Warriors) 7. P Politini (Tigers) 8. A Paasi (Titans) 9. S Katoa (Penrith) 10. L Latu (Penrith) 11. T Frizell (Dragons) 12. S Teaukeiaho (Roosters) 13. M Mau (Eels) 14. P Terepo / A Tai'i 15. S Manu / T Pangai 16. S Akoula / F Kaufusi 17. S Havili / J Luani
smell the fear
Guest
why stop at 58? i thought they should have named a squad of 100
smell the fear
Guest
why dont you give them the money to play for the country of their parents? who do you expect to fund it?
Sleiman Azizi
Roar Guru
Yes they do.
Mangrove Jack
Guest
Its all a fuss....having Tonga and Samoa national teams...do they even have a RL competitions within the Countries?
Hosea
Roar Pro
Fair point, I am a bit biased as I grew up in the area. I'm not sure, but if this is the only qualifying game it should be at a neutral venue. I assume there would be benefits in playing this in either Tonga or the Cook Islands but I'm not sure how feasible that would be.
Niall
Guest
We should be playing these in the countries that the teams are supposed to be representing.
Hosea
Roar Pro
I was going to have my say on the eligibility but it looks like you guys are all over it. From what I can, see it's a pretty strong team with a number of players that have been in and around rep footy for either Australia or NZ. And how good is it that the game is being played at Campbelltown? Large Pacific Islander community, hopefully a solid crowd gets around to the game.
Niall
Guest
The heritage players used by Scotland and Ireland are even worse. Its a shambles.
The Koomz
Guest
I still cant get my head around the eligibility thing. I think its totally unfair Tonga and Samoa have the luxury of picking Kiwis in thier team and and then be ranked higher than then a team like PNG who have spent millions in promoting the game back home even spending 30 million to send a team to the Q-Cup. The NRL and the world body needs to look at seriously look to develope the game in the Islands.
Sleiman Azizi
Roar Guru
It's not the eligibility rules that are a blight, it's the lack of focus on international league that is the blight. Fix that and eligibility will naturally tighten up.
Eddie
Guest
It's nonsense. In regard to the Kiwis squad being named, didn't Ma'u play for Tonga last year? Simona for Toa Samoa? Loose rules for eligibility looks like Kiwis' cherry picking on the face of things.
Go warriors
Guest
The eligibility seems to be very loose and it is a blight on the international game. I think there needs to be more incentive to play for the Pacific nations. More test matches, higher match payments etc. Rugby league needs more nations that can compete with NZ, Australia and England and I think the most likely teams are Samoa and Tonga provided they are better looked after.
Riley Pettigrew
Roar Guru
Solomone Kata and Tuimoala Lolohea represented Tonga last year so I suppose it is only fair. It is simply a train-on squad so when the final cut is made they will be asked who they wish to play for. You are able to list one first-tier country (i.e. Australia, New Zealand, England) and two second-tier countries so long as they are not from the same region (i.e. you would not be able to list Serbia and Wales or South Africa and Lebanon but could list USA and the Cook Islands). Also, you are allowed to change eligibility once every four years.
Niall
Guest
This is how stupid our eligibility rules are, they've picked players named in the NZ training squad hoping that they won't make the grade. Plus Tyson Frizell has already played for Wales, I didn't think players could turn out for two nations in the same tier