Much has been made of Fiji-born Semi Radradra’s decision to represent Australia and Mal Meninga’s decision to select him for the upcoming Anzac Test.
There have been calls to say that Semi shouldn’t play for Australia but should play for Fiji to strengthen international rugby league.
There have been calls to say that if we don’t make a stand with Semi Radradra then masses of players who should be representing the developing pacific nations will instead choose to play for Australia or New Zealand.
There are a number of problems with making these calls.
Firstly, the majority of players who play for Pacific Island nations are actually born in either Australia or New Zealand.
There is no huge number of NRL players born in Fiji, Samoa or Tonga. Last year in the mid-season Test every player who represented Samoa was born in either Australia or New Zealand. Not one player was born in Samoa.
Tonga had two players in Konrad Hurrell and Solomone Kata with the other 15 players also born born in Australia or New Zealand.
Fiji had just four players born in Fiji. So of the 51 players representing Fiji, Samoa and Tonga, 45 of them were not born in the countries they represent.
Papua New Guinea is the exception to this, with the majority of their players based in Port Moresby playing for the Papua New Guinea Hunters in the Queensland Cup.
However there is no Papua New Guinea-born player who is even close to playing rep football for Australia, most are fringe NRL players at best.
The only way that Pacific Nations are getting stronger is because players born in Australia or New Zealand are choosing to honour their parents or grandparents heritage and play for these nations.
They are first and foremost eligible for Australia or New Zealand and if the opportunity presents itself will make themselves available to play for a top tier nation.
Players such as Josh McGuire, Anthony Milford and the Sims brothers are Aussies. Their dream is to represent Australia, but they also have enough respect for their heritage to represent Samoa and Fiji respectively until they get the opportunity to play for Australia.
The second issue for those calling on Semi Radradra to spurn Australia and play for Fiji is the question of when? Last year Fiji played one game and it will be the same in 2016.
Fiji have never played in the Four Nations and have to battle Tonga, Samoa and Papua New Guinea for one spot available each four years.
Fiji will be there in the World Cup in 2017 and get to play perhaps two of the major three nations. Semi is one of the best wingers in the world and is expected to play a couple of games every four years rather than have the opportunity to play at the highest level every year against the best in the world?
If we really were serious about strengthening the international game and encouraging Semi to play for Fiji then as a game we would make sure that developing nations played Australia and New Zealand every year so they keep getting the opportunity to improve.
The reality is that will never happen as it would involve shortening the NRL season and there is too much money at stake to do that.
So let’s stop the outrage and be glad that we get watch Semi Radradra at the highest level on a regular basis and enjoy his amazing talents.
Sleiman Azizi
Roar Guru
Engaging people, communities, clubs and so on is an important key to the whole thing.
Johnno
Guest
Looser elgibility rules are need so the likes of Milford/Micheal Jennings/Lote Tiquri types, can flip flop unlimited. No restrictions accept, you can't play for 2-countries within the same tournament. e.g. so Micheal Jennings can't play for Tonga and Australia at the world cup if an injury happened, and Aussies needed a replacement, as one example. Australia for the best interests of the sport should promote a weaker Australia and support lots of flip flopping, and not stop player playing state of origin who pledge loyalty to more than one country e.g. a Micheal Jennings type. Australia need to help weaken Australia for the betterment of the game, not hoard talent. Aussies have to develop lots of talent for foreign countries, not just worry about Australia. Them and the RLIF should work to help make a weaker australia for the betterment of the game if were being honest.
Niall
Guest
I saw the article a little while back. It was by the Gavin...... The author of 'No Helmets Required'. Not massive money but it was considered enough for players to be fulltime professional. It was about adding extra content to a sports network. It looks to have gone quiet though. Catalans have been good this year, though I do feel they have one or two too many unnecessary English and Australian players taking places from young French talent, of which there is a healthy pool (Don't tell anyone though!!!!) Hopefully they can take the step and win the competition and the game can build on the back of that. Toulouse recently beat Leigh in the challenge cup at home on front 2 or 3,000 people. I don't think they will be given a place in SL like Catalans but they will be given a chance for promotion with the new structure. My mini world cup idea. 2 groups of four or five teams. For the sake of this we'll say five. Group 1 Australia England Fiji France Lebanon Fixtures Australia vs England, Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane Australia vs Fiji, Aami Park, Melbourne Australia vs France, Hunter stadium, Newcastle Australia vs Lebanon, Pirtek stadium, Sydney England vs Fiji, GIO Stadium, Canberra England vs France, Central Coast Stadium, Gosford England vs Lebanon, Belmore sports ground, Sydney Fiji vs France, Cairns Fiji vs Lebanon, Shark Park, Sydney France vs Lebanon, Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane (double header) Group 2 New Zealand Samoa PNG Tonga Wales Fixtures New Zealand vs Samoa, Eden Park, Auckland New Zealand vs PNG, Waikato stadium, Hamilton New Zealand vs Tonga, Mt Smart stadium, Auckland New Zealand vs Wales, Rugby League Park, Christchurch Samoa vs PNG, Townsville Samoa vs Tonga, Mt Smart Stadium Samoa vs Wales, Napier PNG vs Tonga, Whangerei PNG vs Wales, Napier Tonga vs Wales, Eden Park, Auckland (double header) Semi Final 1 (likely Australia vs Samoa) Suncorp stadium, Brisbane Semi Final 2 (likely New Zealand vs England) Westpac stadium, Wellington Final, ANZ stadium, Sydney Obviously there would be flexibility on the venues it was more a rough idea. I truly believe this would work and do wonders for the international game if done properly which means doing more than the current halfhearted "Get to the footy for a rippa Sunday Afternoon." Engage every stakeholder in the rugby league community. Engage as many different communities as possible.
The Barry
Roar Guru
I don't think it's that confusing. Different comps, different rules. Radradra meets the eligibility for Australia but not for Origin. It's the Origin concept that changes things otherwise it would just be residence like the old days.
soapit
Guest
thing is people carry on as if theres some huge tradition thats being ruined when the truth is migration has always existed with examples right back from the early day of the game of people moving country and representing their new home. not too practical back then to fly back to the original country for a couple of days for a game of footy.
Sleiman Azizi
Roar Guru
All they have to do is schedule the Pacific Tests as part of Origin or Anzac Test double-headers. Just bloody well schedule them in. If Channel Nine won't cover the match as part of a double-header, then negotiate a deal with Fox (or whoever) to broadcast them on cable and let Nine telecast the second match free-to-air.
Mack
Guest
Sorry nerval, kangaroos will never live in the same air as the all blacks. The all blacks 'brand' is hugely powerful (I.e. Black uniform, haka, combination of Pacifica cultures, style of play etc) which transcends the sport of RU - a sport with a global footprint that leaves league for dead. It also helps they have a massive American sponsor that knows the market and can make events like the USA game and this years test against Ireland in Chicago happen.
Sleiman Azizi
Roar Guru
I wish I were in the know! I haven't heard anything about French TV investing that kind of money and to be honest, I don't see it happening just know. Perhaps if Catalan win the Super League title? I know there has been talks about introducing a second French team into the Super League, or at least the lower levels there, though I'm not sure how advanced such talks are. The Catalan Dragons are currently sitting in a strong second spot in the Super League and they recently pulled in just under 10,000 to their most recent home game. Their crowds have been good this year and their efforts over the years helped see the development of a rugby league competition in Spain. But you know, rugby league actually doesn't exist anywhere else in the world. Every knows that, of course. Especially the ones who believe it.
steveng
Roar Rookie
The title should be 'Eligibility not as big an issue as it Semis'
nerval
Guest
The World Cup final of 2013 was a sell-out at Old Trafford even without the host nation featuring.
Kevin dustby
Guest
No it's a joke because most teams like Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, Italy and the USA use heritage rules to make national teams Semi is using the same residency rule that other sports use He is one player and is not stopping Fiji from becoming good. They have the sims brothers who are born and bred in Australia playing for them
Kevin dustby
Guest
But Shrek the entire Samoan league team was born outside of Samoa?
Kevin dustby
Guest
Or David pokock at the wallabies and Harry Jewell at soccer and half the Qatari soccer team
Kevin dustby
Guest
Can someone who grew up in Melbourne play origin ?
Kevin dustby
Guest
It would be similar if they were all American
Kevin dustby
Guest
It's the same as other sports including soccer, ever seen the Qatar team ?
Kevin dustby
Guest
He came for a better life and loves it here
Tom G
Guest
and therein lies the confusion..
Niall
Guest
Yes, so much potential. I will write up my idea for the mini world cup tournament a little later. On a different subject, I heard a while back that a French TV network was considering investing enough money to make the French RL a fulltime professional competition. You are the man in the know on all things international RL, you heard anything about that? How good would that be for the game.
The Barry
Roar Guru
Not really...they're played under different eligibility rules.