When the Australian team was picked on Tuesday, the first place my eyes went to on the team sheet were the wing positions – frustratingly, Semi Radradra’s name was there.
Having one of the most popular players in the represent Australia might seem like a no-brainer for the selectors after Semi declared his allegiance, but it is an absolute tragedy for international rugby league.
Some may not know this, but there are more games than Australia vs New Zealand and City vs Country this coming representative weekend.
On Saturday at Pirtek Stadium, in front of what is expected to be a large crowd, there will be a triple header as the Under-20 Australian and New Zealand sides do their thing, before Fiji take on Papua New Guinea, and Samoa face Tonga.
Last year, when the matches were played on the Gold Coast, it was one of the most passionate days of the season. The sides ran at each other full bore for 80 minutes, with much more than just bragging rights between Pacific neighbours on the line. These rivalries run deep, and the passion showed last year – despite many players having NRL clubs to return to. They had no fear of injury, and pushed through the barriers of pain.
The crowd got into the games, and the pre-match rituals of each team were moving.
So, with all the emotion of playing for his home nation, why would Semi turn his back on Fiji for the green and gold? It just doesn’t add up.
The supporters in the Pacific nations should be a driving reason to represent them. Rugby league is huge in these countries, but players shying away from playing for them is hurting the game.
For someone who has always been about improving rugby league in Fiji, it makes no sense that Semi would take the away excitement of playing for his country of birth and put it in a Kangaroos jumper.
Now I’m not stupid, I understand money would have been a driving factor – and this is where I implore the International Rugby League Federation (IRLF) to change their eligibility laws. But what’s done is done, and that line has been written a million times by writers, commenters and everyone remotely interested in rugby league so let’s not go there.
My appeal goes directly to Semi Radradra, and every other player who has turned their back on a country of birth to chase money on offer playing for the big nations like Australia and New Zealand.
Let’s face facts here – there is no truly ‘international game’ in rugby league right now. It consists of Australia, New Zealand and England. That’s it. No ifs or buts about it. In the same breath, these Pacific Island nations are growing, expanding the game and rapidly improving.
Samoa were invited to take part in the 2014 Four Nations and while they lost all three of their matches, they went close to beating England and New Zealand, and certainly didn’t disgrace themselves against a Kangaroos outfit featuring Cooper Cronk, Cameron Smith and Greg Inglis.
Marika Koroibete is another winger to come out of Fiji in recent years, and to think of Radradra and Koroibete in the same side is such an exciting prospect.
The case of Radradra is not an isolated one either, which is a worry. There have been so many cases of players turning their back on countries for a shot at playing for the New Zealand or Australian side – and more often than not, it has to do with State of Origin. Being able to test yourself on the biggest stage of them all.
It is clear that there needs to be either a rule change, or major attitude change in the international rugby league setup. The next World Cup is only just over 12 months away, and it would be a lot more competitive if players were lining up for their country of birth, instead of holding out for a shot at representing the big countries.
It’s more than just the IRLF or players attitudes, though. It comes down to the big teams’ governing bodies. The ARL, for example, and its selectors or coach have gone ahead and destroyed the international game time and time again. It is time for them to make a stand and say, “Yes, he could improve the team, but what is the point of getting to a three-team World Cup again?”
For those bodies, the World Cup could be a money pit waiting to happen. There is enough talent littered throughout the Pacific Islands to make them a genuine threat for the crown – except all that talent runs out wearing Kangaroos or Kiwis jerseys.
The bottom line is this: for rugby league to ever become successful on a global stage, it must expand past Australia, New Zealand and England.
End of story.
craig fletcher
Guest
fairdinkum whats cheika thinkn or union there fiji not aussies it was disgraceful watching sami radrada play in nrl anzac test when a penrith winger like mansour is available come on dont stuff origin you are stufn test an union come on amagine if league players were available in the backs we be no 1 in world fact ?
duecer
Guest
Republican, in relation to your point, I have postulated before that the very reason for the decline in RL in England, is why it hasn't, as yet, declined in Australia. That point is immigration. In England the immigration, in the first wave from commonwealth countries like WI and India supplied people that had no interest in the game. The latest wave from Eastern Europe have even less interest, all being strong Soccer nations, hence the continued rise there. In Australia (and particularly in NZ), luck was with RL with the wave of immigration from the Pacific Islands. Such has been the take up, that this demographic make up a large portion of the NRL. Of course, as with all good things, there is a double edged sword. Because of there size advantage, traditional juniors now play Soccer and so the initial good fortune may turn out, as you note, not such good fortune as the NRL becomes even more dependant on this PI reliance.
Raugeee
Guest
I guess this means he will be eligible to play for NSW a la Tamou? One can hardly blame Semi - he's trying to make as mouch as he can as a professional league player.
Steven
Guest
I think its a disgrace to have him in the aussie team. He quite clearly has only done it for the money, even saying openly he is sending the money back to his parents. What a slap in the face to all league fans, especially australians and the Fiji people as well must feel bad knowing their best player has spat on them for money. The real reason they have allowed this, in my opinion, is so channel 9 can do some sort of pathetic "feel good story" about some "poor immigrant turned rich super star" piece and air it before the game. Corey Oats should have been picked as he is just as good if not better, is 20 years old which means he could play for aus for 14-15 years and is, shock, Australian. Even if not him, morris from the bulldogs, another in form australian winger who has been there done that before, it makes no sense to pick semi. Joke, its that simple and this is coming from me, ask anyone who knows me i am the most one eyed queensland supporter you will ever know and i now have NO respect for mal meninga for picking this Fiji player in our team, he has ditched our own players who are more than good enough and stained the australian jumper, well done mal, i hope you miss out on the immortal spot again you dont deserve one after this disgrace.
Republican
Guest
Wont make any diff anyway. NZ will win in a canter and go onto take the WC v England. Australian Leagues grassroots are in trouble, while most of the quality players going around in the NRL are from somewhere else and especially NZ. The status of Test level League struggles courtesy of our complete obsession with SOO. Old are particularly parochial and as such far more passionate about being Qld'ers than they are Australians. NZ now dominate in both rugby codes, despite Leagues lowly status across the ditch and a population of just 5 mill, while they display so much more passion for their country in these sorts of contests than what amounts to the disparate federation of states that are Australia do. I expect the culture of poaching and ensuing semantics and interpretation thereof to get worse for League in Australia, as the game becomes more and more dependant on overseas and expats from NZ and especially of Malynesian and Polynesian heritage .
Republican
Guest
Wont make any diff anyway. NZ will win in a canter and go onto take the WC v England. Australian Leagues grassroots are in trouble, while most of the quality players going around in the NRL are from somewhere else and especially NZ. The status of Test level League struggles courtesy of our complete obsession with SOO. Old are particularly parochial and as such far more passionate about being Qld'ers than they are Australians. NZ now dominate in both rugby codes, despite Leagues lowly status across the ditch and a population of just 5 mill, while they display so much more passion for their country in these sorts of contests than what amounts to the disparate federation of states that are Australia. I expect the culture of poaching and ensuing semantics and interpretation thereof to get worse for League in Australia, as the game becomes more and more dependant on overseas and expats from NZ and especially of Malynesian and Polynesian heritage .
up in the north
Roar Rookie
Hey Scotty, I think you'll find Segeyaro has issues with the politics of PNGRL due to something that happened to his father, back in the day. On the Semi factor I think he'll come out of the Kangaroos system a much better player and mentor with a few years under his belt. He's only 23 with a long future in front of him, look at it like investing in the future of Fijian League.
Sleiman Azizi
Roar Guru
Alas, that is your loss.
theHunter
Guest
Yes Peeko, that is my point. When he got to international level Australia never looked at him to rep them until he had no choice but to go to Fiji. When he started to become a big time player Australia was like "o ok, I think we need him now" Lured him and there you go, He became an Aussie rep once more...Do you think he would have still wanted to play for Aussie if Aussie showed no interest at all??? Fiji looked good when he was playing for them, I am a Parrafan too and a fan of Hayne before he became an Aussie Rep and I watched every game that Fiji played in that world cup just to watch him play. I believe if players like this weren't allowed by Aussie to not rep them because they've already played for a different nation than other nations will be a force to reckon come World cup time otherwise it will just only be OZ and NZ for the next century and while we love this sport so much it will never grow globally because of this.
maximillian
Guest
I get your point & I think there are 2 ways of looking at it. The international game cant stand on its on with rigid international eligibility laws as the gulf between the tier 1 nations & the rest is too large at the moment. I think flexibility in eligibility between tier 1 & tier 2 nations for competitveness, is more desirable than sticking to hard & fast rules about eligibility that potentially result in 1 sided thrashings of the minnows. For that reason I would like to see players like Radradra, Tedesco, Lolohea etc turn out for tier 2 nations if they aren't selected for the Kangaroos/Kiwis. Hopefully the game can continue to grow & we can move to the eligibility laws we currently have, but we aren't there yet IMO.
turbodewd
Guest
alas once the GF is over I tune out of RL. I dont watch the RLWC :^/ maybe ill get off my posterior and watch the final next time
maximillian
Guest
Wrong. Once you change allegiances you cannot change again until the end of the WC. Feleti Mateo was the Tongan captain but changed his allegiance to Australia to chase his Origin dream. He never played Origin & didn't make the Kangaroos so also couldn't represent Tonga at the last WC. Radradra would be in a similar situation. If he doesn't get selected in the WC for the Kangaroos, he wont be playing for Fiji.
mikeT
Guest
Norad can you name all of the resident islanders playing for the all blacks? Ps. Did you also know rugby union is the national sport of Samoa, Fiji and Tonga. You cant compare the two.
peeeko
Guest
but it goes both ways Sheek, plenty of guys that represented tonga and samoa were bor nand bred in australia and NZ. b that reasoning could you say that the UK is a nursery for the all black and wallabies? i am pretty sure finau and kefu grew up in australia
peeeko
Guest
like samoa and tonga where no one was born in their league teams?
peeeko
Guest
they are the rules, australia would be cruel not to pick him. personally i think they would have preferred it if Semi stayed with Fiji. they dont want to pick him that badly but felt obliged once he committed
peeeko
Guest
Hayne who was born and bred and lived in australia his whole life (up until last year) played for Australia years before he played for Fiji. He went back and played for Fiji when he couldnt make the australian team one year, get your facts right
Sleiman Azizi
Roar Guru
According to the open letter Semi's father released, then yes, the decision to make himself available for Australia was exactly about money [in order to help his family]. Which begs the question, in order to make the switch, was Semi given some kind of guarantee by the Australian selectors that he would be selected for the Kangaroos? I'm glad that Semi is able to help his family because of his decision. It doesn't stop him from being a proud Fijian but I feel it is poor form from the Australian selectors who chose someone who switched for the money. Even if that money was for a good cause.
Jason Hosken
Roar Guru
did you see Foxtel tonight. Darius Boyd along the lines of 'origin is the pinnacle but it's still great to put on the green and gold jumper' Now while you explode and prepare a lengthy response, I'll catch some zeds and follow up tomorrow. Zzzzzzzzzz
Sleiman Azizi
Roar Guru
It would be fascinating to see the NRL grand final held in Wembley but I think that might sound the death knell for the Super League. That and the fact that Australian fans are a tad too insular to see 'their' grand final being played anywhere else.