So Jason Taumalolo and Andrew Fifita. How about that?
A couple of NRL superstars choosing to play for the Kingdom of Tonga over rugby league power-countries New Zealand and Australia respectively in this upcoming rugby league World Cup? It’s bit interesting, isn’t it?
And you sort of wonder why more don’t do it. And then you think, ‘Oh yeah; money’.
And then you think, ‘It’s a shame isn’t it? For wouldn’t it be good for the greater planet rugby league and the code’s affectations to international notability if anyone eligible to play rugby league for two or more countries, if they had to give the lower-ranked country first refusal?’.
Wouldn’t that be good?
Rather than James Tedesco being picked for Italy only after he was not selected for Australia (Mal! Are you mad?), wouldn’t it better for the greater game if Italy had first call?
Why should Italy have to wait for Tedesco to not be picked (Mal! It’s madness!) for Australia?
And same for anyone who has a grandparent with citizenship in the United States or Scotland or the greater archipelago of Fiji.
Rather than waiting for him not to be picked, why wouldn’t Samoa get first dibs on Anthony Milford?
Josh McGuire was picked for Australia. Give Samoa first shot at him.
And are you telling us that there’s not a Scottish or Irish grandparent in an Aussie team full of surnames like Slater, Dugan, Munster, Morgan, Maloney, McLean, Cordner, Gillett and Hunt?
(Image: Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)
Look at Tonga. On top of Taumalolo and Fifita, the mighty Mate Ma’a boasts Will Hopoate, Konrad Hurrell Michael Jennings, Solomone Kata, Sio Siua Taukeiaho, Sika Manu, the hardman that is Manu Ma’u, David Fusitu’a, Joe Ofahengaue, Daniel Tupou and Manu ‘The Beast’ Vatuvei.
How about for a line-up? Pretty good, no?
Throw in Melbourne Storm star and Kangaroos bolter Felise Kaufusi, who’s already played for Tonga, and the Mate Ma’a would be a tasty burger indeed.
Hell, Tonga would assume a spot nudging the second line of betting.
And why shouldn’t they? Why should big brassy Australia and New Zealand get first dibs on these people?
Josh Mansour would’ve been bopping about for Lebanon and was as good as picked for the Cedars before Darius Boyd broke down, and Mal (Mal! Respect and all, but what the hell?) didn’t pick Tedesco but picked Mansour instead.
And thus Mansour will not run out with Mitchell Moses, Tim Mannah and Robbie Farah, and the rag-tag bunch of renegades representing Lebanon out of the Sydney and Beirut metropolitan rugby league competitions.
Now, sure, if you identify as Australian, as Josh Mansour most certainly does, or Kiwi, as Kiwis do, and it’s been your life’s ambition to represent that country, then having a grandparent born in Beirut or Ballybunion who emigrated out here in 1942 mightn’t really wash in terms of who you’d rather play for.
But in this brave new planet rugby league, that would be bad luck. Because for the big picture, for rugby league to claim that its World Cup has more than one – or two at a pinch – countries with a realistic chance to actually up and win the thing, then, well, sorry Josh Mansour, it’s the لبنان الرجبي الوطني فريق في الدوري (Lebanon national rugby league team) for you.
And sure, again, the fluidity of one’s nationality doesn’t sit right with many folks. Claiming more than one nationality is fraught. There are those who would say a man declares allegiance, and that’s it. Game over.
But this is rugby league. It’s not really an international game. And when it has a World Cup, the battle lines need to be redrawn, existing paradigms rejigged, and thoughts germinated outside squares.
(Image: NRL Photos/Grant Trouville)
Let’s go further left afield and consider the league and union divide. If Italy and Fiji and Ireland and the United States can recruit rugby union players – and they’re good enough to represent their countries, and their rugby union clubs and, um, unions are okay with them playing league for eight weeks every four years – then why not get ‘em over?
Yes, rich French Rah-rahs do now own Semi Radradra, but if he’d known he could play for Fiji in the World Cup before heading to Toulon, he might have requested such a caveat in his contract. Everyone has caveats in their contract, it’s the new black.
Maybe Semi’s a bad example, but were he bopping about for the Bati with Jarryd Hayne, Suliasi Vunivalu, Api Koroisau and Corbin, Tariq and Ashton Sims, I mean … y’know. Gives Fiji a sniff. Creates interest in games. Rugby league is the winner.
How many Vunivalus who are bopping about in Fiji rugby would welcome a shot at greatest game of all rugby league?
Is the time of the independent contractor who flits from sport to sport, country to country, coming?
Look at Sonny Bill Williams. Look at Brad Thorne. Thorne played for Australia and New Zealand and Queensland and Canterbury (Crusaders), and he did it seamlessly. No-one had a crack at him. He was just one of those blokes who played forever, this giant hard man, tradesman and man’s man, and we didn’t give him any gip for it. Another story.
But rugby league, as all sports must, has to consider its place in an increasingly globalised world. And all power – and money – to Fifita and Taumalolo and anyone else who’d represent David against Goliath on the world stage.
Chook
Guest
Spoken like a Queenslander. Ignore him
thomas c
Guest
I'll limit myself to just saying it's a bit rich for Australia and NZ to blast the turncoats while sporting teams with loyalties to the almighty dollar.
James
Guest
You clearly don't know what you are talking about. Fafita is a VERY good player. You have to be good to play in origin and international. He is certainly not a peanut, and FYI I am a raiders fan. Not a 'salty grubnulla' fan.
Raugeee
Guest
How does the payment system work for the RLWC? Do all players from all countries get an equal slice of the pie?
Johnno
Guest
2-swtich policy for RL I say. e.g. Case study Jarryd Hayne. Played for Fiji then Aussies(1st switch) now back to Fiji(2nd switch). That should be it NO more switches for Jarryd Hayne and he should never be able to play for Australia again(State of origin he should be able to as you don't have to be eligible for national team to play origin if you meet eligibility rules to play for NSW/or QLD)... Andrew Fifita is in the same boat, he's had two switches now.. Unlimited flip-flopping had good intentions but's it proven to be a mess and farcical for RL credibility. There should be a notice period as well, where you have to give 50-days notice of your intention to switch to another team if selected, as it gives all teams both Tier-1's and Tier-2's to prepare accordingly. Everyone including the RLIF have been blindsided by this, but changes post world cup once again have to be made to rugby league eligibility rules as the last few days have been a Public relations disaster for the credibility of international rugby league... It's clear if you on big bucks already some will put the Tier'2's first, Aust/NZ didn't see that issue coming either..
Greg Ambrose
Guest
Maybe he'll watch Taulmololo at close range and cotton onto the benefits of running straight and hard. .........I doubt it however
Terry Tavita
Guest
what's wrong with representing your heritage?..you make it sound like a bad thing
DJ
Guest
Look at all the salty grubnulla fans.
shinobi
Guest
James tamou was an nz citizen when he played for the kangaroos. His team mates even made a joke that they were gonna throw in money so he could get it done.
Dom
Guest
It's not a case of Australia having first pick, it's more the players having the option of picking who they want to represent. For most players Australia or NZ is their first choice - as they were born or grew up in those countries, etc - and so if selected by those countries they want to play for them. Nobody's making anyone play for Aus - as evidenced by Fifita's switch. Forcing players to play for smaller countries wouldn't be the best look - for one thing I imagine you'd see a lot of late withdrawals for injury reasons like you did with City-Country in recent years.
Dom
Guest
Nope, having hard rules for national allegiances means all the elite players stick with Australia (for Origin $$$) or New Zealand, and the smaller nations suffer. There's no way countries like Tonga ever improve enough to rival the big guns without the current flexible eligibility rules. Having good "combinations" when you play a handful of games a year is no match for getting the services of a Taumalolo or Fifita once in a while.
Wayne Turner
Guest
Fifita is a selfish unethical drop kick. I have no issue with him playing for Tonga.But,I do have an issue with how he went about it.Firstly allowing himself to publically be picked for Australia,and then waiting days afterwards to say he's running off to Tonga.In the days between being picked for Australia and NOT running off to Tonga.Other possibly replacements would have rightfully been picked for other Nations other than Australia.Yet again it's all about Fifita. Unlike Taumalalo who at least informed NZ before picking him. Finally,Australia should never have picked Fifita anyway.Last time he had a great game was Origin 1,been downhill since.Australia and NSW should never pick him again too - No class and overrated too.
Mike Huber
Roar Pro
FD Fifita carries the ball over the line and with one hand grounds the ball to score winning try in GF . Fiffita was clearly BOG and it was laughable Luke Lewis got awarded it based on a players indiscretions off the field . Literally and figuratively Fifita won the game single handedly for Cronulla - indeed , if he didn't play in the GF Cronulla would of been absolutely smashed by Melbourne .
Greg Ambrose
Guest
Why not have a tournament every two years where teams are selected based largely on where your family came from and include an Aboriginal teams as well.? Maybe NSW and QLD could have separate teams also .
Taurangaboy
Guest
I'd like to see League and Union amalgamated. 100 years since the split. Time to get back together.
Peter
Guest
So are you bellowing that people who have previously played for other countries should not be playing for Australia, now or ever? There are a few in this Kanga squad!
Jeffrey
Guest
He's referring to the incorrect spelling of Brad's surname, Dean.
Fair Dinkum
Guest
The article writer is pretty dumb to say that minnow countries should have first call for players - players like for SOO should be nominating who they will play for in RLWC years- Previously it was if a player was not selected for a countries squad they could play for another country if eligible- Fifita and Taumalolo should only now be considered for Tonga sides- Fifita should never again play SOO or for Australia and Taumalolo should never again be selected for NZ
Fair Dinkum
Guest
Fifita is a peanut and didn't single handed win a comp for the Sharks- 17 player game - you obviously haven't a clue as if you think one player won the game then it was Maloney kicking the conversion goal that won the GF game for the Sharks.
Fair Dinkum
Guest
Fifita should never again be eligible to play SOO or for Australia having chosen to play for Tonga after being selected for Australia ditto Taumalolo to ever play again for NZ also- As they say they mad their bed let them sleep in it - both overrated in any case- dogs with fleas