If you are a rugby league tragic like me, it might be time to think about some alternative activities this weekend, because the schedule is a little bit light on.
On Friday night we have women’s under 19s State of Origin, followed by women’s State of Origin.
There is no top-tier rugby league being played in Australia on Saturday.
Then on Sunday there is New South Wales Police playing against Queensland Police followed by the men’s State of Origin fixture in the evening from Suncorp Stadium.
With this round being designated as a bye round for all clubs, I can’t help but feel like the NRL has missed a real opportunity with its scheduling.
Why isn’t there any international rugby league being played this weekend?
Fans commonly complain about the impact Origin has on the regular season, but with no club matches this weekend, it was a great opportunity to host some Pacific Tests.
Prior to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the international game was beginning to shine. Real and genuine excitement seemed to be growing.
In 2019, the Papua New Guinea Orchids registered their first ever international win, defeating the England women’s team. The teams for the 2021 Rugby League World Cup were decided, including some exciting prospects like the Brazilian women’s team and the Greek men’s team. There was also an international nines tournament in Sydney in November featuring teams from across the globe.
Then, of course, there was that moment in November when Tonga beat the reigning men’s world champions, Australia.
That was an extremely exciting moment in the international game, even for me. While I love to see Australia victorious, winning when there is no viable competition can get boring. It finally looked as though that was changing.
Damien Cook of Australia (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)
Then, after plenty of chatter about Sonny Bill Williams signing with the Toronto Wolfpack and the upcoming Super League season, a pandemic struck and progress halted.
Since then, there has been limited opportunity to play internationals and while countries seem to be making progress in the development of their own national competitions – including the recent news about the North American Rugby League, which will feature two conferences in 2021 with 14 founding members – excitement around the international game has dissipated.
Governing bodies seem to have put it in the ‘too hard’ basket.
It would be easy to blame the ongoing COVID situation, particularly given what has transpired in Sydney this week, but the decision to not go ahead with the Pacific Tests was made well before the most recent outbreak.
You may also be forgiven for asking how we are meant to play international games when limited international travel is allowed.
That may be a fair point, except the majority of players who would play for the Pacific nations are based here in Australia.
When you consider who played for Tonga in that 2019 match, Jason Taumalolo, Tevita Pangai Junior, Andrew Fifita and Kotoni Staggs remain available.
The Kaiviti Silktails made the decision earlier this year to relocate from Fiji to Sydney for the 2021 NSW Rugby League season, and many women eligible to play for their home nations have not been selected for Origin.
But instead, there is no international presence this weekend.
Three years ago, there was a period in the middle of the season that allowed a Test match to be played in Denver. Granted ome clubs and players were opposed to the USA game, but despite pushback it went ahead.
Now we are at a point where club footy and Origin appear to have priority and there is no consideration as to how Australia can play a role in growing the game across the globe.
This is a missed opportunity and extremely short-sighted.
In a year where there’s a lot of negativity about the game and, in particular, the quality of competition in the NRL, there would have been nothing better than hearing a Fijian hymn, seeing the Tonga flag waving brightly in the air and some of our most talented players running out for their home nations.
To add to the disappointment is the stone-cold silence about the upcoming World Cup, due to be played from 23 October to 27 November in the United Kingdom.
While the organising committee are certain to push ahead, the lack of talk about it here in Australia is beginning to worry me.
Tim Buck 3
Roar Rookie
What is International Australian Football League?
Joey
Guest
Mary, Olympic organisers just announced a ban on spectators cheering loudly at events. If that’s the pinnacle of international sport has come to. just makes you want to give up. I hear your pain and frustration. International league, at the moment, feels like something your grandkids will ask you about, along with a question about what the hell was winding up the car window.
Sam Drew
Roar Guru
I think purely from a practical point of view, this year was a non starter. The Tonga manager & their halves are in England, as is the Fiji captain, and so many others. We're seeing in England with a fixture against a hotchpotch "Combined Nations All Stars" that internationals done half-arsed can be detrimental to the game. It would've been far better to have 3 mid-week Origins like they're planning from next season.
Jamil Hoppa
Guest
A Wests Mitchy boy! I knew it hahaha
CCP Party Member
Guest
'International' rugby league is smaller than 'international' AFL. Tell 'em your dreamin' Sydney!
Adam
Roar Guru
They'll get to the stage surely that some players will turn up to the wrong ground
Big Daddy
Roar Rookie
????? . He is saying Canterbury and West's Tigers. Who knows Ground no 5 for Tiger's.
Jamie Hopoate
Guest
All those fun "international" teams are all Australian born and bred so it couldn't be too hard to put together. They can play in fron of family and friends in Western Sydney like 99% of all the other Rugby League "internationals". I'm sure nobody would be against it it's all a bit of fun nobody takes seriously
Pickett
Roar Rookie
Agree with you Mary. I really enjoy international RL and upto last year, the Samoa v Tonga international was always played at this time. I can understand last year being canned due to Covid, but why this year? In fact they coulda/shoulda had a Fiji v PNG as well as a double header on the Saturday.
Paul
Roar Guru
The Clubs clean forget that the money used to pay their players ultimately comes from sponsors, through TV deals, the NRL then to the Club. Fans obviously support the sponsors who support the TV netwroks through advertising, etc. Once the Clubs have the cash, which pays for the player, they only care about their interests and rarely think of the fans. I get that because obviously each Club is a business that needs to survive but I don't like it, especially when the Clubs thumb their noses at opportunities to spread the game to larger audiences, especially through rep footy.
Monorchid
Roar Rookie
I'm interested in your views about an international competition Mary. With respect, I don't see a genuinely international aspect to rugby league. The only serious countries are England (not Britain), NZ (the few parts not RU mad), and Queensland and NSW (not Oz). Sure, New Guinea is enthusiastic, but that's about it. The game barely hangs on in France, and they haven't fielded a decent side since I was young. And that was decades ago. Yes, the Tonga humiliation exists, but that was a temporary aberration. Fiji has a presence, but it's somewhat in the same situation as NG. Rugby Union has a genuine world cup because about 100 nations can field 15 man sides. The league world cup is somewhat concocted. I have sympathy for those on this thread who deplore poor publicising of RL. We get a lot of media attention in Queensland, but it's mostly top tier stuff. I checked out some club web sites last week and found almost nothing of interest. I visited the Broncos web site to see when I could attend a training session. Nothing, and I'm a member. But coverage of RU here is almost non-existent by comparison. As for the world cup in Lilibetland later this year, what world cup?
Heyou
Roar Rookie
Your article makes perfect sense to me.
Adam
Roar Guru
Played a year up there too. They actually look to be a decent team this year too, leading the comp
Dutski
Roar Guru
Used to play in that Union comp - for Launi. Warmest place around was on the bottom of the ruck.
Nick Maguire
Roar Rookie
:laughing:
Nat
Roar Guru
Mary, it is easy to blame COVID because COVID is at the heart of everything these days. Sure Aust and NZ can potentially field their best team, what of the PI players overseas? Should they quarantine for 2 weeks before the game and another period after? The international game cops enough flak for it's heritage rules. To hold a tournament with the Silktails and Hunters based on who is here already is something purely for the fans and asking those PI nations to go into a tourament to represent their country with a bit-part team and likely to cop a hiding. I feel holding this tourament this year would be an insult to everyone but Aust and maybe NZ. Me, Friday: Womens SoO Saturday: Valleys vs Wests Mitchy. Sunday: Mens SoO.
Adam
Roar Guru
Cheers. Just what Tigers need, more home grounds. Just seems a little random and hardly conducive to getting more fans to games
Dwanye
Roar Rookie
Excellent point Paul. I remember clubs complaining since the first Origin, whether it been a club with many players participating or a club with one. The club having a player out injured after it is not new. Some years a big complaint from clubs, some not. Some fans will float depending it their team.
Nick Maguire
Roar Rookie
JGH, "a two team comp is more like the NBA all star game, and no need for more than one a year" After being really caught up in Origin in the old days this is how I feel about it now. I resent the Storm players playing 3 exhibition games and either missing, being injured or not being at their best in club games. I would actually rather watch more international RL as there seems to be a bit of a buzz around Samoa, Tonga, PNG etc. Cheers
Nick Maguire
Roar Rookie
Adam, Canterbury and West Tigers was floated I believe