If you want to talk about heritage.. Half of the comp doesn't come from Australia. Most of their heritage is from the South Pacific/NZ etc.
I think you start playing a very dangerous game if the criteria to be a club captain is based on nationality or heritage. How would anyone with a slightly different heritage feel knowing they can never be captain?
I think this comment has been seriously misunderstood.
"Dangerous game" - I don't think so.That is a total exaggeration.
I am certainly not advocating any restriction in terms of being chosen as team captain because of background or heritage.
I couldn't care less what their nationality or heritage of the captain is to be honest.
BUT, I am talking about who would be the best captain for our club.
Just compare Widdop against the other captains in the comp.
Storm - Cameron Smith - SOO and Australian representative
Sharks - Paul Gallen - SOO and Australian representative
Roosters - Boyd Cordner (co captain) - SOO and Australian representative
Cowboys - Jonathon Thurston - SOO and Australian representative
Eels - Beau Scott (co captain) - SOO and Australian representative
Panthers - Matt Moylan - SOO and Australian representative.
Souths - Greg Inglis - SOO and Australian reprsentative.
Tigers - Aaron Woods - SOO and Australian representative
Broncos - Darius Boyd - SOO and Australian representative
Manly - Daly Cherry Evans - SOO and Australian representative
Newcastle - Trent Hodkinson - SOO representative
Titans - Ryan James (co captain) - Minor Representation
Canberra - Jarrod Croker - Country origin and other minor representation
Auckland Warriors - Roger Tuivasa Scheck - NZ representative
Canterbury - James Graham - England International
St. George - Gareth Widdop - England International
So before we get all precious about the criteria of "heritage" let's look at the facts objectively.
13 out of the 16 clubs in the NRL have captains who have Australian heritage but, more importantly, have achieved representative honours in Australia.
Of those, 11 clubs have captains who have played SOO and have represented the Australian National Team.
The Warriors are an exception but in keeping with their own demographics and identity, their captain is a NZ international.
The only 2 exceptions are Canterbury who have gone with James Graham - you can make your own judgement as to his success as a captain in the NRL.
AND St. George/Illawarra who has appointed Gareth Widdop.
As an aside, Wayne Bennett appointed Ben Hornby (SOO and Australian representative) as captain of the Dragons in 2009 and who ultimately led the team to their first Premeirship as a JV.
So maybe that puts my criteria regarding "heritage" into perspective.
Every single club in the NRL is free to choose whoever they want for captain.
So these choices are not a coincidence and for me, it underlines why our club is being left behind.
I totally respect Widdop as a player but he is not the best choice for our club captain.