If the NRL accepts a Fijian NRL team, the other NRL clubs will be flush with quality Fijians.

[Albert Rosenfeld]

Fiji is obviously the breeding ground of many brilliant rugby union players. But Fijians are more suited in terms of their physique and skill set to rugby league than rugby union.

If the NRL was to accept a Fijian team, first into the NSW Cup and later into the NRL, that team squad would soon be raided by other NRL clubs. However there is so much natural talent in Fiji that the stolen players could soon be replaced in the Fiji team squad by reserve apprentices. Fijians love our sport but have had little chance to play it because of the preexisting strength of rugby union and the decades of negligence by the NRL.

We have seen what a few selectively recruited Fjians can do in the NRL, from Noa Nadruku to Lote Tuqiri, Marika Koroibete, Apisai Koroisau, Kevin Naiqama, Waqa Blake, and Semi Radradra. Imagine if there was a whole junior system established in Fiji. The Fijian talent pool would spread throughout the NRL and make rugby league faster and more exciting than it already is.

 

[East Coast Tiger]

Tuqiri, Koroisau, Blake and Naiqama were all Australian juniors. If only we had more NRL clubs in Australia there'd be more of these players spread around the NRL.



But on a serious note, tell the f**king NSWRL to get off their incompetent arses and accept them.

 

[kdalymc]

Why does the Fijian team "need" to be 100% Fijian? They would be a club team, not a national team. Same thing with the hunters- buy and sell all players...

 

[POPEYE]

A Fijian NSW Cup team would be a great stepping stone, a Fijian NRL team with too many Fijians in it would be a stumbling block > Warriors

 

[Hello, I'm The Doctor]

Shit idea, the club would never be sustainable...

Give them an NSWRL side as a pathway for players and do more with the national Rep team for the supporters.

The difference is that NswRL teams could die and be replaced without any fuss (NRL teams dying is a huge deal), international comp can have as many teams as they like (Nrl only has so many spots available) and it isnt a problem if the Rep team can only afford to turn up ever second/third year.

Nrl teams are about supporters. in a location like Fiji, we are usually thinking more about player pathways...

 

[KeepingTheFaith]

The problem with Fijian players is that they play for 2-4 years then piss off to Union where the bigger money is.

ISP team sure, NRL team nah.

 

[Burwood]

Imagine the excitement that would come from having a Fijian NRL team and the possibility of unearthing the next Sims brothers. With a Fijian team in the NRL, there'd be the opportunity for every team to have a Sims-like player in it.

 

[Nice Beaver]

F*ck me.

Have an idea during the morning bog, and just post it.

Seems to be the modus operandi.

 

[Saxon]

Serious question.

PNG fields the Hunters in QLD Cup.
How many Hunters players have gone on to forge careers in the NRL or ESL?

 

[Spade]

Give Fiji a team and then bring back North Sydney Bears, happy days for all concerned.

 

[POPEYE]

Give Fiji a team and then bring back North Sydney Bears, happy days for all concerned.

Why not give a Fijian team the old North Sydney Clubhouse, call them the 'Bears' and see what happens

 

[taipan]

Give Fiji a team and then bring back North Sydney Bears, happy days for all concerned.

Better still a Fijian Pacific Bears team:
You could draw from Nth Sydney ,Central Coast,Fiji and Treasure Island.

 

[TheVelourFog]

a team full of wingers

interesting concept

 

[Hutty1986]

F*ck me.

Have an idea during the morning bog, and just post it.

Seems to be the modus operandi.

Often Albert's ideas ARE the morning bog.

 

[stormbati]

NSW Cup team and nothing more.
Give local players a direct pathway to the NRL and hopefully get a few Rugby potentials to play league instead.

 

[Diesel]

A Fijian NSW Cup team would be a great stepping stone, a Fijian NRL team with too many Fijians in it would be a stumbling block > Warriors

Although not at the same level, the PNG Hunters are quite successful in the QRL

 

[POPEYE]

Although not at the same level, the PNG Hunters are quite successful in the QRL

Something I never tired of picketing for over the years . . . great to see eventuate. If instead of going to ESL we had Australians willing to play for PNG we might see a team in the NRL

 

[Albert Rosenfeld]

Something I never tired of picketing for over the years . . . great to see eventuate. If instead of going to ESL we had Australians willing to play for PNG we might see a team in the NRL

It is hard enough to get Australians to play in NZ, let alone get them to endure real hardship living in PNG.

 

[POPEYE]

It is hard enough to get Australians to play in NZ, let alone get them to endure real hardship living in PNG.

Can't blame them with the volatility in the joint . . . a PNG team could be bivouacked on the Australian mainland

 

[Diesel]

Can't blame them with the volatility in the joint . . . a PNG team could be bivouacked on the Australian mainland

There were grandstanding talks of potential expansion teams for PNG to be shared with Cairns or Darwin. A NT based PNG side might be as close as they could get