Jason Taumalolo opts to play for Tonga

[Usain Bolt]

They said on the news tonight Taumalolo got his girlfriend to call the NZRL to say he wasn't gonna play for them and when they called him to confirm he wouldn't answer haha

 

[Last Week]

They said on the news tonight Taumalolo got his girlfriend to call the NZRL to say he wasn't gonna play for them and when they called him to confirm he wouldn't answer haha

Wow. He might not play for NZ again. I'd be surprised if he did to be honest.

 

[KeepingTheFaith]

They said on the news tonight Taumalolo got his girlfriend to call the NZRL to say he wasn't gonna play for them and when they called him to confirm he wouldn't answer haha

Lol surely not. Must be media exaggeration somewhere.

If true that's pathetic.

 

[Usain Bolt]

Lol surely not. Must be media exaggeration somewhere.

If true that's pathetic.

Was on One News, the story might be on their website. I actually laughed out loud when they said it. It really is a Mickey Mouse operation t

 

[Stallion]

Great news for Pacific Island rugby league! Id be putting some cash on Tonga to do well in this world cup.

 

[latingringo101]

Jason turning out for Tonga really shows how far we've come from the 2008 world cup

 

[Emu01]

Great news for Pacific Island rugby league! Id be putting some cash on Tonga to do well in this world cup.

Apparently Tonga have came in from $81 into $17 now.

 

[Billythekid]

This a huge boost to Tongas chances. Also whilst many have soured on Fifita at his best he's still right up there with he best in the game. If he and LoLo are firing their forward pack will be hard to match.

 

[roughyedspud]

Heres what the recent "defections" have done to the betting

prior to today
NZ $3
England $9
Tonga $200

Now,on bet365
NZ $7
England $8
Tonga $22 lol

Odds are shortening.
England $7.50
Tonga $20

Its highly likely England will go into the world cup as 2nd favourites by the bookies

 

[DC_fan]

Tonga will have 17 Tongans playing for them, Fiji will have 17 Fijians playing for them, Australia will have 17 Aussies playing for them, ditto for the rest of the teams. It's 2017, people have allegiances to more than one country, they are not just playing for any old team. Rugby league is doing it differently to other sports because we want to make our sport more competitive instead of having the same teams win every year.

I have no problem with players such as Fifita playing for Tonga, or any other country if they are eligible. Where I have a problem is with players swapping and changing from one country to another. All players should have to align themselves with one country and that is the country they can only represent. As this may stop players aligning themselves with either Australia or New Zealand, this could in fact make international rugby league more competitive.

 

[DC_fan]

Odds are shortening.
England $7.50
Tonga $20

Its highly likely England will go into the world cup as 2nd favourites by the bookies

While it won't influence the outcome of the cup, it would be nice to see Tonga start the tournament as second favourite.

 

[SBD82]

I have no problem with players such as Fifita playing for Tonga, or any other country if they are eligible. Where I have a problem is with players swapping and changing from one country to another. All players should have to align themselves with one country and that is the country they can only represent. As this may stop players aligning themselves with either Australia or New Zealand, this could in fact make international rugby league more competitive.

This was previously the case. And the result was that the island nations were less competitive, as players opted to play for NZ and OZ.

I understand what you're saying about the eligibility rules seeming not quite right, but I don't think your solution ivcreases competitiveness.

 

[Vee]

http://www.rlwc2017.com/eligibility


In order for a player to qualify under residency, the said player must have held their primary residence for the preceding 60 months in that country.

Hurrell was born in Tonga. To play for the Kiwis he has to live there continuously for 5 years before selection. He's broken his continuous residency in NZ by moving to Australia to play for the Titans.

Surely there must be few Aussie based Kiwis in breach of this rule. Eastwood? Nightingale? Te Martin?

 

[KeepingTheFaith]

Surely there must be few Aussie based Kiwis in breach of this rule. Eastwood? Nightingale? Te Martin?

That's a residency rule, separate to a heritage rule.

A guy like Hurrell fails both which is why he would never be eligible for the Kiwis while those guys you mentioned are.

 

[morningstar]

Surely there must be few Aussie based Kiwis in breach of this rule. Eastwood? Nightingale? Te Martin?

Eastwood & Martin are NZ born. Nightingale qualifies through Kiwi parents.

Residency rule is for players who have no ties to the country they wish to represent. Hurrell was not born in NZ, does not have NZ born parents or NZ born grandparents, therefore he can only qualify for NZ on residency grounds.

He now has more chance of playing for Aus than the Kiwis.

 

[adamkungl]

While it won't influence the outcome of the cup, it would be nice to see Tonga start the tournament as second favourite.

Nice and delusional.

 

[Vee]

[QUOTE="morningstar, post: 12515779, member: 35133”]Hurrell was not born in NZ, does not have NZ born parents or NZ born grandparents, therefore he can only qualify for NZ on residency grounds.

He now has more chance of playing for Aus than the Kiwis.[/QUOTE]Not quite, the same chance apparently.

 

[morningstar]

[QUOTE="morningstar, post: 12515779, member: 35133”]Hurrell was not born in NZ, does not have NZ born parents or NZ born grandparents, therefore he can only qualify for NZ on residency grounds.

He now has more chance of playing for Aus than the Kiwis.

Not quite, the same chance apparently.[/QUOTE]

Well he's lived in Aus continuously for the past 18 months since he transferred to the Titans. So 3 1/2 more years to qualify for the Kangaroos. He has to move back to NZ and live there for and additional five years to play for the Kiwis.

 

[Vee]

Not quite, the same chance apparently.

Well he's lived in Aus continuously for the past 18 months since he transferred to the Titans. So 3 1/2 more years to qualify for the Kangaroos. He has to move back to NZ and live there for and additional five years to play for the Kiwis.[/QUOTE]
My point is he's no chance of playing for Australia.

 

[Shorty]

They said on the news tonight Taumalolo got his girlfriend to call the NZRL to say he wasn't gonna play for them and when they called him to confirm he wouldn't answer haha

Sounds like he doesn't like confrontation, I notice he seems to have difficulty making eye contact in interviews too.

Not defending Lolo but Kidwell comes across as pretty fiery, probably wanted to avoid that spray lol.