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NZRL: Mid-Year Tests unlikely, look to play Tonga in October

Burns

First Grade
Messages
6,037

jim_57

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
4,290
Disappointing the rep weekend this year won’t have internationals, even considering all circumstances it’s pretty lazy to not even attempt a double/triple header in Sydney.

NZ, Samoa, Tonga, Fiji and PNG would all be able to put out teams 90-100% full strength with players based in Australia this season.
 

playdaball

Bench
Messages
3,525
NZRU trying to cap true all of the Mate Ma’a Tongan fans at Mt Smart with a game against the ABs. The best thing for TRL is that they get thrashed by NZ and don’t score a try .
 

Matua

Bench
Messages
4,528
NZRU trying to cap true all of the Mate Ma’a Tongan fans at Mt Smart with a game against the ABs. The best thing for TRL is that they get thrashed by NZ and don’t score a try .
Those fans are the same fans that brought Auckland to a halt and kicked off the flag craze at the start of the RWC 2011 so they're already captured.

The Tongan Marble team could roll out and the NZ Tongans will go crazy behind them.
 

Fangs

Coach
Messages
11,182
Granted Covid. Duly granted.

But international football seems a bit too quiet for mine. We need a big spalsh.

I'll take anything with international rules. Tri-nations, ashes, French invitational tour, trans-tasman, big mal's european tour.

Hope we see something transpire at years end.
 

jim_57

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
4,290
Granted Covid. Duly granted.

But international football seems a bit too quiet for mine. We need a big spalsh.

I'll take anything with international rules. Tri-nations, ashes, French invitational tour, trans-tasman, big mal's european tour.

Hope we see something transpire at years end.

There’s supposed to be a World Cup in England, hopefully that can still go ahead. If not I’ve seen it mentioned there will be “local” tournaments organised instead.
 
Messages
11,354
Have you always been this much of a class act?
stay-classy-with-some-quotes-from-the-legendary-ron-burgundy-22-photos-1.jpg
 

siv

First Grade
Messages
6,546
Disappointed we have not played a double header this weekend

NZ v Tonga/Fiji
Samoa v Fiji/Tonga

Using Australian based players at Bankwest or Penrith on Saturday
 

titoelcolombiano

First Grade
Messages
5,276
Disappointed we have not played a double header this weekend

NZ v Tonga/Fiji
Samoa v Fiji/Tonga

Using Australian based players at Bankwest or Penrith on Saturday

There is no reason / excuse why this hasn't happened. 99% of players required for these matches are currently based in Australia
 

KaivitiBati

Juniors
Messages
9
There is no reason / excuse why this hasn't happened. 99% of players required for these matches are currently based in Australia
More like 100% are from the Trans-Tasman Bubble. Tonga, Samoa & NZ can each field teams with 100% talent & Fiji can field a team with NRL plus a mix of QLD/NSW Cup & maybe a Kaiviti Silktail or 2 which are already in Australia. But ya there is 0 reasons as to why there aren't playing.
They could have organised it like this
SOO Game 1
NZ v Tonga
Fj v Samoa

SOO Game 2
NZ v Samoa
Fj v Tonga

SOO Game 3
NZ v Fiji
Samoa v Tonga
 

siv

First Grade
Messages
6,546
Feels like there was no money to pay the players

Even though the gate would have been big and TV ratings high
 

flippikat

Bench
Messages
4,378
More like 100% are from the Trans-Tasman Bubble. Tonga, Samoa & NZ can each field teams with 100% talent & Fiji can field a team with NRL plus a mix of QLD/NSW Cup & maybe a Kaiviti Silktail or 2 which are already in Australia. But ya there is 0 reasons as to why there aren't playing.
They could have organised it like this
SOO Game 1
NZ v Tonga
Fj v Samoa

SOO Game 2
NZ v Samoa
Fj v Tonga

SOO Game 3
NZ v Fiji
Samoa v Tonga
This is what should happen every year.. dedicated rep weekends with Origin, Pacific Cup & "interleague" rounds between NSW & Qld Cup.

So the TV games on a rep weekend would be...

Thurs night: NSW v Qld Cup interleague game.(6pm)
Fri Night: Two NSW v Qld Cup interleague games. (6pm, then 8pm)
Sat: one interleague game at 4pm, then Double - header for Pacific Cup (6pm, 8pm)
Sun: Women's Origin & Men's Origin
(6pm, 8pm)

We still get 8 games of footy, still get a super Saturday, and the 2nd tier gets some spotlight in a novel "interleague" way.
 

titoelcolombiano

First Grade
Messages
5,276
Feels like there was no money to pay the players

Even though the gate would have been big and TV ratings high
I think a Samoa v Tonga would have gone close to filling Bankwest, if you throw in Fiji v PNG you might sell-out which would be a very good gate.

The problem with the TV ratings, the NRL have bundled them in with NRL and SOO. If they kept internationals separate, they could work within the IRL's international calendar and sell the rights to an international package which could help increase the pay for NZ and Islander players for internationals.
 

siv

First Grade
Messages
6,546
I think a Samoa v Tonga would have gone close to filling Bankwest, if you throw in Fiji v PNG you might sell-out which would be a very good gate.

The problem with the TV ratings, the NRL have bundled them in with NRL and SOO. If they kept internationals separate, they could work within the IRL's international calendar and sell the rights to an international package which could help increase the pay for NZ and Islander players for internationals.

I left PNG out because of Covid as a lot of players may have not been Aussie based

Though I think the Hunters are Aussie based
 

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