Pacific Championships 2025

[England87]

Id prefer this tournament to be once every 4 years - with 6 teams in 2 pools of 3, with the Top 2 teams in each pool going into the semi finals and then a final. A mini Copa America style tourny for the genuine champions of the Pacific.

England can stick to European opposition for a few test matches 1 year out of 4.

 

[Manu Vatuvei]

Which players in the Samoan and Tongan teams would be selected to a full strength Kiwi team ?

Can you elaborate on (b) no longer properly representing the demographics of the sport in NZ

Assuming you mean players eligible for the Kiwis - RTS, Taulagi, Mariner, Luai, Papalii, Nanai, CHT would all very much be in the running to make the Kiwis 17 this weekend, and I'm being a bit conservative there and saying that Paulo, Sua, Sasagi wouldn't (but not too far off).

From Tonga - AFB, I Katoa are the obvious ones that would walk into the team. Halasima and Toia almost certainly. Fotuaika, Finefeuiaki, Utoikamanu, Taumalolo, Vaimauga, Wong other possibles.

(b) is pretty obvious and the question feels disingenuous. Rugby league in New Zealand is played by a large % of people who qualify for a Polynesian nation. Certainly in Auckland, where I have the most direct personal experience, it is quite obvious that the game is dominated by Polynesians. I haven't crunched the numbers, but I would suggest that if you assessed all of the NZ-eligible players in the NRL, again, over 50% would be Polynesian.

At the international level, it's pretty obvious that the ethnic backgrounds of those representing the Kiwis is unlikely to reflect the ethnic backgrounds of those eligible for the Kiwis, or those who actually play rugby league in NZ, if NZ-eligible Polynesians opt against playing for the Kiwis in large numbers.

I find it encouraging that there are a good number of Kiwis of Samoan descent in the current side, for a while there it felt like we were turning into the NZ Maori/Pakehas. It's a bit farcical for me to go watch Auckland club footy on a Saturday which is 80% Tongan/Samoan, then watch a Kiwis team where most of that demographic have made themselves unavailable.

 

[jolly boys outing]

Isn’t mariner’s dad a famous Samoan singer/musician?

 

[Matua]

Damn, looks like I haven't been keeping up with my Kuki news. Although come to think of it, I think I had heard or saw that our biggest ever traitor was now the coach lol. I must have subconsciously ignored that.

But yeah, it's a waste of a rep career. It will take a long time before the Kukis are as competitive as the other island teams.

We are pretty well served in the centres and you're right about the name change btw.

To me Tamou is our biggest traitor, he's Maori, he moved to Oz older than Hunt, he played for the Junior Kiwis and then he chose the Kangaroos. At least Hunt was always Oz first.

TBH I didn't know that Iro wasn't the coach anymore either, I just looked it up because I was procrastinating from doing my work.

 

[jolly boys outing]

To me Tamou is our biggest traitor, he's Maori, he moved to Oz older than Hunt, he played for the Junior Kiwis and then he chose the Kangaroos. At least Hunt was always Oz first.

TBH I didn't know that Iro wasn't the coach anymore either, I just looked it up because I was procrastinating from doing my work.

Brad thorn?

 

[Matua]

Which players in the Samoan and Tongan teams would be selected to a full strength Kiwi team ?

Can you elaborate on (b) no longer properly representing the demographics of the sport in NZ

It's not really about which current players from the PIs would be selected or not, it's about giving all players the same opportunity to choose.

Currently the system funnels players to Origin and PIs.

All we want to equality, if a player is eligible for Origin, and the NRL wants to allow non Roos to play Origin, then let all players be eligible, not just PI heritage players.

 

[Matua]

Brad thorn?

Nah, he basically grew up a Queenslander, so don't really have an issue there.

 

[Matua]

Isn’t mariner’s dad a famous Samoan singer/musician?

Also a famous Te Atatu singer/musician.

However, I don't really have a problem with PIs representing the islands, I expect Maori players to represent NZ no matter where they're from.

 

[Matua]

Assuming you mean players eligible for the Kiwis - RTS, Taulagi, Mariner, Luai, Papalii, Nanai, CHT would all very much be in the running to make the Kiwis 17 this weekend, and I'm being a bit conservative there and saying that Paulo, Sua, Sasagi wouldn't (but not too far off).

From Tonga - AFB, I Katoa are the obvious ones that would walk into the team. Halasima and Toia almost certainly. Fotuaika, Finefeuiaki, Utoikamanu, Taumalolo, Vaimauga, Wong other possibles.

(b) is pretty obvious and the question feels disingenuous. Rugby league in New Zealand is played by a large % of people who qualify for a Polynesian nation. Certainly in Auckland, where I have the most direct personal experience, it is quite obvious that the game is dominated by Polynesians. I haven't crunched the numbers, but I would suggest that if you assessed all of the NZ-eligible players in the NRL, again, over 50% would be Polynesian.

At the international level, it's pretty obvious that the ethnic backgrounds of those representing the Kiwis is unlikely to reflect the ethnic backgrounds of those eligible for the Kiwis, or those who actually play rugby league in NZ, if NZ-eligible Polynesians opt against playing for the Kiwis in large numbers.

I find it encouraging that there are a good number of Kiwis of Samoan descent in the current side, for a while there it felt like we were turning into the NZ Maori/Pakehas. It's a bit farcical for me to go watch Auckland club footy on a Saturday which is 80% Tongan/Samoan, then watch a Kiwis team where most of that demographic have made themselves unavailable.

To be the thread pedant , you should probably use PIs instead of Polynesian, Maori are Polynesian, and I daresay the NZ eligible players would be well over 90% Polynesian.

 

[jolly boys outing]

Nah, he basically grew up a Queenslander, so don't really have an issue there.

Played for Australia and not the kiwis yet couldn’t wait to pull on the all blacks jersey.

 

[Wb1234]

To me Tamou is our biggest traitor, he's Maori, he moved to Oz older than Hunt, he played for the Junior Kiwis and then he chose the Kangaroos. At least Hunt was always Oz first.

TBH I didn't know that Iro wasn't the coach anymore either, I just looked it up because I was procrastinating from doing my work.

Richard villasanti

 

[taste2taste]

Assuming you mean players eligible for the Kiwis - RTS, Taulagi, Mariner, Luai, Papalii, Nanai, CHT would all very much be in the running to make the Kiwis 17 this weekend, and I'm being a bit conservative there and saying that Paulo, Sua, Sasagi wouldn't (but not too far off).

From Tonga - AFB, I Katoa are the obvious ones that would walk into the team. Halasima and Toia almost certainly. Fotuaika, Finefeuiaki, Utoikamanu, Taumalolo, Vaimauga, Wong other possibles.

(b) is pretty obvious and the question feels disingenuous. Rugby league in New Zealand is played by a large % of people who qualify for a Polynesian nation. Certainly in Auckland, where I have the most direct personal experience, it is quite obvious that the game is dominated by Polynesians. I haven't crunched the numbers, but I would suggest that if you assessed all of the NZ-eligible players in the NRL, again, over 50% would be Polynesian.

At the international level, it's pretty obvious that the ethnic backgrounds of those representing the Kiwis is unlikely to reflect the ethnic backgrounds of those eligible for the Kiwis, or those who actually play rugby league in NZ, if NZ-eligible Polynesians opt against playing for the Kiwis in large numbers.

I find it encouraging that there are a good number of Kiwis of Samoan descent in the current side, for a while there it felt like we were turning into the NZ Maori/Pakehas. It's a bit farcical for me to go watch Auckland club footy on a Saturday which is 80% Tongan/Samoan, then watch a Kiwis team where most of that demographic have made themselves unavailable.

From the players you've named nearly all of them have played SOO/ Australia and can't be picked for NZ

The only players that NZ are missing is E Katoa and AFB who is a born and bred Aussie anyways.

(b) was a genuine question, thanks for explaining.

 

[Matua]

Played for Australia and not the kiwis yet couldn’t wait to pull on the all blacks jersey.

Yeah, I guess I don't have a problem with it, grew up in Oz league circles, but when he wanted to try rugby chose us.

I kind of think too that if he was a generation later he might have chosen NZ, like Foran. League was a different beast when he was coming up through the grades. He played first grade before the Warriors did.

Reality is we can blame his parents, it was a parenting failure.

Don't mind if he's other people's worst though.

 

[Matua]

Richard villasanti

Born and bred Aussie.

 

[Matua]

From the players you've named nearly all of them have played SOO/ Australia and can't be picked for NZ

The only players that NZ are missing is E Katoa and AFB who is a born and bred Aussie anyways.

(b) was a genuine question, thanks for explaining.

Isn't that the point of the discussion? See my response to you about his - the issue is the lack of opportunity for PI heritage (and non-PI NZ heritage players) to play Origin and NZ. Or did I misread the discussion you and Manu were having?

Katoa is Tongan, he's one of their two genuine homegrown Tongans. AFB only played for us because he was overlooked for Tonga, the fact we selected him instead of Bromwich still grinds my gears.

 

[jolly boys outing]

Richard villasanti

Jeez!!

that’s a blast from the past. I wonder what he’s upto today??

 

[jolly boys outing]

Born and bred Aussie.

Does he have Māori heritage or PI ?

 

[Wb1234]

Jeez!!

that’s a blast from the past. I wonder what he’s upto today??

Gronk cost the warriors the 2002 grand final with his head but on Fittler

 

[Matua]

Does he have Māori heritage or PI ?

Tongan I think. He might have Pakeha heritage for the NZ link. He was adopted by a South American family I think.

 

[The Axe of Druss]

Assuming you mean players eligible for the Kiwis - RTS, Taulagi, Mariner, Luai, Papalii, Nanai, CHT would all very much be in the running to make the Kiwis 17 this weekend, and I'm being a bit conservative there and saying that Paulo, Sua, Sasagi wouldn't (but not too far off).

From Tonga - AFB, I Katoa are the obvious ones that would walk into the team. Halasima and Toia almost certainly. Fotuaika, Finefeuiaki, Utoikamanu, Taumalolo, Vaimauga, Wong other possibles.

(b) is pretty obvious and the question feels disingenuous. Rugby league in New Zealand is played by a large % of people who qualify for a Polynesian nation. Certainly in Auckland, where I have the most direct personal experience, it is quite obvious that the game is dominated by Polynesians. I haven't crunched the numbers, but I would suggest that if you assessed all of the NZ-eligible players in the NRL, again, over 50% would be Polynesian.

At the international level, it's pretty obvious that the ethnic backgrounds of those representing the Kiwis is unlikely to reflect the ethnic backgrounds of those eligible for the Kiwis, or those who actually play rugby league in NZ, if NZ-eligible Polynesians opt against playing for the Kiwis in large numbers.

I find it encouraging that there are a good number of Kiwis of Samoan descent in the current side, for a while there it felt like we were turning into the NZ Maori/Pakehas. It's a bit farcical for me to go watch Auckland club footy on a Saturday which is 80% Tongan/Samoan, then watch a Kiwis team where most of that demographic have made themselves unavailable.

Ever watched junior or senior footy in Brisbane? Its 50% Polynesian easily, likely more.

The "defection" of NRL players to Tonga and Samoa have hurt Australia just as much as NZ but I think its for the greater good of the International game. I think youre being mildly dramatic to say its farcical bro