Aku Keen On Being A Blue Or Roo

[Johns Magic]

Aku keen on being a Blue or Roo

August 5, 2010

AKUILA UATE'S agent has approached ARL officials about unravelling the red tape that stands between his high-flying client and a NSW Origin jumper.

Uate, the Newcastle winger who is the NRL's leading tryscorer this season, unwittingly became ineligible for Australian representative honours last November when he played for Fiji in the Pacific Cup.

ARL chief executive Geoff Carr contacted NSW Country selectors in April to advise them Uate could not be considered for the annual trial against City. But yesterday Carr indicated the Rugby League International Federation might consider allowing Uate to change his country of election if he could prove special circumstances after being contacted by the 22-year-old's agent, Daryl Mather.

Uate, who has scored 20 tries this season, said he was willing to give up representing Fiji if that meant he could be considered for Country, NSW and Australia.
''I would be happy to do that, of course … it would be really hard [to forsake Fiji] but you've got to move on,'' Uate said. ''It's for the future. For me and my family, especially in the future.''

Robert Dillon and Stathi Paxinos

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/aku-keen-on-being-a-blue-or-roo-20100804-11fp5.html

 

[Noname36]

The current eligibility rules really need to be looked at. I really don't see an issue with a player like Aku playing for Country and NSW (like he has in the juniors), and allowing him to play for a smaller nation like Fiji during a World Cup year.

 

[Baron Vo Mandor]

Thankgod we have him for what 3 more years?

His going to be worth a Mozza when his off contract next, even at his current playing ability let alone with 3 more years under his belt.

 

[Noname36]

Thankgod we have him for what 3 more years?

His going to be worth a Mozza when his off contract next, even at his current playing ability let alone with 3 more years under his belt.

Could you imagine if he came off-contract next year? Don't Gidley, Mullen and De Gois all come off-contract then? That's a bit of a worry...

 

[Johns Magic]

According to the sticky thread, which was last updated halfway through last year:

Off Contract [2011]
Isaac De Gois
James McManus
Jarrod Mullen
Junior Sau



Gids is off-contract the year after.

 

[macavity]

don't be surprised if we upgrade and extend Gids before then - he is eligible for the long-service allowances.

 

[nadera78]

What an absolute pile of crap! He was born in Fiji, he grew up in Fiji, he's already played for Fiji. He should not be allowed to play for Australia, or anyone else, under any circumstances.

And even under the p**s weak current rules he is inelligble. He played for Fiji last year, there are no grounds for him being allowed to switch. Unless of course the ARL simply want to snare every good player going.

 

[Noname36]

What an absolute pile of crap! He was born in Fiji, he grew up in Fiji, he's already played for Fiji. He should not be allowed to play for Australia, or anyone else, under any circumstances.

And even under the p**s weak current rules he is inelligble. He played for Fiji last year, there are no grounds for him being allowed to switch. Unless of course the ARL simply want to snare every good player going.

He's already played for Junior NSW sides though. They've already made a mockery of the eligibility rules by allowing him to play for Aus at the Junior rep level. Same with Hayne who seems to be able to pick and choose who he plays for. Since they've already screwed it up, I have no problem with him representing NSW (like he has in the juniors) as well as Fiji. He'll probably never get to play for Australia anyway, despite how good I think he'll get.

 

[Serc]

The current rules let you change allegiances straight after a World Cup (which is what Hayne did in the year following), and if you play for a country between World Cups, then you are locked into that until the following one (which is the problem that Aku has here)

 

[macavity]

eligibility rules should be changed.

You should be able to play origin AND for a pacific nation - any nation except NZ or England, actually.

Nationality/allegiances are fluid and multi-faceted in this day and age - eligibility should reflect that.

 

[88.Knights]

they should change the rules to you can play origin regardless but you lock yourself into a country between world cups or something, seeing aku play for fiji was great and would love to see him dominate qld in a blue jumper.

also better start planning to lock gidley, aku and mullen up for life. but i don't think any of them would want to play against the knights.

 

[Joker's Wild]

The current eligibility rules really need to be looked at. I really don't see an issue with a player like Aku playing for Country and NSW (like he has in the juniors), and allowing him to play for a smaller nation like Fiji during a World Cup year.

That is already the case

The problem is he has played for Fiji in the Pacific Cup which is of course outside the WC rule

 

[Serc]

You should be able to play origin AND for a pacific nation - any nation except NZ or England, actually.

Nationality/allegiances are fluid and multi-faceted in this day and age - eligibility should reflect that.

This.

 

[otori]

eligibility rules should be changed.

You should be able to play origin AND for a pacific nation - any nation except NZ or England, actually.

Nationality/allegiances are fluid and multi-faceted in this day and age - eligibility should reflect that.

It'd certainly improve the quality of play for the boys from Fiji, PNG and the other nations to have the NRL standouts like Uate or Costigan in their team if they can't make Australia. I think eligibility rules are important but our code just isn't strong or professional enough on an international scale for them to matter outside of Aus, NZ and England as you have rightly pointed out.

It will do a lot more good than harm for the players in these teams to learn by playing with the NRL guys.

 

[roopy]

Aku is doing it for the money.
I have nothing against him making a lot of money, but we might as well give up on the International game.
Fiji is currently the fourth best league nation (4th in the WC), and if they could use Hayne, Uate, Civo, Tuquiri, Sutton as well as the Naiquama brothers and the Sims brothers to add to their local talent they could give the top 3 a decent game - but while we poach every decent player they have coming through, the International game is just the big 3 and no one else.

It isn't Uate's fault - he shouldn't be asked to give up the potential to earn a few hundred thousand from rep games to prop up international league - he didn't write the silly rules we have.

 

[macavity]

It'd certainly improve the quality of play for the boys from Fiji, PNG and the other nations to have the NRL standouts like Uate or Costigan in their team if they can't make Australia.

I would wager that Uate in particular would pick Fiji over Australia - as long as he could still play Origin.

A number of top players would probably do the same.

 

[ClintDogg]

Umb, hes from FiJi or where ever.

He has no right to play 4 Australia or NSW 4 that matter.

Worse than Sonny Bill wanting to play origin.

 

[Perth Knights]

Aku is doing it for the money.
I have nothing against him making a lot of money, but we might as well give up on the International game.
Fiji is currently the fourth best league nation (4th in the WC), and if they could use Hayne, Uate, Civo, Tuquiri, Sutton as well as the Naiquama brothers and the Sims brothers to add to their local talent they could give the top 3 a decent game - but while we poach every decent player they have coming through, the International game is just the big 3 and no one else.

It isn't Uate's fault - he shouldn't be asked to give up the potential to earn a few hundred thousand from rep games to prop up international league - he didn't write the silly rules we have.

Well said Roopy. Agree with you 100%.

 

[TooheysNew]

Umb, hes from FiJi or where ever.

He has no right to play 4 Australia or NSW 4 that matter.

Worse than Sonny Bill wanting to play origin.

Um has a silent 'B' now?

 

[Joker's Wild]

Aku is doing it for the money.
I have nothing against him making a lot of money, but we might as well give up on the International game.
Fiji is currently the fourth best league nation (4th in the WC), and if they could use Hayne, Uate, Civo, Tuquiri, Sutton as well as the Naiquama brothers and the Sims brothers to add to their local talent they could give the top 3 a decent game - but while we poach every decent player they have coming through, the International game is just the big 3 and no one else.

It isn't Uate's fault - he shouldn't be asked to give up the potential to earn a few hundred thousand from rep games to prop up international league - he didn't write the silly rules we have.

The rules arnt silly roop, they are just realistic

To keep players playing for smaller nations there needs to be more international games and more money thrown in but with a 26 weeks season in the toughest game on the planet it just isnt feasable to expect players to run out and bash themselves up further. That doesnt even bring the clubs into it either