Aus v Tonga sold out - Aus v NZ struggling to sell tickets

[ZEROMISSTACKLES]

Pardon my ignorance but out of interest, who of the current topline Kiwis would be lost if there was a Samoan exodus like the Tongan one?

Herman Ese'ese, Issac Liu, Marty Taupau, Nelson Asofa-Solomona and Roger Tuivasa-Sheck.

 

[shinobi]

Then you got newbies ahmau and maumalo

 

[Manu Vatuvei]

At the end of the day these ethnicity based teams are a blight on the international game, but unfortunately they're the only way to expand. The problem is, their growth only affects US. It doesn't affect Aus or England at all. So what they lost Fifita? They've still got Origin to keep Felise Kaufusi and co. in check. A weakened NZ weakens the international game more than a strong Tonga or Samoa strengthens it. We've always given up our depth players, but now we lose front liners. We've been battling for years to gain some traction against Aus, and we get got it. We won 4 tournaments and got that number 1 spot. But then we get hit by a massive setback named Kidwell and much like Kemble, he f**ked it all up, except worse. Now we have to start over with a smaller pool of players to choose from. It's disgusting that this has been allowed to happen. It's an absolute travesty of justice.

And the absolutely demented thing is all of these people acting like this is some great expansion of the international game.

It is NOT expansion of the international game to slap red jerseys on a bunch of Kiwis from South Auckland and trot them out under the guise of a tiny third world country WHERE THEY DON'T EVEN PLAY RUGBY LEAGUE. And then act like it's some great underdog story when the Kiwis in Red beat the Kiwis in Black who grew up down the road from them.

This seems really f**king obvious to me.

 

[Bobby DIGital]

And the absolutely demented thing is all of these people acting like this is some great expansion of the international game.

It is NOT expansion of the international game to slap red jerseys on a bunch of Kiwis from South Auckland and trot them out under the guise of a tiny third world country WHERE THEY DON'T EVEN PLAY RUGBY LEAGUE. And then act like it's some great underdog story when the Kiwis in Red beat the Kiwis in Black who grew up down the road from them.

This seems really f**king obvious to me.

Agreed. They're still the NZ B side. I can't wait until we play them again. I get annoyed when I see Mate Ma'a shirts around here and there, it makes me want to buy a Kiwis shirt so I guess this rivalry is good for the game (the only good thing to come of this).

I also agree that the team was maorified to a certain extent, but I thought that came after the defections? There's no doubt elite athletes shouldn't be sleeping on floor mattresses for an extended period of time, unless they were going to get up and do yoga every morning. I took the defections as Taumalolo having the shits with the coach, and the rest following him cos he's the biggest name Tongan there is. Throw in Fifita who's the biggest name Aus Tongan and you have a recipe for a long term mass exodus. We're now seeing that with Pangai who looks like he'll stick with Tonga.

Hopefully we can play Tonga next year and get our revenge.

I know people disagree with me when I say this but is anyone now going to deny now that the bulk of the NZ Rugby League public are from the Tongan and Samoan communities? These Tongan fans are probably mostly NZ born and are happy to follow the Kiwis if that is all that is on offer but if Tonga are an option for them they will switch alegiances without a question.

No. The Maori sport of choice is RL all over NZ, and there's Maori in every corner of NZ. Islanders are mainly in Auckland and Wellington, with a decent amount in Christchurch. In Wellington there's not many Tongans but the Samoan population is large, and they probably follow Union more than League. In Christchurch, Union is dominant amongst the island community as well. In Auckland, it's probably 50/50 and they follow both sports. Having a professional RL team there obviously helps.

So no, I'd say that the bulk of the NZ RL public are from the Maori community. Pakeha see RL as more of an awesome spectator sport, which is why you don't see many Mannerings.

 

[hutch]

And the absolutely demented thing is all of these people acting like this is some great expansion of the international game.

It is NOT expansion of the international game to slap red jerseys on a bunch of Kiwis from South Auckland and trot them out under the guise of a tiny third world country WHERE THEY DON'T EVEN PLAY RUGBY LEAGUE. And then act like it's some great underdog story when the Kiwis in Red beat the Kiwis in Black who grew up down the road from them.

This seems really f**king obvious to me.

Firstly, they do play rugby league in Tonga, it’s absurd to say they don’t.

Secondly, there were 17 Tongans playing for Tonga in the World Cup game v New Zealand, of which 8 weren’t born in Auckland and 6 weren’t from nz.

Thirdly, it’s 2018. People have more than one nationality, some players feel a strong connection to their families history and wish to represent that over their place of birth or residency. This is a good thing for international rugby league!

 

[Coastbloke]

Sooo...How are ticket sales going for the Kiwi Test?

I thought the TRL renamed their main comp the Jason Taumolo Cup?

 

[Matua]

Firstly, they do play rugby league in Tonga, it’s absurd to say they don’t.

Secondly, there were 17 Tongans playing for Tonga in the World Cup game v New Zealand, of which 8 weren’t born in Auckland and 6 weren’t from nz.

Thirdly, it’s 2018. People have more than one nationality, some players feel a strong connection to their families history and wish to represent that over their place of birth or residency. This is a good thing for international rugby league!

This may be a good thing for 'international' rugby league, but lets not pretend that it doesn't benefit two of the top tier teams (Oz and Eng) in league at the expense of the other one (NZ). I can see why an England fan would be all over it .

Even then, I don't think it's that sustainable once the Taumalolo/Fifita era is over.

 

[jim_57]

This may be a good thing for 'international' rugby league, but lets not pretend that it doesn't benefit two of the top tier teams (Oz and Eng) in league at the expense of the other one (NZ). I can see why an England fan would be all over it .

Even then, I don't think it's that sustainable once the Taumalolo/Fifita era is over.

Woe is me.

Your last point is really is the reason you should be playing them at least once or twice a year for your own benifit. NZ V Tonga has the start of what could be a huge rivalry while it lasts, why not cash in?

 

[ZEROMISSTACKLES]

Tongan team I'm expecting to see...

1. Will Hopoate (Canterbury)
2. David Fusitua (Warriors)
3. Koniseti Hurrell (Gold Coast)
4. Michael Jennings (Parramatta)
5. Daniel Tupou (Sydney Roosters)
6. Tuimoala Lolohea (Wests Tigers)
7. Ata Hingano (Canberra)
8. Andrew Fifita (Cronulla)
9. Sione Katoa (Penrith)
10. Sam Moa (Catalans)
11. Siosiua Taukeiaho (Sydney Roosters)
12. Tevita Pangai (Brisbane)
13. Jason Taumalolo (North Queensland)

14. Siliva Havilli (Canberra)
15. Peni Terepo (Parramatta)
16. Addin Fonua-Blake (Manly)
17. Ben Murdoch-Masila (Warrington)

Miss out: Mahe Fonua (Wests Tigers), Moeaki Fotuaika (Gold Coast), Solomone Kata (Warriors), Samisoni Langi (Catalans), Joe Ofahengaue (Brisbane), Agnatius Paasi (Warriors), Leivaha Pulu (Warriors), Scott Sorensen (Cronulla), Ukuma Ta'ai (Huddersfield), Tevita Tatola (South Sydney), Robert Jennings (South Sydney), Sika Manu (Hull FC).

 

[taste2taste]

Tongan team I'm expecting to see...

1. Will Hopoate (Canterbury)
2. David Fusitua (Warriors)
3. Koniseti Hurrell (Gold Coast)
4. Michael Jennings (Parramatta)
5. Daniel Tupou (Sydney Roosters)
6. Tuimoala Lolohea (Wests Tigers)
7. Ata Hingano (Canberra)
8. Andrew Fifita (Cronulla)
9. Sione Katoa (Penrith)
10. Sam Moa (Catalans)
11. Siosiua Taukeiaho (Sydney Roosters)
12. Tevita Pangai (Brisbane)
13. Jason Taumalolo (North Queensland)

14. Siliva Havilli (Canberra)
15. Peni Terepo (Parramatta)
16. Addin Fonua-Blake (Manly)
17. Ben Murdoch-Masila (Warrington)

Miss out: Mahe Fonua (Wests Tigers), Moeaki Fotuaika (Gold Coast), Solomone Kata (Warriors), Samisoni Langi (Catalans), Joe Ofahengaue (Brisbane), Agnatius Paasi (Warriors), Leivaha Pulu (Warriors), Scott Sorensen (Cronulla), Ukuma Ta'ai (Huddersfield), Tevita Tatola (South Sydney), Robert Jennings (South Sydney), Sika Manu (Hull FC).

For all the people saying Tonga is bad for the international game, only 3 Tongan players would make a full strength Kiwi team.
Fusitua
Taukeiaho
Taumalolo
and maybe Pangai
The kiwis missing 3 players isnt weakening them too much.
IMO Tonga are great for the game, I always see Tongan flags around Sydney flying at games hanging from car windows, balcony's etc
The sooner a Pacific Cup is up and running the better !! These teams need regular games.

 

[Last Week]

So do we know anything about broadcast of these matches in Australia yet?

 

[Iafeta]

For all the people saying Tonga is bad for the international game, only 3 Tongan players would make a full strength Kiwi team.
Fusitua
Taukeiaho
Taumalolo
and maybe Pangai
The kiwis missing 3 players isnt weakening them too much.
IMO Tonga are great for the game, I always see Tongan flags around Sydney flying at games hanging from car windows, balcony's etc
The sooner a Pacific Cup is up and running the better !! These teams need regular games.

Fair call.

Hopefully we belt the living hell out of them

 

[RedVee]

Wasn’t there a mini Samoan exodus some years ago that resulted in a 4 Nations spot?
What happened to that “movement” ?

I remember watching the Samoa Roos game in Wollongong.

 

[ZEROMISSTACKLES]

For all the people saying Tonga is bad for the international game, only 3 Tongan players would make a full strength Kiwi team.
Fusitua
Taukeiaho
Taumalolo
and maybe Pangai
The kiwis missing 3 players isnt weakening them too much.
IMO Tonga are great for the game, I always see Tongan flags around Sydney flying at games hanging from car windows, balcony's etc
The sooner a Pacific Cup is up and running the better !! These teams need regular games.

They're a good side. They beat us obviously last year at home in the RLWC but they're still thought as a NZ B side. I like to think of them as just Tonga.

 

[Matua]

Woe is me.

Your last point is really is the reason you should be playing them at least once or twice a year for your own benifit. NZ V Tonga has the start of what could be a huge rivalry while it lasts, why not cash in?

As I said,I don't think that Tonga's run is sustainable long term and there wont be much of a rivalry going forward if one side dominates all the time.

I'd be happy for the Kiwis to play them more but until this time last year we had no idea they would be good so it's unsurprising there are no games organised for this year - Oz could organise one because they're not going on a 4 test tour of the NH. But I'd also like to see the Kiwis play Oz more.

For all the people saying Tonga is bad for the international game, only 3 Tongan players would make a full strength Kiwi team.
Fusitua
Taukeiaho
Taumalolo
and maybe Pangai
The kiwis missing 3 players isnt weakening them too much.
IMO Tonga are great for the game, I always see Tongan flags around Sydney flying at games hanging from car windows, balcony's etc
The sooner a Pacific Cup is up and running the better !! These teams need regular games.

No ones saying it is bad for the international game, and all along only those three (Pangai is Australian isn't he?) have ever been mentioned as players NZ would have missed out on.

However, losing the best forward, and probably the best player full-stop in the game is a big loss no matter which way you try and spin it.

 

[Iafeta]

Wasn’t there a mini Samoan exodus some years ago that resulted in a 4 Nations spot?
What happened to that “movement” ?

I remember watching the Samoa Roos game in Wollongong.

I think iirc they were more old heads that had lost their spot, or blokes who couldn’t quite crack the Roos. Iirc it was the likes of Blowie Leilua (king centre of the year to us mere mortals), Josh Maguire and probably blokes like Frank Pritchard and Tony Puletua.

The likes of Taumoloser, Fusitu’a, at the time the backrower from Parra whose name escapes me, is they were first choice players.

 

[Burns]

So do we know anything about broadcast of these matches in Australia yet?

Nah. We wont know til the day probably.

 

[KokoRugbyLeague]

Firstly, they do play rugby league in Tonga, it’s absurd to say they don’t.

Secondly, there were 17 Tongans playing for Tonga in the World Cup game v New Zealand, of which 8 weren’t born in Auckland and 6 weren’t from nz.

Thirdly, it’s 2018. People have more than one nationality, some players feel a strong connection to their families history and wish to represent that over their place of birth or residency. This is a good thing for international rugby league!

Thanks uso the welsh understand our plight very well. Those damn kiwis only want us when were in than throw us out when the season is different. Utterly hypocritical from the kiwis.

 

[KokoRugbyLeague]

There will be more Samoans and Tongans born in Australia learning from the i.p.

I'm loving the talent coming through which will in turn give us a greater chance in defeating NZ who have had many years taking Australian i.p. and hopefully the England and Australia.

Even if the polys in NZ choose to pledge to kiwis no big loss. Kiwis also take "Australian born" kiwis but no one says anything about that, kiwis do not have an argument or leg to stand on.

 

[Springs09]

Wasn’t there a mini Samoan exodus some years ago that resulted in a 4 Nations spot?
What happened to that “movement” ?

I remember watching the Samoa Roos game in Wollongong.

The Four Nations spot came from beating Fiji in the mid-year test. The remarkable thing was their Four Nations performance. In both games against England and NZ I believe they were winning with 10 minutes to go. There was no exodus though, they just played well above their weight.