Brent Read: Aus v Tonga to go ahead, Aus taking paycut

[Coastbloke]

Hi PNGR

For Tonga to have any chance, they really need to organise a warm up match now.

If they were playing Australia cold, you would argue their chances of an upset may have been greater, but with the Roos likely to blow out any cobwebs against the Kiwis, it would be in Tonga's best interests to find someone to get build combinations against...even if it's just a local team (although would be great if we could get another Test out of it)

Hi Tonga?

PNGRL here. We have a pretty good stadium up here that would sell out in 1 day. Fancy a Test?

 

[morningstar]

And now for the other side of the story, and not Todd Greenberg’s propoganda arm...

https://i.stuff.co.nz/sport/league/...est-now-likely-to-go-ahead-in-auckland-report

New Zealand Rugby League CEO Greg Peters insists a test between the Kangaroos and Tonga in Auckland this year is not a done deal, despite reports to the contrary.

The NRL.com website has reported that Australian players will be asked to take a pay cut from their usual $20,000 test match fee to ensure thie test goes ahead later this year.

The NRL want to the test to be played at Mt Smart Stadium on October 20, a week after the Kangaroos play the Kiwis at the same venue.

But while negotiations have continued between NRL CEO Todd Greenberg, Peters and NZRL chairman Reon Edwards, Peters says no agreement has been reached.

"There are ongoing discussions and we've had discussions over several months about that," Peters said.

"Our overall position is that we want to give prominence to New Zealand versus Australia.

"We have bounced around a number of scenarios with Todd and his team and there are ongoing discussions, but we haven't landed on a fixed position yet."

The NZRL have made it a priority to rebuild the brand of the Kiwis team, which is understandable after last year's disastrous World Cup.

Peters wants to get that connection back between New Zealand league fans and the national team, which has rarely played on home soil in recent years.

A test between Australia and Tonga could detract from what they're trying to achieve.

However, the NZRL also see the value of playing tests against Tonga in Auckland and that is part of the discussions Peters is currently having with Greenberg.

"We also want to ensure that we have in our calendar a match against Tonga, as well as the Australians playing Tonga," Peters said.

"That's part of that consideration and if there is a possibility of that match going ahead, we would want to ensure that we were also announcing a match against Tonga at the same time."

Greenberg has said he hopes to have some good news about the test next week, but Peters says those talks are still continuing.

"There is a lot of water to go under the bridge regarding the Kangaroos against Tonga," he said.

"But we have a good relationship with the NRL and we're continuing those discussions.

"But it's not by any means certain that that match would go ahead."

 

[deluded pom?]

If I were the Tongans I’d be calling the Kiwis out saying they are scared to play against Tonga. I know it’s childish but the Kiwis need their cage rattling.

 

[Matua]

If I were the Tongans I’d be calling the Kiwis out saying they are scared to play against Tonga. I know it’s childish but the Kiwis need their cage rattling.

Wait, what? Did you even read the post directly above yours where the NZRL chief says he wants to organise a NZ v Tonga match? morningstar even helpfully bolded it for you.

What the NZ object to is having an Australia v Tonga test forced on them.

 

[paulmac]

And now for the other side of the story, and not Todd Greenberg’s propoganda arm...

https://i.stuff.co.nz/sport/league/...est-now-likely-to-go-ahead-in-auckland-report

New Zealand Rugby League CEO Greg Peters insists a test between the Kangaroos and Tonga in Auckland this year is not a done deal, despite reports to the contrary.

The NRL.com website has reported that Australian players will be asked to take a pay cut from their usual $20,000 test match fee to ensure thie test goes ahead later this year.

The NRL want to the test to be played at Mt Smart Stadium on October 20, a week after the Kangaroos play the Kiwis at the same venue.

But while negotiations have continued between NRL CEO Todd Greenberg, Peters and NZRL chairman Reon Edwards, Peters says no agreement has been reached.

"There are ongoing discussions and we've had discussions over several months about that," Peters said.

"Our overall position is that we want to give prominence to New Zealand versus Australia.

"We have bounced around a number of scenarios with Todd and his team and there are ongoing discussions, but we haven't landed on a fixed position yet."

The NZRL have made it a priority to rebuild the brand of the Kiwis team, which is understandable after last year's disastrous World Cup.

Peters wants to get that connection back between New Zealand league fans and the national team, which has rarely played on home soil in recent years.

A test between Australia and Tonga could detract from what they're trying to achieve.

However, the NZRL also see the value of playing tests against Tonga in Auckland and that is part of the discussions Peters is currently having with Greenberg.

"We also want to ensure that we have in our calendar a match against Tonga, as well as the Australians playing Tonga," Peters said.

"That's part of that consideration and if there is a possibility of that match going ahead, we would want to ensure that we were also announcing a match against Tonga at the same time."

Greenberg has said he hopes to have some good news about the test next week, but Peters says those talks are still continuing.

"There is a lot of water to go under the bridge regarding the Kangaroos against Tonga," he said.

"But we have a good relationship with the NRL and we're continuing those discussions.

"But it's not by any means certain that that match would go ahead."

So NZ want a game v Tonga too, simple solution- let’s have a tri series
October 6 NZ v Tonga
October 13 NZ v Australia
October 20 Tonga v Australia
No final

 

[deluded pom?]

Wait, what? Did you even read the post directly above yours where the NZRL chief says he wants to organise a NZ v Tonga match? morningstar even helpfully bolded it for you.

What the NZ object to is having an Australia v Tonga test forced on them.

They got beat by Tonga almost a year ago. They are only making these noises because Australia are actually going to play Tonga rather than sitting on their hands and thinking about it.

 

[Foreign Legion]

www.nrl.com/news/2018/08/25/king-of-tongas-plea-to-greenberg-to-make-kangaroos-test-happen/

A desperate plea from the King of Tonga direct to NRL chief executive Todd Greenberg is set to help revive the end-of-season Test match against Australia.

The king of Tonga, Tupou VI, phoned Greenberg last week when it seemed as though the Tonga-Australia match wouldn't go ahead due to the financial restraints around the event.

However in a sign of just how much the match means to the people of Tonga, Tupou VI got in contact with Greenberg to reiterate the importance of the game to his people and the impact last year's World Cup had on the nation.
Since the conversation with King Tupou VI, Greenberg has met the NZRL to discuss the possibility of Auckland hosting the much anticipated fixture on October 20, where 30,000 people are expected to pack out Mt Smart Stadium if it is given the green light in the coming days.

NRL.com understands that match is pencilled in, however it could rely on the Australian players agreeing to a one-off reduction in their $20,000 match fee they are entitled to for representing the Kangaroos.

King Tupou VI flew to Auckland for last year's semi final against England, and later invited the players back to his palace the following week to provide them with an award of the Royal Orders, such was the impact of his nation's breakthrough performance.

Officials having been working closely for months trying to get the Tonga-Australia match on the calendar, exploring many options including New York City.

Brisbane showed a keen interest in hosting the match, however it now looks likely to be held in Auckland a week after the Kangaroos are scheduled to play New Zealand in a one-off Test match before the Kiwis travel to the United Kingdom to take on England.

Greenberg is expected to meet with RLPA chief executive Ian Prendergast in the coming days to discuss the potential of a reduced payment acceptance by the Kangaroos.

Tongan superstar Andrew Fifita has already expressed a willingness to play for free, not concerned about the money rather the opportunity to join forces with Jason Taumalolo and company to take on the best in the world.

 

[latingringo101]

Hopefully the King's plea will help get this game up and running

 

[Walter sobchak]

Hi PNGR


Hi Tonga?

PNGRL here. We have a pretty good stadium up here that would sell out in 1 day. Fancy a Test?

This. Why doesn’t NZ play in PNG either?

 

[Panther_Daz]

1. Will Hopoate
2. David Fusitu'a
3. Solomone Kata
4. Konrad Hurrell/Mahe Fonua
5. Robert Jennings
6. Samisoni Langi
7. Tui Lolohea
8. Addin Fonua-Blake
9. Siliva Havili
10. Andrew Fifita
11. Tevita Pangai Jr
12. Sio Siua Taukeiaho
13. Jason Taumalolo

14. Sione Katoa
15. Joe Ofahengaue
16. Ben Murdoch-Masila
17. Agnatius Paasi/Peni Terepo

I would have Manase Fainu ahead of Katoa on current form.

 

[miguel de cervantes]

only in rugby league would a country's king have to implicate himself to get a test match played

 

[Matua]

They got beat by Tonga almost a year ago. They are only making these noises because Australia are actually going to play Tonga rather than sitting on their hands and thinking about it.

What has that got to do with anything.

The simple fact is Australia wants to play Tonga in a test match and instead of just selecting a ground on the East coast of Australia and playing the game they're having a bitch and moan because they want to play it in NZ. It's laughable that you're taking a shot at the NZRL over Oz and Tonga not being able to organise a piss up in a brewery.

 

[deluded pom?]

What has that got to do with anything.

The simple fact is Australia wants to play Tonga in a test match and instead of just selecting a ground on the East coast of Australia and playing the game they're having a bitch and moan because they want to play it in NZ. It's laughable that you're taking a shot at the NZRL over Oz and Tonga not being able to organise a piss up in a brewery.

The NZRL are the ones who couldn’t run a piss up in a pub. Tongan fans turned out in huge numbers to games played almost a year ago. Any organisation on the bones of it’s arse would have seen this as a green light to arrange a match against Tonga and make some much needed money. Remind me again what the NZRL have done about it? If you need a clue it starts with f**k and ends in all.

 

[Matua]

The NZRL are the ones who couldn’t run a piss up in a pub. Tongan fans turned out in huge numbers to games played almost a year ago. Any organisation on the bones of it’s arse would have seen this as a green light to arrange a match against Tonga and make some much needed money. Remind me again what the NZRL have done about it? If you need a clue it starts with f**k and ends in all.

Why are you deflecting from the fact that Australia (the biggest league country in the world) is struggling to organise this game?

Of course the NZRL should organise a game with Tonga assuming they can fit one in and have all players available - but, there's less than two weeks before the end of the NRL and the Kiwis v Aus match, then the Kiwis fly straight to the UK. There's not really that much time for an additional match.

 

[Springs09]

Why are you deflecting from the fact that Australia (the biggest league country in the world) is struggling to organise this game?

Of course the NZRL should organise a game with Tonga assuming they can fit one in and have all players available - but, there's less than two weeks before the end of the NRL and the Kiwis v Aus match, then the Kiwis fly straight to the UK. There's not really that much time for an additional match.

Australia is 'struggling' to organise the game for the sake of another nation - because no one else will play them. They announced years ago that they would only play the one game this year, in accordance with the silly RLPA stipulations (that's another argument). Now they are trying to organise a game for the benefit of Tonga after their groundbreaking 2017, and they are the only country to do so so far. The easiest thing for everyone was to play it in Auckland, as Australia would already be there and Tonga's biggest support is there and NZ are actively trying to block it to 'focus on the Kiwis'. Not to mention whenever Tonga plays in Australia everyone bitches about 'why isn't this played in Auckland?!'

Wouldn't the obvious things to do to 'rebuild the brand' as the Kiwis want would be to a) play the team that dismantled that brand and beat them and b) not go to the other side of the world?

Australia apparently have to do everything. When it comes to England or NZ and the second tier it's all 'why don't the second tier teams organise their own games???' but with Australia it's 'you have to organise everything and we'll bitch about everything you do'. I don't see Tonga doing anything apart from asking Australia to do everything for them, let alone offer to host the game.

 

[Coastbloke]

If there was anyone in the game that was actually competent enough they would have arranged to have Tonga join the Kiwis to England later this year straight after what transpired in the 2017 WC..

 

[Matua]

Australia is 'struggling' to organise the game for the sake of another nation - because no one else will play them. They announced years ago that they would only play the one game this year, in accordance with the silly RLPA stipulations (that's another argument). Now they are trying to organise a game for the benefit of Tonga after their groundbreaking 2017, and they are the only country to do so so far. The easiest thing for everyone was to play it in Auckland, as Australia would already be there and Tonga's biggest support is there and NZ are actively trying to block it to 'focus on the Kiwis'. Not to mention whenever Tonga plays in Australia everyone bitches about 'why isn't this played in Auckland?!'

Wouldn't the obvious things to do to 'rebuild the brand' as the Kiwis want would be to a) play the team that dismantled that brand and beat them and b) not go to the other side of the world?

Australia apparently have to do everything. When it comes to England or NZ and the second tier it's all 'why don't the second tier teams organise their own games???' but with Australia it's 'you have to organise everything and we'll bitch about everything you do'. I don't see Tonga doing anything apart from asking Australia to do everything for them, let alone offer to host the game.

No Australia don't have to do everything, however, organising their one fixture for the year is something that the biggest entity in the game should be up to the task of doing. The reason the Kiwis and England are playing each other is because Oz said they didn't want to play any games.

This whole scenario has been mickey mouse from Oz and yet all anyone is trying to do is deflect and make it NZ's problem. Quite simply Oz should have asked NZ first before making big statements in the media and they should have had a venue in Oz identified as a backup if all their other hair brained schemes of playing the match in various parts of the world fall through.

 

[Pommy]

This. Why doesn’t NZ play in PNG either?

NZ hardly play in NZ never mind PNG.

 

[Springs09]

No Australia don't have to do everything, however, organising their one fixture for the year is something that the biggest entity in the game should be up to the task of doing. The reason the Kiwis and England are playing each other is because Oz said they didn't want to play any games.

This whole scenario has been mickey mouse from Oz and yet all anyone is trying to do is deflect and make it NZ's problem. Quite simply Oz should have asked NZ first before making big statements in the media and they should have had a venue in Oz identified as a backup if all their other hair brained schemes of playing the match in various parts of the world fall through.

This isn't their one fixture for the year though, this is an extra game they are playing for the benefit of Tonga. They are already playing NZ the week before. And no, the reason NZ and England are playing each other is because they think they are too good to play any other teams. Australia should be playing more games but the thing is if this Tonga game does go ahead then Australia are playing as many teams as England and NZ are this year - 2.

Quite simply Australia didn't have to do anything. Quite simply if NZ wanted the focus to be on them then they should have organised home tests for this year, including against Fiji and Tonga, instead of flying off to the other side of the world, about as far from the NZ public's mind as possible.

 

[Matua]

This isn't their one fixture for the year though, this is an extra game they are playing for the benefit of Tonga. They are already playing NZ the week before. And no, the reason NZ and England are playing each other is because they think they are too good to play any other teams. Australia should be playing more games but the thing is if this Tonga game does go ahead then Australia are playing as many teams as England and NZ are this year - 2.

Quite simply Australia didn't have to do anything. Quite simply if NZ wanted the focus to be on them then they should have organised home tests for this year, including against Fiji and Tonga, instead of flying off to the other side of the world, about as far from the NZ public's mind as possible.

Seriously, why is this NZ's problem? The Kiwis are touring England because it's a traditional tour that hasn't been undertaken since 2015. NZ isn't going to turn down that opportunity when they get the chance.

Australia has lots of rugby league grounds of all sizes and configurations, they can organise this test in any of those grounds - why aren't they doing this? It's the easiest and simplest solution yet they're twisting themselves in knots. The Tongan's crowd support is a red herring, you only need to watch the Pacific test to know that the Tongans will get massive support in Australia.