Broncos Prop Tevita Pangai Turns Down NSW for Tonga

[IntRLEnthusiast]

If that’s true then NZ are cutting off their nose to spite their face.

Reports in the papers a couple of weeks ago suggest that one of the key qualifications for the incoming NZ coach was a relationship with JT that would get him back into the NZ fold. Realistically this Tonga NZ rivalry is the biggest cash cow that NZ could possibly get. They would be better off not getting him back and milking the rivalry for all it's worth while bringing Tonga and Samoa along for the ride.

 

[Matterhorn]

Just caught a replay of 100% footy on ch9 from Monday night.

At the end of the show they mention Andrew Fifita decision to turn his back on origin / Australia.

If you listen to Gus Goulds comments he makes a lot of positive comments about the shifting of the game now. Like back when Origin started it was mainly an anglo saxon nsw v qld game & back then it was unheard of to knock back a nsw/qld jumper. But today he mentioned so much has changed now.& he thinks origin while big in Australia isn't outside of it & all the players who play in the NRL whether NZ/England or Pacific island want there action too around origin time. He thinks NRL season should be shorter & more internationals. He even said if England came down under & spanked Australia it isn't a bad thing either. He hinted the eligibility for Origin may need to change but didn't have the answers at the time.

Worth watching

 

[titoelcolombiano]

Just caught a replay of 100% footy on ch9 from Monday night.

At the end of the show they mention Andrew Fifita decision to turn his back on origin / Australia.

If you listen to Gus Goulds comments he makes a lot of positive comments about the shifting of the game now. Like back when Origin started it was mainly an anglo saxon nsw v qld game & back then it was unheard of to knock back a nsw/qld jumper. But today he mentioned so much has changed now.& he thinks origin while big in Australia isn't outside of it & all the players who play in the NRL whether NZ/England or Pacific island want there action too around origin time. He thinks NRL season should be shorter & more internationals. He even said if England came down under & spanked Australia it isn't a bad thing either. He hinted the eligibility for Origin may need to change but didn't have the answers at the time.

Worth watching

Great to hear - with the shift that is going on a rep Window of three weeks makes sense from the next TV deal onwards (provided that the NRL and networks are happy with the stand-alone Origin weekend ratings - which I don't know why they wouldn't be).

Week 1:

• Friday Night: New Zeland v England in New Zealand
• Saturday Afternoon / Night: Pacific Cup Double Header (Rd 1: Samoa v PNG / Tonga v Fiji) at the new Parra Stadium - sell-out for sure
• Sunday Night: State of Origin 1 - Neutral Venue (Perth, Melbourne, Adelaide, Auckalnd rotating each year) - sell-out

Week 2

• Friday Night: New Zealand v England in New Zealand
• Saturday Afternoon / Night: Pacific Cup Double Header (Rd 2: Samoa v Fiji / Tonga v PNG) in Hamilton, NZ - sell-out
• Sunday Night: State of Origin 2 - ANZ or Suncorp - sell-out

Week 3:

• Super Saturday (Final round of Pacific Cup and champions crowned (Samoa v Tonga / Fiji v PNG) and England v New Zealand at Eden Park in Auckland - maybe not a sell-out but will be a huge crowd
• Sunday Night: State of Origin 3 - ANZ or Suncorp

Benefits:

• TV slots filled and networks happy
• games in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne/Perth/Adelaide
• Minimum five international games in NZ (with a potential Origin game every four years)
• NRL season not lacking credibility due to clubs missing players in the middle of the season
• There is no free-kick for other codes because of wall-to-wall Origin coverage and the good-will and attention that the Pacific Cup will generate (refer the recent World Cup for evidence of that)
• Players are not expected to back-up and in some cases play two games in one week
• We have huge crowds, monster ratings and a change-up with the colour and passion of rep footy to replace the usual lull which is the middle of the NRL season

Drawbacks:

• NRL season will have to be shortened which may affect TV revenue

 

[Pommy]

Great to hear - with the shift that is going on a rep Window of three weeks makes sense from the next TV deal onwards (provided that the NRL and networks are happy with the stand-alone Origin weekend ratings - which I don't know why they wouldn't be).

Week 1:

• Friday Night: New Zeland v England in New Zealand
• Saturday Afternoon / Night: Pacific Cup Double Header (Rd 1: Samoa v PNG / Tonga v Fiji) at the new Parra Stadium - sell-out for sure
• Sunday Night: State of Origin 1 - Neutral Venue (Perth, Melbourne, Adelaide, Auckalnd rotating each year) - sell-out

Week 2

• Friday Night: New Zealand v England in New Zealand
• Saturday Afternoon / Night: Pacific Cup Double Header (Rd 2: Samoa v Fiji / Tonga v PNG) in Hamilton, NZ - sell-out
• Sunday Night: State of Origin 2 - ANZ or Suncorp - sell-out

Week 3:

• Super Saturday (Final round of Pacific Cup and champions crowned (Samoa v Tonga / Fiji v PNG) and England v New Zealand at Eden Park in Auckland - maybe not a sell-out but will be a huge crowd
• Sunday Night: State of Origin 3 - ANZ or Suncorp

Benefits:

• TV slots filled and networks happy
• games in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne/Perth/Adelaide
• Minimum five international games in NZ (with a potential Origin game every four years)
• NRL season not lacking credibility due to clubs missing players in the middle of the season
• There is no free-kick for other codes because of wall-to-wall Origin coverage and the good-will and attention that the Pacific Cup will generate (refer the recent World Cup for evidence of that)
• Players are not expected to back-up and in some cases play two games in one week
• We have huge crowds, monster ratings and a change-up with the colour and passion of rep footy to replace the usual lull which is the middle of the NRL season

Drawbacks:

• NRL season will have to be shortened which may affect TV revenue

Another drawback is that the northern hemesphire is pretty ignored. If it was a three week window England should probably be playing at least a game in France or something, which would allow NZ to play a PI team.

 

[IntRLEnthusiast]

Phil Gould making comments like that may be marking the tipping point when the mainstream media actually start pushing for international RL rather than against it. It would be huge if more time was made during the season for internationals and the fact that it's actually being spoken about is a good starting point.

 

[titoelcolombiano]

Another drawback is that the northern hemesphire is pretty ignored. If it was a three week window England should probably be playing at least a game in France or something, which would allow NZ to play a PI team.

Good point! Since SL are joining in on the rep weekend from this year, maybe they could have a three week break too and run a Euro Cup and Eng & NZL alternate hosting of their series each year.

 

[deluded pom?]

Good point! Since SL are joining in on the rep weekend from this year, maybe they could have a three week break too and run a Euro Cup and Eng & NZL alternate hosting of their series each year.

If SL agree to a three week mid season break they’ll simply tack the extra three weeks on at the start of the season. We’ll soon be playing a twelve month season.

 

[roughyedspud]

Another drawback is that the northern hemesphire is pretty ignored. If it was a three week window England should probably be playing at least a game in France or something, which would allow NZ to play a PI team.

Firstly the northern hemisphere hasn't been ignore,the European NGBs thought,wrongly,that the RLIF was going to organize mid season games for them...and now they've been told its too late for them to organize anything..

And secondly we've not even filled one weekend with tests...3 weekends is ridiculously fanciful and will never,ever..EVER...happen

 

[titoelcolombiano]

Firstly the northern hemisphere hasn't been ignore,the European NGBs thought,wrongly,that the RLIF was going to organize mid season games for them...and now they've been told its too late for them to organize anything..

And secondly we've not even filled one weekend with tests...3 weekends is ridiculously fanciful and will never,ever..EVER...happen

Never ever? Not long ago we would have said we would never ever have the following:

- a mid season rep weekend
- a Tongan side that would be the talk of the world cup selling out stadia
- One of the big three missing the WC semis
- a professional Canadian club side
- a professional PNG club side
- 40k for an NRL event in Perth
- players opting for teir 2 nations over State of Origin, Kangaroos or Kiwis

Never say never - the game is slowly crawling out of its cave and spreading its wings

 

[roughyedspud]

Yes never ever...let's focus on making one weekend amazing! So far EVERYONE has failed....and that's rugby leagues biggest failure in general,always worrying & dreaming about the future instead of making what we have now as good a possible..

Focus on what we have now!

 

[Matterhorn]

Paul Gallen was on ch9 Sydney news last night saying Andrew Fifita should be allowed to play in games 1 & 3 of state of origin & blamed the scheduling of tonga v somoa as well as that means he couldn't play in number 2.

Also he was saying tonga only playing, at the moment, 1 game this year & that game will only likely get 10k people.

Can't see this happening - the guy has made his decision so let him play for whoever he wants & besides imagine what can of worms would be opened if he was allowed to play in SOO

 

[Pommy]

Paul Gallen was on ch9 Sydney news last night saying Andrew Fifita should be allowed to play in games 1 & 3 of state of origin & blamed the scheduling of tonga v somoa as well as that means he couldn't play in number 2.

Also he was saying tonga only playing, at the moment, 1 game this year & that game will only likely get 10k people.

Can't see this happening - the guy has made his decision so let him play for whoever he wants & besides imagine what can of worms would be opened if he was allowed to play in SOO

Luckily nobody gives a f**k what Paul Gallen thinks. Imagine if NSW win the series in game 2 who gets the boot to let Fifita play in game 3?
Fifita has made his choice leave it at that I say.

 

[deluded pom?]

Paul Gallen was on ch9 Sydney news last night saying Andrew Fifita should be allowed to play in games 1 & 3 of state of origin & blamed the scheduling of tonga v somoa as well as that means he couldn't play in number 2.

Also he was saying tonga only playing, at the moment, 1 game this year & that game will only likely get 10k people.

Can't see this happening - the guy has made his decision so let him play for whoever he wants & besides imagine what can of worms would be opened if he was allowed to play in SOO

Frizzell plays Origin despite having already played for Wales. What's the difference?

 

[hutch]

Frizzell plays Origin despite having already played for Wales. What's the difference?

Most people are picking paul Vaughn, korbin sims, frizell, Tedesco, regan Campbell-gillard who have all played for other countries.

 

[Clarkent]

David Fusitua sticking with Tonga... Man they're gonna be a force to be reckoned with in the next World Cup...

 

[100%green]

Great to hear - with the shift that is going on a rep Window of three weeks makes sense from the next TV deal onwards (provided that the NRL and networks are happy with the stand-alone Origin weekend ratings - which I don't know why they wouldn't be).

Week 1:

• Friday Night: New Zeland v England in New Zealand
• Saturday Afternoon / Night: Pacific Cup Double Header (Rd 1: Samoa v PNG / Tonga v Fiji) at the new Parra Stadium - sell-out for sure
• Sunday Night: State of Origin 1 - Neutral Venue (Perth, Melbourne, Adelaide, Auckalnd rotating each year) - sell-out

Week 2

• Friday Night: New Zealand v England in New Zealand
• Saturday Afternoon / Night: Pacific Cup Double Header (Rd 2: Samoa v Fiji / Tonga v PNG) in Hamilton, NZ - sell-out
• Sunday Night: State of Origin 2 - ANZ or Suncorp - sell-out

Week 3:

• Super Saturday (Final round of Pacific Cup and champions crowned (Samoa v Tonga / Fiji v PNG) and England v New Zealand at Eden Park in Auckland - maybe not a sell-out but will be a huge crowd
• Sunday Night: State of Origin 3 - ANZ or Suncorp

Benefits:

• TV slots filled and networks happy
• games in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne/Perth/Adelaide
• Minimum five international games in NZ (with a potential Origin game every four years)
• NRL season not lacking credibility due to clubs missing players in the middle of the season
• There is no free-kick for other codes because of wall-to-wall Origin coverage and the good-will and attention that the Pacific Cup will generate (refer the recent World Cup for evidence of that)
• Players are not expected to back-up and in some cases play two games in one week
• We have huge crowds, monster ratings and a change-up with the colour and passion of rep footy to replace the usual lull which is the middle of the NRL season

Drawbacks:

• NRL season will have to be shortened which may affect TV revenue

Was thinking the same thing. But NRL and ESL need to break mid year.

NZ and England could play a 3 test series. Game one in the US. Rotate game 2 and 3 each year (first year in England, second year in NZ)

Pac series in the Southern Hemisphere, Euro series in the north.

If other nations want games (Lebanon, USA, Canada etc then organise them around these where possible.

This would build over the years but it would also mean the players turning out for minnows aren't just doing it every 4 years!

 

[titoelcolombiano]

Was thinking the same thing. But NRL and ESL need to break mid year.

NZ and England could play a 3 test series. Game one in the US. Rotate game 2 and 3 each year (first year in England, second year in NZ)

Pac series in the Southern Hemisphere, Euro series in the north.

If other nations want games (Lebanon, USA, Canada etc then organise them around these where possible.

This would build over the years but it would also mean the players turning out for minnows aren't just doing it every 4 years!

SL are taking the rep round off this year, so hopefully the RFL will see the benefit of closing SL down and getting the England squad together for some home internationals mid-season. Hopefully the RLEF then springs into action and organises a four-team, three-week, round-robin Euro Cup. France, Wales, Ireland, Scotland.

 

[kdalymc]

how is this a thing? can you not still play for both? i get the scheduling might clash

 

[Clarkent]

More players turning down the kiwis Fonua-Blake who was part of the kiwi squad at last years world Cup has now put he's hand up for Tonga... Tonga are already stacked in the forwards so they're gonna be even more dangerous... Is this the end for the kiwis?

 

[RedVee]

Radio news just quoted Lockyer that Pangai will be considered for Kangaroo selection even though he turned down NSW.

How does that work with the proposed Aust Vs Tonga game ?

Someone may get embarrassed