Costigan can't play for PNG

[Titanic]

Playing Origin does not rule you out of playing for PNG because origin is not an international fixture. Playing for PNG should rule you out of playing Origin because it is supposed to be for Aussie players only.

That's the right way to look at it.

That's right.

I used to agree with this, but think about it. Say Jarryd Hayne decided to stay with Fiji (which woiuld have been fantastic for Fiji).

Why should Civoneceva be allowed to play Origin but not Hayne?

Hayne chose to play for Fiji and Petero didn't (both are Australian born who could qualify for Fiji by the heritage rule)... their first choice should be THE choice unless they take up the three year residency clause where they live in whichever country they wish to change to and don't play for any country in between.

 

[Springs]

Petero was born in Suva, but moved to Australia before his first birthday. If he wished to play for Fiji in their rare international appearances then I don't see why that should have stopped him from playing Origin.

I see your point hutch, but I do not think my point is a quick fix. I see it more as rewarding players who would rather help develop their heritage countries. We can make playing for them as enticing as possible (with tests around Origin etc), but through all that, Origin will still be number one, and players who want to prove they are the best will want to play Origin.
I still think to reward players and to make the international game stronger we should let them play both Origin and for countries other than Australia, but I am not keen on rewarding players who turn their back on their heritage for personal glory.

 

[mikail-eagle]

PNG should pick him in their squad and see what happens......If he plays like he should than that will rule him out of playing Origin next year.

 

[mikail-eagle]

After the news that Costigans QLD team mate Izzy Falou is going to play for Tonga in the curtain raiser before the Kumuls first game, then Neville should also be allowed to play for PNG.

 

[doogiehowser_md]

The death of State of Origin is close ahead. With the growing number of kiwis, pacific islanders and nz raised pacific islanders in NYC and NRL there will be no one left eligible to play SOO in its current form.

Also Brad Thorn and Tonie Carroll have both been on TV saying that they were proud Kiwis, Thorn went on to say that Karmichael when he had to choose between QLD & NZ considered himself more a Kiwi and only chose QLD because its the pinnacle of RL. Just goes to show the eligibility rules are a joke.

 

[expansionist]

The main fact for me, is that people can and do consider themselves a Queenslander, ( by virtue of the fact they live here, or have lived here for a while) and a PNG'er, or a Kiwi etc, by virtue of the fact they were born there etc.

Tonie Carroll, Adrian Lam others, and now Nev Costigan.

This is one reason I believe SOO should be open to people who represent other nations, the other reason though is that the precedent has been set!

How can it be OK for Lam etc to do both and then tell Costigan he cant do it!

My argument is with this logic, and NOT nation hopping which i think is a blight on the international game.

I would like to see players pick and choose one nation and stay there, and i also think that letting them play SOO would help

 

[deluded pom?]

The death of State of Origin is close ahead. With the growing number of kiwis, pacific islanders and nz raised pacific islanders in NYC and NRL there will be no one left eligible to play SOO in its current form.

It won't be the death doogie. The ARL will just have a word with themselves (dressed up as the RLIF) and lo and behold those players will suddenly be bona fide QLers and NSWmen.

 

[doogiehowser_md]

It won't be the death doogie. The ARL will just have a word with themselves (dressed up as the RLIF) and lo and behold those players will suddenly be bona fide QLers and NSWmen.

I think your bang on as to what will happen.

 

[expansionist]

state of origin is strangling international rugby league. I cant see it dying though. not while there are so many people with vested interests proclaiming it as the pinnacle of RL, and while the media keeps telling me i should be incredibly excited by it.

It always confuses me how the pinnacle of RL cant sell out a game in Sydney... but thats another story

 

[Lambretta]

Origin is nothing to do with the international game. For all I care Didier Drogba could turn out for NSW, the eligibility for Origin games is a matter solely for the ARL who organise it. The fact that people sometimes infer that Origin is somehow linked to the international game sickens me.

Origin is where you first played Grade Rugby League

The Nation you represent is where you were born or have ancestry links

So Nathan Cayless who grew up in NSW and chose to play for New Zealand was eligible to play for NSW all along. Is that what you're saying?

There are a load of other examples. SBW was not eligible for Origin although he first played Grade in Australia in NSW. Nor is Gareth Ellis eligible.

So how is Origin and the Country you represent NOT linked. Explain it to me. I genuinely want to know as I feel like I must be thick.

 

[Lambretta]

I used to agree with this, but think about it. Say Jarryd Hayne decided to stay with Fiji (which woiuld have been fantastic for Fiji).

Why should Civoneceva be allowed to play Origin but not Hayne? They shouldn't have to choose between state and heritage. lets be honest, Australia doesn't need Hayne. We would barely suffer if all our dual eligible players went to their country of heritage - we would still be the best in the world. But it would be of huge benefit to Island nations.

It's my experience that the ARL and the vast majority of Australian league fans don't what this to happen FOR EXACTLY THAT REASON.

Every single arguement I have ever heard around why your proposal shouldn't be adopted (it's the same proposal I have voiced for the past 10 years) is that developing Nations should sort themselves out and Australian Rugby League should stick to helping themselves and the themselves alone.

This "I'm alright, sod you Jack" attitude is exactly the reason why International League is way behind where it should be.

Until the 90's Rugby Union was a piss poor excuse of a sport, but the one thing they did have was an International scene. That meant that there was interest across various Nations that they could tap into for advertising funds and development. Once they made it professional (and introduced club games betwen Nations) weight of numbers and financial backing meant they were in a healthy position in spite of the fact their product is a piss poor version of the game.

Australia has attempted to hinder the international game as much as possible safe in the knowledge that it's pay days were the Finals series and State of Origin.

Very few Australian fans of the game actually watch Internationals because the quality is poor. But the quality is poor because of the rules in place.

Yes the devloping Nations need to grow the game in their Nations, but the only Country that is in a place to assist is Australia and to date they've shown very little desire to do so. The rules around Origin eligibility are an example of this.

Now Hayne has played for NSW is he now eligible to play for Fiji again?
Why wasnt Farah able to play for the Lebanon?

We need to realise that the game wont grow if we keep doing what we are doing.

 

[Lambretta]

state of origin is strangling international rugby league. I cant see it dying though. not while there are so many people with vested interests proclaiming it as the pinnacle of RL, and while the media keeps telling me i should be incredibly excited by it.

It always confuses me how the pinnacle of RL cant sell out a game in Sydney... but thats another story

Pure and simple, it's not the Pinnacle of Rugby League. I'm sorry, but it's not.

The Grand Final and State of Origin are both bigger than International games. A litmus test is either the size of crowds at games or the miles of coverage provided in the media.

Grand Final week 1,000 miles of media column space
Australia vs New Zealand 4 Nations Final 20 miles
(

 

[docbrown]

Pure and simple, it's not the Pinnacle of Rugby League. I'm sorry, but it's not.

The Grand Final and State of Origin are both bigger than International games. A litmus test is either the size of crowds at games or the miles of coverage provided in the media.

Grand Final week 1,000 miles of media column space
Australia vs New Zealand 4 Nations Final 20 miles
(

It's only that way because of the stupid eligibility rules. If foreign players could take their origin experience back to their country it makes the international game immensely better. I'd rather see an even international tournament than have it one sided to Australia. Nobody wants to see them flogging a dead horse.

Australia should be playing at least 9 international games a year. 1 Anzac Test and 6 end of season Four Nations and 2 Road Games in other countries against teams like Fiji, Wales, USA etc.

 

[hutch]

The Grand Final and State of Origin are both bigger than International games. A litmus test is either the size of crowds at games or the miles of coverage provided in the media.

Grand Final week 1,000 miles of media column space
Australia vs New Zealand 4 Nations Final 20 miles
(

is the nrl grand final and origin bigger than the international game in england, france, nz, papua new guinea, wales etc? the sport is bigger than australia, and origin is not the pinnacle for the majority of rugby league players on earth!

 

[LunarPark]

The game is a farce.

It doesn't really matter what we think the rules should be; the international game is a farce.

The members of the "RLIF" are in such a position of power. There is no reason for them to change the rules they are breaking.

Players are to blame as well, why would they want rules changed when they can basically play for whatever country they want no matter how tedious the links. There is no loyalty at international level in this sport. It's all about furthering yourself. Me, me, me, me, me, me. How can they stand on a pitch and sing two different anthems? I suppose half of them don't even know anythnig about whatever particular country they are playing for that weekend.

Rant over.

Oh and hypocracy thy name is ARL.

 

[Banana]

So how is Origin and the Country you represent NOT linked. Explain it to me. I genuinely want to know as I feel like I must be thick.

It is linked, as you showed. The point is, that it should only be a one way link.

Homer was saying (I think) that it shouldn't matter to the International game what the rules of Origin are and it is up to Origin, independent of the International game, whether it sees itself as a test trial care and for Aussies only.

As an Englishman, I couldn't care less whether, say, Burgess or Ellis played Origin, as long as they remained eligible for England. I doubt you see it that way.

 

[nadera78]

Is the Love/Carr/Gallop axis of stupidity really trying to say that dozens of players can switch form one country to another (and back again) whenever they feel like it yet Neville Costigan, who has only ever played for PNG, cannot continue to play for PNG because he played in an internal rep game for Queensland?

Utter nonsense.

 

[Evil Homer]

It is linked, as you showed. The point is, that it should only be a one way link.

Homer was saying (I think) that it shouldn't matter to the International game what the rules of Origin are and it is up to Origin, independent of the International game, whether it sees itself as a test trial care and for Aussies only.

As an Englishman, I couldn't care less whether, say, Burgess or Ellis played Origin, as long as they remained eligible for England. I doubt you see it that way.

Exactly. Origin is not international sport, I couldn't care less about its eligibility rules, the ARL could change them to whatever they wanted and it wouldn't affect anything. The only way that Costigan could be barred from representing PNG would be if he had actually played for Australia in an international match. Origin is not an international match. It may claim to be a trial game for Australia, but it's not an international, there's no way he can be barred. It's akin to stating that people who play for the Warriors are only allowed to represent New Zealand.

 

[Banana]

The simple answer is for every player, on signing their first pro contract, to declare which country they want to play for.

And then no changing - or least a five year qualification period.

It's then up to the Aussies if they want to allow 'foreigners' to play Origin and improve the quality of the game or make it a test trial and bar those not declared for Aus.

 

[jim_57]

This is ridiculous, Costigan can't play for PNG yet Uate has an application being considered to play for Australia this year. Geoff Carr said something like "he played for Fiji out of naivity, he didn't realise the implications". FFS! as soon as these clowns are gone the better, get an independant board in to run the International game.