Fair pay and more games for Pacific RL players petition

[B rad]

This article from the daily telegraph pretty much says it all

https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/s...e/news-story/161d2adc69e11ff08af5820d87fcb0c2

 

[titoelcolombiano]

How about instead, the players continue to commit to their Pacific nations and help build the Pacific Test event into a 'must see' sporting event. From next year play it at the new Parra stadium to a sell-out crowd and in 2019 at Eden Park in front of at least 35 - 40k. Then rotate the event between the two venues each year. Then, the profits will be there to hand out match payments to the Pacific players taking part, give good profits to the organiser of the event (the NRL in this case) and the participating nation's governing body.

 

[Matua]

England, Australia and NZ shouldn’t pick anyone who didn’t live in that nation as a child/teenager. No more Semis.

That's silly if we're allowing PIs to do it. Why is it fine for Fusitua to play for Tonga but not Nightingale for NZ?

 

[Pommy]

That's silly if we're allowing PIs to do it. Why is it fine for Fusitua to play for Tonga but not Nightingale for NZ?

Well I did word it wrong i should have said as a child/teenager or be a heritage player.
Bassically let’s not have fully grown adults move to the big three as pro athletes and then play for that nation.

Personally though I don’t want England picking Australians etc, although I don’t think it should be banned if Tonga etc can do it.

 

[Springs09]

That's silly if we're allowing PIs to do it. Why is it fine for Fusitua to play for Tonga but not Nightingale for NZ?

It's fine for either. He was referring to the residency rules that allow the professional nations to steal players. Teams like Tonga, Fiji, Ireland , Lebanon etc. are never going to be able to pick top-level players with the residency rule, only Australia, NZ, England and France are really able to do it.

Nightingale & Fusitua are selected under the heritage rule. Radradra was selected under the residency rule.

 

[Matua]

@Pommy @Springs09

I withdraw my objection

 

[titoelcolombiano]

It's fine for either. He was referring to the residency rules that allow the professional nations to steal players. Teams like Tonga, Fiji, Ireland , Lebanon etc. are never going to be able to pick top-level players with the residency rule, only Australia, NZ, England and France are really able to do it.

Nightingale & Fusitua are selected under the heritage rule. Radradra was selected under the residency rule.

Canada might be able to put together a nice squad of pros based on the residency rule come the world cup in 2025. I seriously hope they don't but it highlights the absurdity of the rule.

 

[adamkungl]

Canada might be able to put together a nice squad of pros based on the residency rule come the world cup in 2025. I seriously hope they don't but it highlights the absurdity of the rule.

Not that fussed if they do.

My issue is with the rich stealing from the poor, so to speak. If Fiji somehow enticed an Aussie to play in their comp for 5 years, I wouldn't begrudge them taking advantage. After all, the rule exists.

But for Australia to pick the eyes out of Fiji's team just because we have the richer comp leaves a very bad taste. Yes it's within the rules, but for me it's against the spirit of the game.

 

[Pommy]

Canada might be able to put together a nice squad of pros based on the residency rule come the world cup in 2025. I seriously hope they don't but it highlights the absurdity of the rule.

I hope that doesn’t happen, teams made up of foreigners under heritage rule is one thing but teams made up mostly of foreigners under the residency rule would make the World Cup a farce.

 

[adamkungl]

I hope that doesn’t happen, teams made up of foreigners under heritage rule is one thing but teams made up mostly of foreigners under the residency rule would make the World Cup a farce.

Each to their own.. I'd be inclined to think a group of players that have lived in Canada for 5+ years have more 'authenticity' than someone who's grandparent was born there but has never set foot in the joint.

 

[Pommy]

Each to their own.. I'd be inclined to think a group of players that have lived in Canada for 5+ years have more 'authenticity' than someone who's grandparent was born there but has never set foot in the joint.

I’m not a huge fan of the residency rules either but that’s the current situation we’re in, I would rather it didn’t get even worse.
The USA were one of my favourite sides at the WC just because they were an authentic team.

 

[Springs09]

Authenticity is something you can't really separate from non-authenticity when it comes to these rules. In my area there are a lot of Italians and Pacific Islanders whose parents were born in Australia, but they still consider themselves Italian or Samoan or Tongan and follow the culture and customs. Meanwhile my father's grandfather was born in England but my father would never consider himself anything but Australian. But under the rules they are the same.

I don't think living anywhere gives you any authenticity. If you want to be Canadian, become a Canadian citizen. I think the residency rule should be done away with. Nathan Fien isn't anymore NZer now than he was when he was born just because he played for the Warriors for a few years.

 

[B rad]

Authenticity is something you can't really separate from non-authenticity when it comes to these rules. In my area there are a lot of Italians and Pacific Islanders whose parents were born in Australia, but they still consider themselves Italian or Samoan or Tongan and follow the culture and customs. Meanwhile my father's grandfather was born in England but my father would never consider himself anything but Australian. But under the rules they are the same.

I don't think living anywhere gives you any authenticity. If you want to be Canadian, become a Canadian citizen. I think the residency rule should be done away with. Nathan Fien isn't anymore NZer now than he was when he was born just because he played for the Warriors for a few years.

I think Heritage teams work for nations that are smaller or don't usually have a lot of sporting success and who's people hold onto their heritage generations after they have migrated. Pacific Nations, Lebanon Heritage teams work really well. They have massive support from their communities in Australia and New Zealand as well as their home nations. If you look at immigrants in Australia, maybe Serbia, Sudanese and Filipino since Filipinos really support people of Filipino heritage that have made it overseas.

Places like Wales, Scotland, Ireland, USA, Canada and Italy who have successful sporting teams full of home grown players I think you more need to focus on a Player pool born to those nations.

 

[adamkungl]

Places like Wales, Scotland, Ireland, USA, Canada and Italy who have successful sporting teams full of home grown players I think you more need to focus on a Player pool born to those nations.

Damned if you do damned if you don't.
On the one hand we have people saying its all a farce because half the teams aren't professional standard.
On the other, it's all a farce because half the teams are filled with players who aren't authentic enough.

 

[B rad]

Damned if you do damned if you don't.
On the one hand we have people saying its all a farce because half the teams aren't professional standard.
On the other, it's all a farce because half the teams are filled with players who aren't authentic enough.

Its a complicated puzzle, and that was just my opinion. I think all those nations quoted in my post would do well to look at what PNG have done with the Hunters. Take the best players they do have and try to put them into a professional competition either in Australia or England.

PNG Hunters are only PNG players, they are created to give the PNG national team professionalism and promote their players to other clubs. Its very difficult to be compete physically and skills wise with people that go to work every morning to play Rugby League.

A good focus for our game would be to create a 25-30 professional player pool for those nations (Scotland, Wales, Ireland, USA, Canada) and suddenly you will find our international game is a lot more competitive and blow out scores a lot less common. Good to have a squad that can play attractive professional football to promote the game to the locals as well. Costs money though, that's the big problem.

 

[adamkungl]

Its a complicated puzzle, and that was just my opinion. I think all those nations quoted in my post would do well to look at what PNG have done with the Hunters. Take the best players they do have and try to put them into a professional competition either in Australia or England.

PNG Hunters are only PNG players, they are created to give the PNG national team professionalism and promote their players to other clubs. Its very difficult to be compete physically and skills wise with people that go to work every morning to play Rugby League.

A good focus for our game would be to create a 25-30 professional player pool for those nations (Scotland, Wales, Ireland, USA, Canada) and suddenly you will find our international game is a lot more competitive and blow out scores a lot less common. Good to have a squad that can play attractive professional football to promote the game to the locals as well. Costs money though, that's the big problem.

You're right.

Not directed at you, I just think as a community, actual fans of the international game should try to talk more positively about the direction the game is heading rather than getting so bogged down in the semantics of eligibility rules and 'authenticity', as we tend to do. Most of these nations have very little funding and even less support from RL organisations that do have money.

 

[Pommy]

You're right.

Not directed at you, I just think as a community, actual fans of the international game should try to talk more positively about the direction the game is heading rather than getting so bogged down in the semantics of eligibility rules and 'authenticity', as we tend to do. Most of these nations have very little funding and even less support from RL organisations that do have money.

I just don’t believe having a team based mostly on residence really helps them.
As I have said I’m no fan of the current heritage rules but I do understand it helps to develop the game in these nations.
The average punter had to be able to buy in to it and whilst the PI do buy in to their heritage teams I’m not so sure more developed nations do.