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Fien romance ends in date with Kiwis
03 September 2006
By STEVE KILGALLON
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]Nathan Fien, a former Queensland State of Origin hooker, will be called into the Kiwis' squad to defend their Tri-Nations title.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]Fien, from Mount Isa in north-west Queensland, is eligible for New Zealand through his late Wanganui-born grandmother. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]The 27-year-old Warriors player declared his allegiance to the Kiwis earlier this year, only for Australian Rugby League chief executive Geoff Carr to claim Fien did not meet residency qualifications. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]Kiwis coach Brian McClennan is due to name 10-12 players from NRL clubs not in the finals for an initial train-on squad this week. It will include Fien, who had to convince McClennan he was genuine about the black jersey. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]"Bluey wanted to know that if I made the decision I wouldn't be turning back. I definitely won't," Fien said. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]"He wanted to know where I stood - the things I grew up with in Queensland, being the underdog, and always wanting to do the best for your team, related to what Bluey expected from his players in the Kiwis." [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]Fien said he began thinking about playing for New Zealand earlier this season and conversations with Warriors fullback Brent Webb, another exiled Queenslander who plays for New Zealand, convinced him. "We're not breaking any rules ... and I'd love to wear the jersey," said Fien. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]"I'd put my body on the line and I am a man who won't turn back on a decision. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]"People said I nearly made Origin this year, and that I could still go and do that, but this is where I stand now. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]"This is my decision and if Queensland want me to play now, it is not the way I will go." [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]Fien, who is contracted for one more season at the Warriors, has a New Zealand-born daughter and, he relates proudly, his son has already learned to count in Maori. He wants to extend his stay here beyond 2007. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]Warriors chief executive Wayne Scurrah admits to a "gap in the squad and a gap in the salary cap" after the midweek sacking of one of the club's highest-earning players, Sione Faumuina. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]He said the club would not hurry into a signing and had yet to consider making a late offer to Awen Guttenbeil should Castleford - the English club he has signed for for next year - be relegated. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]But Scurrah said the Warriors had contacts in England and would consider moving to sign a player from a relegated English side. [/FONT]
source: http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3785360a10713,00.html
03 September 2006
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]Nathan Fien, a former Queensland State of Origin hooker, will be called into the Kiwis' squad to defend their Tri-Nations title.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]Fien, from Mount Isa in north-west Queensland, is eligible for New Zealand through his late Wanganui-born grandmother. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]The 27-year-old Warriors player declared his allegiance to the Kiwis earlier this year, only for Australian Rugby League chief executive Geoff Carr to claim Fien did not meet residency qualifications. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]Kiwis coach Brian McClennan is due to name 10-12 players from NRL clubs not in the finals for an initial train-on squad this week. It will include Fien, who had to convince McClennan he was genuine about the black jersey. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]"Bluey wanted to know that if I made the decision I wouldn't be turning back. I definitely won't," Fien said. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]"He wanted to know where I stood - the things I grew up with in Queensland, being the underdog, and always wanting to do the best for your team, related to what Bluey expected from his players in the Kiwis." [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]Fien said he began thinking about playing for New Zealand earlier this season and conversations with Warriors fullback Brent Webb, another exiled Queenslander who plays for New Zealand, convinced him. "We're not breaking any rules ... and I'd love to wear the jersey," said Fien. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]"I'd put my body on the line and I am a man who won't turn back on a decision. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]"People said I nearly made Origin this year, and that I could still go and do that, but this is where I stand now. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]"This is my decision and if Queensland want me to play now, it is not the way I will go." [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]Fien, who is contracted for one more season at the Warriors, has a New Zealand-born daughter and, he relates proudly, his son has already learned to count in Maori. He wants to extend his stay here beyond 2007. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]Warriors chief executive Wayne Scurrah admits to a "gap in the squad and a gap in the salary cap" after the midweek sacking of one of the club's highest-earning players, Sione Faumuina. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]He said the club would not hurry into a signing and had yet to consider making a late offer to Awen Guttenbeil should Castleford - the English club he has signed for for next year - be relegated. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]But Scurrah said the Warriors had contacts in England and would consider moving to sign a player from a relegated English side. [/FONT]
source: http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3785360a10713,00.html