Fiji World Cup Stories

[Evil Homer]

Daryl Millard is out for the rest of the season, not sure he'll make the WC.

 

[roughyedspud]

don't forget uate....

 

[deal.with.it]

Fiji selectors are indicating they will pick local players over lower-grade Australian based players.

 

[hutch]

don't forget uate....

Ain't eligible.

And springs I won't be giving it a rest because I don't want to accept mediocrity. Our sport has massive potential internationally if done properly, we aren't going to reach anywhere near that potential at our current rate. I agree, Sutton playing for Fiji is not breaking any rules but next year when he ditches them to again attempt to play for Australia and NSW and brushes Fiji for the next 4 years, our sport becomes a farce. By all means play for Fiji if you wish to commit to them, don't make a mockery of our sport in the meantime.

 

[Bronco Rob]

Ain't eligible.

And springs I won't be giving it a rest because I don't want to accept mediocrity. Our sport has massive potential internationally if done properly, we aren't going to reach anywhere near that potential at our current rate. I agree, Sutton playing for Fiji is not breaking any rules but next year when he ditches them to again attempt to play for Australia and NSW and brushes Fiji for the next 4 years, our sport becomes a farce. By all means play for Fiji if you wish to commit to them, don't make a mockery of our sport in the meantime.

I agree with you Hutch, it's short term gain over long term creditibility. All it takes to fix this is the RLIF to bring in place a 2 year sitout rule for switching allegiences. I have no problem with players electing a nation of heritage and sticking to it but when players choose just to get a run in the game's biggest event to feed their egos and then never see them again, I take umbrage to that.

 

[Evil Homer]

How do we know Sutton wouldn't have played for Fiji before? I can't remember the last time their full team had a match.

 

[hutch]

How do we know Sutton wouldn't have played for Fiji before? I can't remember the last time their full team had a match.

He was talked about in 2008 and again in 2009 for the pacific cup.

You do raise a good point though, it is quite obvious that these countries need to play in tests and tournaments every single year in order for players to commit to them. I guess you can't blame the players if they know they can play in a World Cup but still switch back to their preferred country and this problem can only be solved when we have proper schedule for ALL countries!

 

[Evil Homer]

He was talked about in 2008 and again in 2009 for the pacific cup.

You do raise a good point though, it is quite obvious that these countries need to play in tests and tournaments every single year in order for players to commit to them. I guess you can't blame the players if they know they can play in a World Cup but still switch back to their preferred country and this problem can only be solved when we have proper schedule for ALL countries!

Agreed.

FWIW, Sutton hasn't actually swapped nations. Even in soccer, a sport with tight eligibility rules and regular competition that we should be looking to emulate, we often see players waiting on their preferred choice and then committing to lesser nations later in their careers when it becomes obvious that they won't make it at the higher level. This happens a lot with African players who also qualify for France, in fact some of them wait too long and don't end up representing their nation at all, or end up only playing a handful matches and miss out on a good international career. It's just one of the things about international sport, I don't have any issue with what Sutton's doing.

 

[Springs]

Exactly. What Sutton is doing wouldn't be illegal in any sport. You can't thought-control people. Even if he didn't want to represent Fiji before, he wants to now. And that's perfectly fine by any rules.

 

[hutch]

Exactly. What Sutton is doing wouldn't be illegal in any sport. You can't thought-control people. Even if he didn't want to represent Fiji before, he wants to now. And that's perfectly fine by any rules.

I said in my post that he isn't breaking any rules, there just should be consequences for his actions. If he genuinely wants to represent Fiji then that is awesome. He should then not join the Aussie train on squad (and prime ministers 13) at years end like he has done for previous years, stick with Fiji after the World Cup during next years rep weekend and possible 4 nations spot. He should also commit to them instead of an Australian state. He will do none of the above and is only there to have a run in a World Cup, just like tedesco, berrigan, snowden with Italy, fielden for Ireland and any number of players doing so for the wrongs reasons and detriment to our sport.

 

[Springs]

Detriment to you maybe, the rest of the sport seems to have no problem with it. You do not 'join' an Aussie train-on squad. You get picked regardless of your intentions. Of course he should stick with Fiji but that's not an issue right now. No one can force him to, even if it was one nation for life. It's like forcing Jamie Lyon to play for NSW and Australia. That said I'd say he will play for Fiji if they make the Four Nations. It's in Australia and they play Australia, NZ and England.
And you assuming things isn't making you look any better. Tedesco came down here to Griffith last year to promote the Italy side, a full year before the World Cup. If he there 'just for a run in the world cup' I doubt he could be bothered to do that.

 

[RHCP]

John Sutton playing for Fiji >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> John Smith (or whatever the Fiji equivalent is) playing for Fiji and them losing 100-0.

If we want the sport to grow these heritage players are a necessary evil. Nobody is going to get behind a team and no player is going to want to commit to a team that gets thrashed every game they play.

The domestic leagues are not strong enough to create an international 17 to compete against Aus, Eng, NZ, PNG and France. We need to give them time to grow and that requires a) interest in the sport b) high profile players and c) decent performances, all of which are impossible without some heritage influence.

'One nation' rules will stop all but the most unambitous players committing to minnow nations.

Without Sutton and co., the RLWC would be a horrific failure.

 

[Evil Homer]

I said in my post that he isn't breaking any rules, there just should be consequences for his actions. If he genuinely wants to represent Fiji then that is awesome. He should then not join the Aussie train on squad (and prime ministers 13) at years end like he has done for previous years, stick with Fiji after the World Cup during next years rep weekend and possible 4 nations spot. He should also commit to them instead of an Australian state. He will do none of the above and is only there to have a run in a World Cup, just like tedesco, berrigan, snowden with Italy, fielden for Ireland and any number of players doing so for the wrongs reasons and detriment to our sport.

Maybe he would prefer to represent Australia, I don't see a problem with that, they're a strong team with a greater chance of success than Fiji, it's logical that players would want to play for the best teams. That doesn't mean he isn't committed to Fiji, and even if he isn't, that's a matter for the Fijian selectors and not us.

The more important thing is that he wouldn't have a chance to play for Fiji outside of the WC, certainly not in high-profile matches. It's no wonder we see heritage players coming out of the woodwork at WC time because it's the only chance these nations get to play in high-profile matches. When Wales qualified for the 4N we saw the likes of Frizell emerging. Top players don't want to pay their own way and jeopardize their club commitments to play in shitty meaningless park matches. Give these nations relevant competition and a regular international schedule and I'm sure far more players would commit to their nations on a regular basis. The Tonga vs Samoa match this year was a start.

 

[Springs]

Maybe he would prefer to represent Australia, I don't see a problem with that, they're a strong team with a greater chance of success than Fiji, it's logical that players would want to play for the best teams. That doesn't mean he isn't committed to Fiji, and even if he isn't, that's a matter for the Fijian selectors and not us.

The more important thing is that he wouldn't have a chance to play for Fiji outside of the WC, certainly not in high-profile matches. It's no wonder we see heritage players coming out of the woodwork at WC time because it's the only chance these nations get to play in high-profile matches. When Wales qualified for the 4N we saw the likes of Frizell emerging. Top players don't want to pay their own way and jeopardize their club commitments to play in shitty meaningless park matches. Give these nations relevant competition and a regular international schedule and I'm sure far more players would commit to their nations on a regular basis. The Tonga vs Samoa match this year was a start.

Yes thank you. Until we see all teams in regular competition every year we can't blame these players for the route they are taking. A lot of them will be playing for nothing in the World Cup, compared to Australian players who will get several grand per game.

I have Fijian-born teammates who were in the train-on squad for the last world cup and they aren't angry about heritage players playing for Fiji and taking their potential spots. They are excited about how players want to play for Fiji, how Fiji will go better and get more exposure and how it will grow Fijian RL.

 

[RedVee]

Maybe he would prefer to represent Australia, I don't see a problem with that, they're a strong team with a greater chance of success than Fiji, it's logical that players would want to play for the best teams. That doesn't mean he isn't committed to Fiji, and even if he isn't, that's a matter for the Fijian selectors and not us.

The more important thing is that he wouldn't have a chance to play for Fiji outside of the WC, certainly not in high-profile matches. It's no wonder we see heritage players coming out of the woodwork at WC time because it's the only chance these nations get to play in high-profile matches. When Wales qualified for the 4N we saw the likes of Frizell emerging. Top players don't want to pay their own way and jeopardize their club commitments to play in shitty meaningless park matches. Give these nations relevant competition and a regular international schedule and I'm sure far more players would commit to their nations on a regular basis. The Tonga vs Samoa match this year was a start.

Yes, we need a proper international schedule with a consistent approach to the "minor" nations and the pathway to the 4N. Inverted commas because I don't really like calling them minor, non-Top 3N doesn't flow very well though.

On your first paragraph, he was born, raised and schooled in Australia afaik, so yes he may view himself as Australian. But he is certainly eligble for Fiji, so good luck to him - he could help them along considerably, best case.

I'm wondering if Fiji will go past PNG as the natural Sthn Hemisphere 4th Nation?

 

[deal.with.it]

Fiji's current domestic development combined with a growing number of Fijian-born and Fiji heritage players playing in Australia could very well see them overcome PNG. Depending on WC results, they could face each other in a QF, the winner of which will most likely finish the highest out of southern hemisphere "non top 3" nations and subsequently book a place in the 2014 4 nations.

We'll never know which players would have stuck with minnow nations if there was regular competition, until there is regular competition.

I keep harping on about a couple things:
- 2 year stand down period
- Pacific and Euro Cups (with bowls and plates underneath)
- National Governing Bodies organizing their own mid year matches and not waiting for the NRL/RLIF to do the work for them (much like Canada, USA, Jamaica etc. do)

 

[roughyedspud]

uate will be playing in the world cup,who for depends on who selectd him...

 

[Springs]

Australia won't.

 

[roughyedspud]

exactly....so back to fiji he goes

 

[Bati 2013]

Fiji will be the dark horse of RLWC 2013.
Petero Civoniceva will have the fire power up
front to match any team . With Kane Evans, Tariq,
Ashton & Kobe Simms and workhorse Jason Bukuya
they ll trouble many teams.
Out wide they ll destroy defenses with Tuqiri,
Jacob Loko, Jarod Haynes , Marika Koroibete,
and Sisa Waqa ... Wait there s more .. Ben Barba
of the Bulldogs qualifies for Fiji through his mother s
heritage....what a weapon to add to our arsenal.
Our halves and hooker is covered in Api Kurisau (Souths) &
Arron Groome (half back) ....