Heighington the Lion

[Tigger Madness]

Just because he's in the train on squad doesnt mean he'll actually get a game. Lets wait and see before we start bashing the coach and the process.

 

[PARRA_FAN]

I dont really have a problem with it as I remember after they won the premiership in 05 that he wanted to play for GB.

He's a good player for the Tigers, although Im not sure if he'll get a start for Poms.

 

[deluded pom?]

Sounds deseperate..

My thoughts too. Desperation on both sides.

 

[NRL-TGG]

Good move I feel, Players who play in the NRL and are eligible for England putting their alliances to England can only be good for the quality of the English team which in recent years has been poor.

 

[RedVee]

next Oz will start picking players out of the ESL.
Gee England could have quite a few NRL players in the squad in the next couple of years. Takes a bit of the mystery out of it.

 

[deluded pom?]

Good move I feel, Players who play in the NRL and are eligible for England putting their alliances to England can only be good for the quality of the English team which in recent years has been poor.

It'll be Australia v Australia 'A' if we're not careful.

 

[nadera78]

He's clearly stated he wants to play for Australia and NSW. And been threatening to play for England for about 3 years if NSW don't select him. That's what I find insulting about all of this. He's not English and doesn't want to be. He just wants to play Test footie, and doesn't care who for.

 

[RedVee]

whats the answer then?
He obviously is entitled to put his hand up, even if we feel its a joke.

Should your "football life" be considered rather than your human life? ie he has played naught years in the English development/juniors system so he can't play for them because he is a product of the NSW development process so he is eligible only for Aust?
not suggesting this is my preferred model(it may be I haven't thought enough on it yet)
just putting it up for discussion.

 

[The Observer]

He's clearly stated he wants to play for Australia and NSW. And been threatening to play for England for about 3 years if NSW don't select him. That's what I find insulting about all of this. He's not English and doesn't want to be. He just wants to play Test footie, and doesn't care who for.

None of these statements are clear. Heighington may have said he wanted to play State of Origin. However, Adrian Morley, Sam Burgess, Sonny Bill Williams all said the same. Sonny Bill, Kieran Foran, Shaun Kenny Dowall all played NSW Under 17s before going on to play for the Kiwis. Benji Marshall played Australian Schoolboys before representing the Kiwis. Heighington would stand alongside a number of elite RL NZers and Englishmen who said they wanted to play State of Origin because they highly regarded the match intensity and media profile of the series.

 

[1 Eyed TEZZA]

It'll be Australia v Australia 'A' if we're not careful.

Why? because of Chris Heighington?

 

[NRL-TGG]

It'll be Australia v Australia 'A' if we're not careful.

It won't happen.

Having English players in the NRL will help the English team.

Not sure how it would become Australia 'A' though, those players are English.

 

[deluded pom?]

It won't happen.

Having English players in the NRL will help the English team.

Not sure how it would become Australia 'A' though, those players are English.

I meant the England coach actively seeking out Aussies with English heritage playing in the NRL rather than English players leaving the SLE to play in the NRL.