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I will not be silent about this

spinnerhowland

Juniors
Messages
788
I do not care if the guys who missed out played for the AMNRL of the USARL, the bottom line is the selection of the USA National Team is a total joke, and I can tell you FIRST HAND as an owner of a team in the USA that it has dealt a HUGE blow to the development of the sport here.
The USA Team Manager needs to find some courage and do the right thing about this.
If the USA National Rugby LEAGUE team selectors ever wanted to encourage domestic players in the USA to consider trying their hand at 7's Rugby UNION, then this is the best thing they could have done. No matter how good a player you are, or how much time you dedicate to LEAGUE in the USA, you are going to be overlooked and replaced with some guys who have NEVER ONCE played on US Soil and do no have a USA Passport. You really do have a better chance at making the USA 7's UNION team for the Olympics!! Again, not the players, the SELECTORS and the RULES that govern selection for the Rugby League World Cup 2013 RLWC.
How about finding some courage to do the right thing!!
 

Evil Homer

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
7,178
Edit: I've found the squad.

564416_10151949029622068_1415744471_n.jpg


I've barely heard of any of those players. The fact that guys like Pope, Shorten, the Clark brothers, Cunz, Taylor Welch, O'Malveney, Wiggins, Muliumu etc have missed out is a joke.
 
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paulmac

Juniors
Messages
776
As American as sauerkraut. I'm asking the same questions about the Scottish side,how many are American born or have played league in the US?
 

Evil Homer

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
7,178
Anyone have the player's clubs and what comps they play in?
From what I can gather, Duralto, Farley and Soloai are American RU players, and I think Tagaloa is from Hawaii. Garvey, Priestley and Hume are from AMNRL clubs but I know the latter is an Aussie who qualifies on residency. I believe Offerdahl used to play for an AMNRL club but has also played in France, no idea of his heritage. Cantoni plays in France.

Obviously Newton, McGoldrick and the Paulo brothers are first graders from Australia, and Matt Petersen is a retired first grader. I believe the rest are all from the Queensland Cup or play park footy.

I could understand if it was a bunch of superstars like the Italy squad, but TBH the standard that some of these players are playing at surely isn't much higher than the USA comps. The fact that they've selected them ahead of the legit American players is an insult, and a real shame because I thought they'd turned a corner with the new administration. Especially after the likes of Pope and Cunz had featured prominently in the build-up and been interviewed on the official WC website etc, to omit them at this stage for a bunch of park players from Australia is kind of pathetic TBH.
 
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Packy

Bench
Messages
4,243
Oi if there is a plyer called Cunz then it is absolutely imperative that he plays.
 

deal.with.it

Juniors
Messages
2,086
Not kind of pathetic, it is pathetic.
The fact that Niu, Vassy, Flint, Johnson, Smith are not accessible or accountable is shit!
 

adamkungl

Immortal
Messages
42,955
Oh well, won't be cheering for them. It's a shitty way to select a side and the worst part is it won't even get them results, that side will be slaughtered by any passable team
 

CQ Italia

Juniors
Messages
1,143
It is fair to say both American and Italian situations are very familiar.

Development activity only small despite going at it for close to 20 years, online press releases talking up domestic development big time, heritage players to the rescue, no loyalty to a majority of the players that helped qualify and splits. Among other things.
 

Evil Homer

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
7,178
Not kind of pathetic, it is pathetic.
The fact that Niu, Vassy, Flint, Johnson, Smith are not accessible or accountable is shit!
I don't think Niu and Vassy are involved anymore, Ben Kelly has been the coach for the Colonial Cup matches and I assume is responsible here too.
 

Evil Homer

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
7,178
It is fair to say both American and Italian situations are very familiar.

Development activity only small despite going at it for close to 20 years, online press releases talking up domestic development big time, heritage players to the rescue, no loyalty to a majority of the players that helped qualify and splits. Among other things.
I don't think that's fair at all, USA has a strong domestic scene, probably one of the best outside of the traditional nations which makes the decision to pack the team with Aussie park footy players even more baffling. At least Italy's squad is filled with top players who will contribute to the comptition and bring credibility to the national side. These nuffies aren't going to achieve anything except for pissing off legitimate American players who deserve a shot. I don't mind the likes of the Paulos, McGoldrick, Newton etc being included but when you've got blokes from the local Newcastle comp and a guy who retired four years ago in there then it really is an insult.
 

paulmac

Juniors
Messages
776
Matt Petersen and Dave Marandos inclusions are the biggest jokes.A druggie who retired four years ago and a suburban A grade player who wouldnt be that much better than someone from the AMNRL or USARL.
 

CQ Italia

Juniors
Messages
1,143
I don't think that's fair at all, USA has a strong domestic scene, probably one of the best outside of the traditional nations which makes the decision to pack the team with Aussie park footy players even more baffling. At least Italy's squad is filled with top players who will contribute to the comptition and bring credibility to the national side. These nuffies aren't going to achieve anything except for pissing off legitimate American players who deserve a shot. I don't mind the likes of the Paulos, McGoldrick, Newton etc being included but when you've got blokes from the local Newcastle comp and a guy who retired four years ago in there then it really is an insult.

Yes the USARL has a strong domestic scene, but how many forfeits did AMNRL have? Not talking about player quality here as they are all roughly the same.

There could almost be an American Samoa team in future...
 

PacificCoastRL

Juniors
Messages
316
I can't believe that anyone could think it was going to be any different than this. Seriously, hasn't recent history taught anybody anything about these idiots running the Tomahawks. I agree that Niu is likely not involved at all, but his ties to Australia are still part and parcel of the Tomahawks program. Some of his cronies are still there remember. And I wouldn't be surprised, if one were to dig deeply, that most of the players have some connection to Niu. Even the Paulos - Niu selected Matt Elliot as coach previously, Elliot selected (or enticed the Paulos), so they are been repaid with a World Cup appearance. I'll bet a scenario similar to that can be found for nearly every player on the team. Get ready Spinner, you'll need to be in damage control mode for the next few years.
 

gyallop

Juniors
Messages
551
lots of laughs here but Homer I love this one best.

"the standard that some of these players are playing at surely isn't much higher than the USA comps"

Have you ever seen a game in the USA?

Have you ever seen a Qld Cup game in Australia?
 

paulmac

Juniors
Messages
776
Yes the USARL has a strong domestic scene, but how many forfeits did AMNRL have? Not talking about player quality here as they are all roughly the same.

There could almost be an American Samoa team in future...

I would support that and maybe even a Hawaiian team if it means the US may have to develop their own players, rather relying on players with some tenuous link to America.
 

league13

Juniors
Messages
278
Iv'e always been dead against this kind of selection and can sympathise with Spinner.He has done the correct thing by speaking out about it.
 

Evil Homer

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
7,178
lots of laughs here but Homer I love this one best.

"the standard that some of these players are playing at surely isn't much higher than the USA comps"

Have you ever seen a game in the USA?

Have you ever seen a Qld Cup game in Australia?
How many of these players are in the Queensland Cup, and how many are in local A grade comps? Why would you go out of your way to select substandard ringers who won't contribute anything ahead of locals who would at least benefit from the experience?

Even 3 or 4 blokes from the USARL or AMNRL as part of the squad would have been a boost for the game, and wouldn't have harmed the team's chances at all. As it is, the only legit Americans I can see in there with no ties to Australia are RU players.

Pretty sad and predictable though that you'd find it funny that the AMNRL have once again disgraced the sport and spit in the face of the people who are legitimately working to develop RL in America.
 
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