James Tamou - allegiance

[Meth]

But Frank P is a Kiwi who has Samoan heritage, right? Who's to say he shouldn't be able to represent both countries he has running through his blood with the same pride.

I think I said this in another thread, but it's situations like what which get allegiance all messy. You have guys like Goodwin who has NZ heritage, but who's father played for Aus. Is he a proud Kiwi? Probably not, but how do you prove that, and how can you deny him wanting to represent NZ when he has ties to the country?

In Tamou and Fiens case, things are more clear cut, they both have no ties to the country they represent other than residency (well, Fien had children born here, right? Might sway ones emotions, but that's by the by) which is a total crock.

Yes.

No problem with Pritchard at all. Nobody (sensible) is suggesting that you must only play for the country that you are born in. In the case of Fien and Tamou, they have neither blood nor birth to claim.

 

[shinobi]

But Frank P is a Kiwi who has Samoan heritage, right? Who's to say he shouldn't be able to represent both countries he has running through his blood with the same pride.

I think I said this in another thread, but it's situations like what which get allegiance all messy. You have guys like Goodwin who has NZ heritage, but who's father played for Aus. Is he a proud Kiwi? Probably not, but how do you prove that, and how can you deny him wanting to represent NZ when he has ties to the country?

In Tamou and Fiens case, things are more clear cut, they both have no ties to the country they represent other than residency (well, Fien had children born here, right? Might sway ones emotions, but that's by the by) which is a total crock.

Dont get me wrong i love Frank the Tank and had no issue with him playing for Samoa as i think hes been a monster in the Kiwis team and done the black jersey proud just think it would be hard to come out and come out and rag on someone when he very nearly left us. Guess its different cos he thought his Kiwi days were over.

 

[tangalife]

But Frank P is a Kiwi who has Samoan heritage, right? Who's to say he shouldn't be able to represent both countries he has running through his blood with the same pride.

I think I said this in another thread, but it's situations like what which get allegiance all messy. You have guys like Goodwin who has NZ heritage, but who's father played for Aus. Is he a proud Kiwi? Probably not, but how do you prove that, and how can you deny him wanting to represent NZ when he has ties to the country?

In Tamou and Fiens case, things are more clear cut, they both have no ties to the country they represent other than residency (well, Fien had children born here, right? Might sway ones emotions, but that's by the by) which is a total crock.

Most of the aussies that play for us is simply because they know they will never make origin or australia sides so they just come play for us thanks to their great grandmas nephews cousin who was a kiwi, or residency. One person who will be kicking themselves now is Jason Nightingale who would probably be in the NSW set up nowadays, but he wasn't that great of a player for his first few years.

 

[Glen from the Mount]

Most of the aussies that play for us is simply because they know they will never make origin or australia sides so they just come play for us thanks to their great grandmas nephews cousin who was a kiwi, or residency. One person who will be kicking themselves now is Jason Nightingale who would probably be in the NSW set up nowadays, but he wasn't that great of a player for his first few years.

Surely Nightingale could change to represent NSW & Australia if he really wanted to. Others have done it, most recently Uate. Whats to stop him doing the same? - Probably the fact that he regards himself as a kiwi and wants to continue playing for the Kiwis.

 

[shinobi]

Aint Nightingale Maori? Same as Goodwin? I've got no issue with a Maori fulla born in Oz wanting to represent NZ.

 

[RHYTHM AND STEALTH]

Hoffman, Nightengale, Pritchard, Cayless etc are all Kiwis through their bloodlines in their families. Fien and Webb got in through residency. Tamou is not a Aussie hes a Kiwi, no bloodlies at all just a resident of aussie like myself.

i think JWH will be the one to sort him out. if no one does im sure the maroons will in Origin

 

[ozbash]

Former NRL coach Daniel Anderson has a solution for solving the puzzle of which nations rugby league players can represent.
Let’s start with a talented NRL player named Feleti Mateo. Under current eligibility guidelines and criteria, Feleti qualifies for Australia under birth status. He also qualifies for Tonga under his father’s birth status, he qualifies for England under his mum’s birth status and in September 2013 he will qualify for New Zealand under residency status.
Since from November 2011, the Australian Rugby League Commission (ARLC) will now decide which team players are eligible to play for (NSW/QLD Origin and City/Country Origin) with players answering 5 questions to assist the ARLC process. These questions are:
1. In which State was the player born?
2. In which State did the player play rugby league for the majority of years aged 6-18 inclusive?
3. In which State did the player spend the majority of years at school years K-12?
4. In which State did the player first play rugby league in a State run Junior Rep competition aged 15 years or above?
5. For which State did the player first play rugby league at a School Representative level?
These questions suggest that Feleti Mateo is eligible for City Origin and NSW Origin representation.
The ARLC have also implemented a similar process to assist in the decision making process for eligibility of the impending NSW 20’s Origin v QLD 20’s Origin fixture. It’s a step in the right direction.
The Rugby League International Federation (RLIF) have the onerous task of eligibility in the international arena. This is very difficult, but currently eligibility can be determined by player birth, parents birth, grandparents birth and residency. Add to this that during a period between World Cups (currently this is 2008-2013) players can change their allegiance once.
This week James Tamou has highlighted the challenge the RLIF faces with eligibility, but each case must be treated on its own as many of our players have multiple eligibility possibilities. It’s not just black and white as some would suggest.
In my opinion, rugby league has a bigger international eligibility and selection problem and this is for the developing nations who want to participate in international rugby league. Developing nations are all nations who participate at the international level outside of the ‘big three’: Australia, New Zealand and England.
The eligibility for international rugby league is not significantly different from other world sports but rugby league is essentially controlled by England, New Zealand and Australia. The current eligibility guidelines are detrimental to the developing nations as the player selection pool is severely limited as the ‘big three’ dominate international destinations of players.
Consider that most NRL player contracts include bonuses for international representation of the ‘big three’, revenue streams in those nations are light years ahead and clubs in both hemispheres frown upon developing nations fixtures in the off-season as it impacts upon their rest period. (The ‘big three’ play their fixtures in this same period too).
I have been associated with club, ‘big three’ and developing nation (in my case Samoa) rugby league utopias. I have spoken to Nigel Vagana - a passionate Kiwi and Samoan representative who has a solution which fits rugby league.
Here it is:
TWO TIER ELIGIBILITY
Tier 1 - Australia, New Zealand and England
Tier 2 - All others (eg Samoa, Tonga, France, PNG, Russia, Lebanon, USA, etc)
Guidelines:
• Once you play for a Tier 1 nation, you cannot move to another Tier 1 nation ever (no sideways movement).
• Once you have played for a Tier 2 nation, you cannot play for another Tier 2 nation ever (no sideways movement)
• In any calendar year, if a player is not named in a Tier 1 team, then he is eligible to drop down and play for a Tier 2 team. (You can move up/down between your Tier 1/Tier 2 nation that you have represented).
I understand it’s not easy for clubs to swallow that players may be injured playing for developing nations, but they are insured. This weekend, there are no NRL fixtures. It is a standalone rep weekend for the Kangaroos and Kiwis as well as City and Country. What’s wrong with staging games like Samoa v Tonga in Brisbane, Fiji v Cook Islands in Suva and Italy v Lebanon at Parramatta?
Why can’t we stage an international festival this weekend?
Has anyone asked someone like Feleti Mateo, Anthony Minichiello or Frank Pritchard if they are not selected for Australia (or City/NSW) or New Zealand if they would like to play for Tonga, Italy or Samoa, without reprisals?
You can follow Daniel Anderson on Twitter, Facebook and on ABC Grandstand.

http://www.nrl.com/grandstanding-fi...nefield/tabid/10874/newsid/66973/default.aspx

 

[tangalife]

i dont know if JWH will. Tamou said he congratulated him on making the Aus team lol. Altho Tamou did say after that he doesn't expect JWH to be so friendly on the field. This guy was probably made boys with some of the squad last year while he was in it so he might get left alone.

I take back my statement about jason nightingale. Just read an article where he was trying to decide who he wanted to play for. He said the 2005 four nations win is what did it, said it made him proud to be a kiwi and said he grew up wanting to play for the kiwis (sounds like James Tamou LOL)... his parents, who are kiwis, now live over here and he played a bit of rugby over here when he was younger (born and bred in aus though).

 

[Fire]

It will be ironic if he gets injured in the near future and is unable to play for NSW.

 

[tangalife]

Former NRL coach Daniel Anderson has a solution for solving the puzzle of which nations rugby league players can represent.
Let’s start with a talented NRL player named Feleti Mateo. Under current eligibility guidelines and criteria, Feleti qualifies for Australia under birth status. He also qualifies for Tonga under his father’s birth status, he qualifies for England under his mum’s birth status and in September 2013 he will qualify for New Zealand under residency status.
Since from November 2011, the Australian Rugby League Commission (ARLC) will now decide which team players are eligible to play for (NSW/QLD Origin and City/Country Origin) with players answering 5 questions to assist the ARLC process. These questions are:
1. In which State was the player born?
2. In which State did the player play rugby league for the majority of years aged 6-18 inclusive?
3. In which State did the player spend the majority of years at school years K-12?
4. In which State did the player first play rugby league in a State run Junior Rep competition aged 15 years or above?
5. For which State did the player first play rugby league at a School Representative level?
These questions suggest that Feleti Mateo is eligible for City Origin and NSW Origin representation.
The ARLC have also implemented a similar process to assist in the decision making process for eligibility of the impending NSW 20’s Origin v QLD 20’s Origin fixture. It’s a step in the right direction.
The Rugby League International Federation (RLIF) have the onerous task of eligibility in the international arena. This is very difficult, but currently eligibility can be determined by player birth, parents birth, grandparents birth and residency. Add to this that during a period between World Cups (currently this is 2008-2013) players can change their allegiance once.
This week James Tamou has highlighted the challenge the RLIF faces with eligibility, but each case must be treated on its own as many of our players have multiple eligibility possibilities. It’s not just black and white as some would suggest.
In my opinion, rugby league has a bigger international eligibility and selection problem and this is for the developing nations who want to participate in international rugby league. Developing nations are all nations who participate at the international level outside of the ‘big three’: Australia, New Zealand and England.
The eligibility for international rugby league is not significantly different from other world sports but rugby league is essentially controlled by England, New Zealand and Australia. The current eligibility guidelines are detrimental to the developing nations as the player selection pool is severely limited as the ‘big three’ dominate international destinations of players.
Consider that most NRL player contracts include bonuses for international representation of the ‘big three’, revenue streams in those nations are light years ahead and clubs in both hemispheres frown upon developing nations fixtures in the off-season as it impacts upon their rest period. (The ‘big three’ play their fixtures in this same period too).
I have been associated with club, ‘big three’ and developing nation (in my case Samoa) rugby league utopias. I have spoken to Nigel Vagana - a passionate Kiwi and Samoan representative who has a solution which fits rugby league.
Here it is:
TWO TIER ELIGIBILITY
Tier 1 - Australia, New Zealand and England
Tier 2 - All others (eg Samoa, Tonga, France, PNG, Russia, Lebanon, USA, etc)
Guidelines:
• Once you play for a Tier 1 nation, you cannot move to another Tier 1 nation ever (no sideways movement).
• Once you have played for a Tier 2 nation, you cannot play for another Tier 2 nation ever (no sideways movement)
• In any calendar year, if a player is not named in a Tier 1 team, then he is eligible to drop down and play for a Tier 2 team. (You can move up/down between your Tier 1/Tier 2 nation that you have represented).
I understand it’s not easy for clubs to swallow that players may be injured playing for developing nations, but they are insured. This weekend, there are no NRL fixtures. It is a standalone rep weekend for the Kangaroos and Kiwis as well as City and Country. What’s wrong with staging games like Samoa v Tonga in Brisbane, Fiji v Cook Islands in Suva and Italy v Lebanon at Parramatta?
Why can’t we stage an international festival this weekend?
Has anyone asked someone like Feleti Mateo, Anthony Minichiello or Frank Pritchard if they are not selected for Australia (or City/NSW) or New Zealand if they would like to play for Tonga, Italy or Samoa, without reprisals?
You can follow Daniel Anderson on Twitter, Facebook and on ABC Grandstand.

http://www.nrl.com/grandstanding-fi...nefield/tabid/10874/newsid/66973/default.aspx

However this doesn't solve players who have to pick between Origin and Non-Aus countries. However I would like to hear dual eligbillty players thoughts on this?

 

[Philip_Smith007]

However this doesn't solve players who have to pick between Origin and Non-Aus countries. However I would like to hear dual eligbillty players thoughts on this?

It doesnt, so what needs to happen is a NZ equivalent in the form of above Bombays and below as has been mentioned here many times before. if Tamou is after money he will be off to union in France at the end of his contract.

 

[Blair]

Tamou needs to get busier in these rep games, last night he was a bit of a passenger. I'd hate to think his heart isn't in it? (but don't think so). He looked like he was about to cry on the sideline at the end (where he spent the last fifteen minutes or so - notice Stuart kept him off when the heat was on).

He's either holding himself back or he's overrated. One or the other.

 

[dpnz1]

What game were you watching? Tamou played well last night..

 

[aqua_duck]

I think Stuart just wanted his old heads in there at the end. I hope NSW stick with a front row rotation of Tamou, Grant, Merrin and bring Woods in, that's foundations of a very good pack

 

[KeepingTheFaith]

Stuart likes his mobile packs.

Grant played 27 minutes, Merrin 21 minutes, and Tamou 41 minutes so I'd say it's more to do with Stuart than anything else.

Having said that, in both games I thought his second stint was well below what he produced in his first. He rips in early, but then struggles to get back to that when he comes on a second time. Maybe burning too much nervous energy so the rest does little good.

 

[Scott]

What about him singing Advance Australia Fair. Seriously!

The merkin is going to wake up one day and realise he has made the biggest mistake of his life.

Good riddance!

 

[hitman82]

What about him singing Advance Australia Fair. Seriously!

The merkin is going to wake up one day and realise he has made the biggest mistake of his life.

Good riddance!

Good player. But he's a bit of a joke really.
I enjoyed playing spot the odd one out when NSW were in their team huddles last night.

 

[ozbash]

What about him singing Advance Australia Fair. Seriously!

The merkin is going to wake up one day and realise he has made the biggest mistake of his life.

Good riddance!

Disgraceful.

 

[aqua_duck]

What about him singing Advance Australia Fair. Seriously!

The merkin is going to wake up one day and realise he has made the biggest mistake of his life.

Good riddance!

Not as of a joke as Brent Webb and Nathan Fien doing the haka

 

[hitman82]

Not as of a joke as Brent Webb and Nathan Fien doing the haka

Actually, it's exactly the same thing.

Arguably, Fien and Webb were less of a joke, as they chose to represent their adopted country. Tamou himself admitted he only chose to play for Australia in order to gain NSW selection, and the associated pay cheque.
Fien and Webb aren't Kiwis, but at least they did it for the love of this country. As opposed to tamou, who did it as a

career move

for the cash. No soul in his decision, and there will be no heart in the way he plays.