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Knock-on Effect NSW Cup - Eels Team

84 Baby

Referee
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29,653
They are just bigger and stronger.
Whilst I agree that Pasifika’s are evolutionary predisposed to rugba leeg physically, I’ll draw you’re attention to sumos and the entire Southern Asian stretch natural aptitude for things like weightlifting and boxing. And why isn’t there are greater population within the NRL of players of African descent, certain nationalities of whom are also physically predisposed to being “good” at leeg? Why are the less sizeable indigenous Australians still very prevalent in leeg?
 

84 Baby

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29,653
It's not just about size but athleticism too.
My point was while they have the genetics to be good at it, there are certainly other nationalities who’d have the same athletic advantages. However unlike the Pasifikas, they didn’t grow up playing the less foot based footballs, they grew up punching people, or lifting shit, or cricket, or Greco-Roman wrestling, or throwing heavy shit, or being part of armed suppression of the general population, or armed anti-government militants. Doesn’t mean that after awhile integrated into a society that has a developed rugba leeg support system that they can’t transition those skills into it.
 

Poupou Escobar

Post Whore
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91,125
My point was while they have the genetics to be good at it, there are certainly other nationalities who’d have the same athletic advantages. However unlike the Pasifikas, they didn’t grow up playing the less foot based footballs, they grew up punching people, or lifting shit, or cricket, or Greco-Roman wrestling, or throwing heavy shit, or being part of armed suppression of the general population, or armed anti-government militants. Doesn’t mean that after awhile integrated into a society that has a developed rugba leeg support system that they can’t transition those skills into it.
I'm sure we'll eventually see an NRL player of South Asian ancestry, I just don't think there'll ever be many of them.

One of the reasons for this is the socio-economic status of the typical Indian immigrant. These people aren't refugees, they are skilled migrants. Not really the demographic for letting their kids get bashed on a rugby league field.
 

Poupou Escobar

Post Whore
Messages
91,125
Unless we count PNG, I'm not sure that there are any at the moment?

Alex Chan (now a Wenty coach I think) is the last NRL player that I can recall of (partial...great grandfather) Asian descent. Though Gutho's hair does make me wonder.
Unlike Alex Chan, Mason Lino at least looks like he has East Asian ancestry.
 

84 Baby

Referee
Messages
29,653
I'm sure we'll eventually see an NRL player of South Asian ancestry, I just don't think there'll ever be many of them.

One of the reasons for this is the socio-economic status of the typical Indian immigrant. These people aren't refugees, they are skilled migrants. Not really the demographic for letting their kids get bashed on a rugby league field.
I went to a school that was half Indian. There was a group of them that played leeg. The real problem I saw is that the ones who were decent athletically usually played a metric f**k ton of cricket.
 
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19,383
I went to a school that was half Indian. There was a group of them that played leeg. The real problem I saw is that the ones who were decent athletically usually played a metric f**k ton of cricket.

So did I for a few years. Up at Woolgoolga. Largely Sikh people who came over after WWII to farm bananas that had been taken off the German population.
 

Delboy

First Grade
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7,537
Strangely enough, my son played junior reps at Parra and there were 2 Vietnamese brothers who made the teams, not sure why the numbers tailed off. When playing school age group, the teams from the Cabra area always had Asian players. That was in the late 80s early 90s, probably not enough was done to encourage their participation at the time.
 
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19,383
someone took all the german's bananas? ... no wonder they started a war

Well actually I think they stole the Germans bananas after WWI, and then gave them to some Italians. But then they took the Italians bananas after they picked the wrong team in WWII. Or something like that.
 
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