NZ perspective on Samoa

[nadera78]

If I was a Kiwi I'd find all of this slightly disturbing. All of these players are turning around and saying "well, we've played for NZ in the past but we aren't really New Zealanders at heart. We were only playing for you because we were offered the chance and there was no-one better around for us to play for." It does raise questions about the nature of New Zealand.

I mean, Robbie Farrah has essentialy said that he's an Aussie with Lebanese heritage. These guys are satying they are Samoans who just hapened to be born in NZ. I guess it's a bit like a lot of asian kids in the UK, but it does raise questions about the game in NZ.

 

[screeny]

If I was a Kiwi I'd find all of this slightly disturbing. All of these players are turning around and saying "well, we've played for NZ in the past but we aren't really New Zealanders at heart. We were only playing for you because we were offered the chance and there was no-one better around for us to play for." It does raise questions about the nature of New Zealand.

I mean, Robbie Farrah has essentialy said that he's an Aussie with Lebanese heritage. These guys are satying they are Samoans who just hapened to be born in NZ. I guess it's a bit like a lot of asian kids in the UK, but it does raise questions about the game in NZ.

That's a very interesting point.

Add to that the recent comments by Bob Bailey criticising players for not really caring about the Kiwi jumper and pessimists among us may be crying "crisis of confidence!" at the NZRL.

Plus Moi Moi offering himself to the market, and his mate Tuiaki saying "I'll play where Fui Fui plays" and you might be onto something.

Benji actually had to wear another nation's strip before he 'felt' Kiwi so, yes, what is NZRL's identity?

 

[deluded pom?]

I agree, OZ vs NZ year after year can get a bit stale. Especially when we towel them up 58-0 in NZ.

Beating Samoa 58-0 would be a refreshing change. But if the whole notion of half hearted Islanders who don't truly care as much in playing for NZ, then if they play for Samoa they might actually have a dig.

Meeow! Were you drinking milk when you typed this? I think nadera78 should pronounce your shortened name for you in his London accent. U Cant. :lol:

 

[playdaball]

Fantastic to at last see a strong Samoan side. Success will result in Samoans taking RL 'seriously' in the Islands and will also have positive affects in NZ/Australia, amongst Samoans living there.

I agree that the IRL needs to look at their rules as it is not healthy seeing players jump from country to country.

The NZRL also needs to look at itself and try to identify why players are willing to switch nations. At the last WC many players were going to switch from NZ to Samoa but the administrators stepped in and sorted it out. I am unsure if the current reigme would be able to do this.

This Samoan side will test the big 3 NEXT YEAR.

Folk in Australia and the UK may forget the fact that Auckland has the biggest Polynesian population in the world. Many PI play RL and make up a large % of NZ's playing numbers.

 

[yakstorm]

A strong Samoan and Tongan sides are good for the game, I don't think anyone would argue against that, but having competitive Island sides really can't come as the detriment to the NZ side, like it or not, NZ offer more to the game fiscally than the Island nations can.

Clearly the NZRL is in trouble, they let go a coach who was able to convince a player like Stacey Jones to come back and play twice, keep guys like Ruben and Vagana in the squad past when they wanted to, clearly he had the respect of the players, and honestly I don't think it was because he was the best technical coach, I think it was just cause he loved that Kiwi strip so much, the enthusiasm rubbed off on the players.

They are now having a bit of a player backlash, with some players swapping allegiance, others not showing confidence in the coach, and you have a sponsor like Lion Nathan, who have been sponsoring NZRL since 1956, wanting to pull out... I'm sorry but any company who has had over 50 years of involvement in your sport needs to be kept unless a rival has come in with a huge offer, which in this case hasnt' happened.

 

[roopy]

A strong Samoan and Tongan sides are good for the game, I don't think anyone would argue against that, but having competitive Island sides really can't come as the detriment to the NZ side, like it or not, NZ offer more to the game fiscally than the Island nations can.

Clearly the NZRL is in trouble, they let go a coach who was able to convince a player like Stacey Jones to come back and play twice, keep guys like Ruben and Vagana in the squad past when they wanted to, clearly he had the respect of the players, and honestly I don't think it was because he was the best technical coach, I think it was just cause he loved that Kiwi strip so much, the enthusiasm rubbed off on the players.

They are now having a bit of a player backlash, with some players swapping allegiance, others not showing confidence in the coach, and you have a sponsor like Lion Nathan, who have been sponsoring NZRL since 1956, wanting to pull out... I'm sorry but any company who has had over 50 years of involvement in your sport needs to be kept unless a rival has come in with a huge offer, which in this case hasnt' happened.

In the long run, great games against Samoa and Tonga will add to the appeal of the product, not take away from it.

 

[Iafeta]

That's a very interesting point.

Add to that the recent comments by Bob Bailey criticising players for not really caring about the Kiwi jumper and pessimists among us may be crying "crisis of confidence!" at the NZRL.

Plus Moi Moi offering himself to the market, and his mate Tuiaki saying "I'll play where Fui Fui plays" and you might be onto something.

Benji actually had to wear another nation's strip before he 'felt' Kiwi so, yes, what is NZRL's identity?

Benji played for the Australian schoolboys didn't he? Which he was. To me, that side is a locality representative based team rather than a allegiance based team.

But you are right, it's disturbing, it's sad, but it's not only sad from a NZRL perspective, it's sad from an international league perspective that there is an allegiance merry go around going around.

 

[deluded pom?]

The preference would be for the PI nations teams to get stronger but not at the expense of weakening New Zealand so much that they in fact become one of the "second tier" countries themselves. These are trying times for New Zealand RL.

 

[nadera78]

When the Aussies starte trying to round up Kiwis like Sonny Bill and Benji the NZRL decided that they needed to act early to ensure they got hold of all the Kiwi eligible players before the Aussies could bend their ears. And it's been successful in that a large number of guys who relocated to Aus as kids have pledged for the Kiwis, but so have guys born and bred in Aus with just a tiny connection to NZ.

Guys like Frank Pritchard and Ben Roberts have very tenuous NZ connections. Do they really feel the same way about playing for the Kiwis as other players? Maybe it's me, but they (and some others) really don't look as though they particularly care one way or another.

Looking at my own team, if we get beaten every game, well then we obviously aren't good enough, but the botom line is the guys must put in 100% ever time they go on the field. Pride is at stake. I don't see that fom some KIwi players.