Pacific Championships 2024

[warriors 95]

I'd love this. Origin would fold even quicker. The sooner this tinpot concept dies the better

With investment and time a proper pacific cup tournament would more than match origin .

it could be huge and reach a far greater audience.

 

[NRLMad]

Any presumption that a person suddenly has to play for Australian due to the fact they were born here is a fallacy.

Yes, we are all Australians - but we have deep roots back to our home/heritages. Presuming also that the islands do not have more and more people replacing the current ones is also a fallacy. Australia will only pick a player to stockpile.

pay is the only reason they are playing for Australia

Example
- Nanai - he was one to the best second rowers in the game for 2 years. Will Australia pick him ever again?
- Tualagi
- …………….

 

[NRLMad]

why not just have internationals as the pinnacle of our game like every other sport?

I honestly don’t get this state of origin type mentality and love affair with some people within our game.

But why not have both? It makes no sense to remove origin which single handedly is a state vs state game. Anyone in nsw or qld either unites or will unite over it. It crosses codes and gets media attention as big as the grand final

 

[Usain Bolt]

I'd love this. Origin would fold even quicker. The sooner this tinpot concept dies the better

It won’t, we saw when the mid year tests were played at the same time as Origin, all the players chose Origin

 

[Clarkent]

It won’t, we saw when the mid year tests were played at the same time as Origin, all the players chose Origin

To be fair the island teams weren't as strong at the time. Origin isn't a trial for the kangaroos jersey anymore it's way bigger then that now. It's a spectacle and it's the biggest money maker for the game. Kangaroos will always be good even without Haas or Tino. They just won't be putting 50pts on Tonga and Samoa anymore

 

[Clarkent]

Personally I hope I live long enough (unlikely) to see Tonga and Samoa both go completely defunct due to a lack of qualified players. The idea that they add anything to the international game at all is a complete joke.

You should be more worried about the Samoan players in the Kiwis team. Sooner or later the Kiwis will be running out of pacific island talents. I hope they don't tbh but your statement makes me second guess myself now.

 

[titoelcolombiano]

Personally I hope I live long enough (unlikely) to see Tonga and Samoa both go completely defunct due to a lack of qualified players. The idea that they add anything to the international game at all is a complete joke.

The benefits of what these two sides are doing right now will be felt for generations to come on the islands. There is no possibility of this in any other sport. The impact that Luai, To'o, Chrichton, RTS, Taumololo, Andrew Fifita and co will influence the next generation of kids on the islands to choose Rugby League and make it the national sport in both countries.

The rules under which the current Samoan and Tongan players qualify for their nations are no different to Soccer or Union

1. Birth
2. Residency
3. Heritage (parent or grandparent)

On number 3, check out the Morrocan soccer team that finished in the top 4 of the last world cup. Or the Japanese Union team.

The only way RL differs is we allow the players of tier 2 nations to switch nations without penalty. And we've allowed it to kickstart new nations into the international game. With Samoa and Tonga now seemingly having instilled their own culture and passion for the jersey maybe they can now have this stipulation removed. But decoupling Origin eligibility from Australian eligibility for those born, raised and developed in NSW and QLD.

 

[titoelcolombiano]

Why can't we just a have a Islands of Origins, Polynesian V Melanesians and Isle of Origins(Nz) South Island V North Island... someone get me PVL's number.

Samoa v Tonga has all the colour, passion and genuine rivalry of Origin. It's right there in front of us. We just need to take it and market it to play it three times a year and it will fill stadiums. Bonus that both sides are stacked with throbbers right now.

One caveat, it won't work during Origin because these same throbbers are also NSWmen and QLDers.

 

[Matua]

In the long term it won’t help Tonga or Samoa.

Are we going to allow the Australian-born children of current ‘heritage’ players to play for those nations also?

They will have long since ceased being national representative teams by that point.

Some will be eligible through grandparent heritage, some wont, but it does address a point that at some stage we'll have Samoan players whose kids aren''t eligible for Samoa unless there's a parents played for a country rule in place. The it could go on forever.

 

[titoelcolombiano]

I love the international game more than any other form of RL, but Origin can't die. It is an absolute beast that makes shitloads of money for the game and the attention it generates is the envy of every other sport in Australia. The SOO series along with the Grand Final are the four games that transcend the game. We don't need to kill it, just bring some balance to everything.

1. Origin stand alone so as to not affect the NRL comp, play the old Pacific tests to allow the island nations to blood some younger talent, NZ can play England in a test series which is great for both. Women's Origin etc for content.

2. NRL season slightly shortened to allow for an international window ever year and look after the players as PVL has spoken about.

3. International tournaments after the GF which include pools of min 4 teams with P&R and a rotation of teams touring Europe which must include France as well as England.