Pacific Championships 2024

[titoelcolombiano]

Looks like the kangaroos just lost Payne Haas to Samoa. I won't be surprised if Tino Fa'asuamaleaui joins the Samoan team too

1. RTS
2. To'o
3. Chrichton
4. Tago
5. Tuilagi
6. Talagi
7. Luai
8. Haas
9. Levy
10. Utoikamanu
11. Nanai
12. Sua
13. Tino

Is that squad not going to be almost favourites to win the world cup in 2026? Holy shit

 

[isaiah]

Fox sports lab just displayed the worst stat ever. Sivo ran for 181 metres. Lol. No more than 65

 

[warriors 95]

1. RTS
2. To'o
3. Chrichton
4. Tago
5. Tuilagi
6. Talagi
7. Luai
8. Haas
9. Levy
10. Utoikamanu
11. Nanai
12. Sua
13. Tino

Is that squad not going to be almost favourites to win the world cup in 2026? Holy shit

RTS will be 33 and probably playing behind Fa’alogo.

im sure a few of the young warriors Samoan boys will be pushing for places in the matchday 17.

 

[Clarkent]

1. RTS
2. To'o
3. Chrichton
4. Tago
5. Tuilagi
6. Talagi
7. Luai
8. Haas
9. Levy
10. Utoikamanu
11. Nanai
12. Sua
13. Tino

Is that squad not going to be almost favourites to win the world cup in 2026? Holy shit

And then off the bench

14 Sua Faalogo
15 Spencer Leniu
16 Terell May
17 Heilum Luki

I'm more excited next year when Samoa faces Tonga. Imagine how physical that game would be.
I also saw a recent interview from Luai saying there's more players changing alliance to samoa, so don't be surprised if big NAS is one of them. Imagine Big Nas and Leniu off the bench

 

[Desert Qlder]

If you want to play Origin you have to play for Australia.

The bullshit needs to stop.

 

[NRLMad]

Why don’t we just go back to white Australia while we’re at it.

If you want to play Origin you have to play for Australia.

The bullshit needs to stop.

The real bullshit is that Australia has been stockpiling foreign players for their convenience for years. Using $ to force people to choose is not smart. They will choose Australia as they don’t have $$$ - if $$$ we’re not involved they would choose island nations hands down.

 

[Clarkent]

If you want to play Origin you have to play for Australia.

The bullshit needs to stop.

Y'all need to move on from this bs lol the games changed, the number of pacific islanders in the nrl has gone past 50% it's not like the old days when only white players played in the nrl lol get used to seeing 80% pacific islanders in both origin teams in 10 years.

 

[Black Panther]

The Islanders just use Origin for a cash grab, they shouldn’t be able to pick and choose who they play for and when it suits them. No Australia = no Origin for me too.

 

[RedVee]

Y'all need to move on from this bs lol the games changed, the number of pacific islanders in the nrl has gone past 50% it's not like the old days when only white players played in the nrl lol get used to seeing 80% pacific islanders in both origin teams in 10 years.

That’s fine if they are eligible they can play.

What I don’t like is the glee expressed when an Oz born and / or raised player decides to not play for Australia. Or the comments everywhere that X “should” play for “whichever other Nation”.

They actually have every right to choose to play for the country they grew up in.

I think it is a sad reflection on the country that so many do not see themselves as Australians. But that’s bigger than footy.

 

[Desert Qlder]

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.

 

[Mother Nature's Son]

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.

I think Samoa (pop.250k) have a better chance than Tonga (pop.150k) of eventually getting competitions and pathways in place to ensure a steady flow of players coming out of that country.
But yes, since the huge outflows of emigrants in those countries stopped after the post-war economic boom they certainly won`t be able to rely on large numbers of heritage players for much longer.
Gould did make an interesting observation last night saying that the island nations provide a lot of players for European union and the union sevens circuit, saying it is up to us now to provide the pathways and make it financially attractive enough to entice a lot of those players to pursue a career in League.

 

[Mother Nature's Son]

I think it is a sad reflection on the country that so many do not see themselves as Australians.

To be fair mate, I think, certainly in my case and I assume for many others, that excitement is only because of the possibility of those countries being more competitive and making the international game more exciting.
Very hard not to get excited when you see that potential Samoan team someone posted earlier and think of the matchups that will provide come quarter and semi-final time at the next WC.

What I don’t like is the glee expressed when an Oz born and / or raised player decides to not play for Australia. Or the comments everywhere that X “should” play for “whichever other Nation”.

Of course and then you get the other scenario when a mouth-breather like Andrew Johns runs through the Tongan team, like he did in the first three minutes of Friday`s test, of all the players that could be playing Origin next. Time and place Andrew.

 

[Manu Vatuvei]

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.

 

[RedVee]

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.

I think that is part of it now. At least it is for Origin. That the child of a rep player is eligible for that team. If that is the case I would expect a push to extend that to grandchildren of a rep player.

That would be a way to extend the heritage rules. BTW it would work for Ireland, Italy, Greece and Lebanon as well - I’m not singling out the Island nations.

 

[warriors 95]

And then off the bench

14 Sua Faalogo
15 Spencer Leniu
16 Terell May
17 Heilum Luki

I'm more excited next year when Samoa faces Tonga. Imagine how physical that game would be.
I also saw a recent interview from Luai saying there's more players changing alliance to samoa, so don't be surprised if big NAS is one of them. Imagine Big Nas and Leniu off the bench

In the pacific cup?

 

[warriors 95]

If you want to play Origin you have to play for Australia.

The bullshit needs to stop.

Origin sucks.

international RL is where it’s at and the future.

 

[Foreign Legion]

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.

 

[warriors 95]

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

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.

 

[Chins get the wins]

If you want to play Origin you have to play for Australia.

The bullshit needs to stop.

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

 

[Foreign Legion]

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.

I think it would be good, a pacific origin at least it eliminates the the need to play SOO and play for Australia when many of these players don't want too. As long as they players get paid roughly the same it could turn into a money spinner.