Papalii turns his back on Kiwis

[andrew057]

Beale, Hoffman, Pritchard and McKendry all born in Australia, yet in the NZ Squad.

 

[hutch]

The problem is blokes who move here when they're 15 and declare for Origin/Aus rather than their home country.

Exactly, and this has only happened twice in recent memory with Ben teo and uate. You could perhaps include Craig smith in this category although this was in the midst of the super league war and rules were bent!

 

[Fast Eddie]

So a kid who emigrates to Australia at the age of 6 can't be an Australian? He has the choice of two countries, it is up to him to decide! The majority of players who have links to both aus and NZ choose NZ, even if they have spent most of their lives in aus.

We will see how much NZ care about international rugby league when they pick Konrad Hurrell in their team over the next few years! Tony Kemp is the biggest hypocrit out there.

I doubt he is particularly Australian when just like Tamou 6 months ago he was saying he was a Kiwi through and through......until Mal finally got his way.

And for the record I would prefer Hurrell play for Tonga but tbh I don't care anymore, I say pick him if we are gonna start losing our top young players to SOO, we need every good young player we can get. If we don't stay competitive with Australia then even more players will choose SOC.

 

[edabomb]

Why should he be playing for NZ?

Are people saying wherever you are born is where your allegiance should be?

I think the issue in this case is more that he has been declaring himself a Kiwi for a couple of years. On the back end of some good form he is probably shown a pretty heft pay packet and is suddenly a Queenslander.

What makes it a mockery for me is the fact that had he been selected in the ANZAC test he would be a Kiwi - same as if Tamou had been selected for the Tri Nations last season. These guys aren't Aussies until the money comes into play.

International league is a pretty dead concept though so I'm not too worried either way.

 

[Fast Eddie]

Exactly, and this has only happened twice in recent memory with Ben teo and uate. You could perhaps include Craig smith in this category although this was in the midst of the super league war and rules were bent!

So if you move to Australia at 12 you can be Australian but not if you move there at 15/16?

 

[Iafeta]

I doubt he is particularly Australian when just like Tamou 6 months ago he was saying he was a Kiwi through and through......until Mal finally got his way.

And for the record I would prefer Hurrell play for Tonga but tbh I don't care anymore, I say pick him if we are gonna start losing our top young players to SOO, we need every good young player we can get. If we don't stay competitive with Australia then even more players will choose SOC.

Exactly.

Junior Kiwis international, and repeatedly said throughout the year he was a Kiwi. Much the same as James Tamou, repeatedly talked about wearing the black and white.

Quite right, he has both choices in terms of representation. But he's not really choosing to play for Australia. Playing for Australia is a means to an end to get the Origin payment and the exposure it creates in terms of boosting your ability to get a big collect on your next contract. That's professional sports to a tee I guess, they have limited time frames to rake in the dough, and that's exactly what he's doing. Judging by his comments, he couldn't give a flying F for playing in the green and gold, much like Tamou, he wants the cash. I don't blame the bloke at all, its just a farcical situation with a very uneven playing field.

 

[Iafeta]

Raiders young gun Josh Papalii knocks back Maroons Origin coach Mal Meninga to pledge allegiance to New Zealand
Chris Garry
The Courier-Mail
March 12, 2012 12:00AM

SORRY Mal, but you won't get this talent.

Queensland-raised 19-year-old hitman Josh Papalii has ignored overtures from Maroons coach Mal Meninga and pledged his allegiance to New Zealand.

Meninga tried to convince Papalii, the Canberra backrower, that his future was in the State of Origin arena with Queensland, the state he moved to from Auckland during primary school.


But Logan junior Papalii said his Kiwi roots meant too much to him and he formally put his hand up for a black jersey.

As a glimpse of what Queensland would be missing out on, the 108kg Papalii rocked Gold Coast players Mark Minichiello and Steve Michaels with big shoulder charges in the Raiders' 24-12 win on Saturday night.

Papalii joins Broncos stars Jack Reed, Gerard Beale and Josh Hoffman as talents who have shunned Queensland out of a desire to represent their country of heritage.

Papalii could be a bolter in Stephen Kearney's team for the Anzac Test in April.

Meninga, who is a coaching consultant at the Raiders, sat down with Papalii late last year to pitch his case.

Papalii said he was humbled by Meninga's approach, but had to go with his heart.

"I know now ... I'm Kiwi 100 per cent," Papalii said.

"I went on a tour with Junior Kiwis a few months ago and the bond amongst the boys was too strong. There was a lot of love there amongst my brothers and it's something I'm desperate to be a part of again."

With Queensland boasting only 21 per cent of players registered in the NRL, Meninga said it had got to the stage where he needed to work on players as young as 14 to have them commit to the Maroons.

Papalii said Junior Kiwis Lama Tasi and Sam Kasiano had made the "best decisions" for them in opting to declare allegiance to the Maroons.

Papalii said the choice would become increasingly difficult for young Kiwis as so many left for better opportunities across the ditch.

http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport...ong-to-be-maroon/story-e6frep5x-1226296393852

One has to admit, this is pretty embarrassing for the game, irrespective of one's own personal allegiances.

 

[KeepingTheFaith]

This shit again.

I'd have no problem with Papalii picking QLD if he had chosen QLD and then stuck to it from the start. The problem I have is when he and guys like Tamou come out and talk about how they're Kiwis, how they turned down Stuart/Meninga, how they want to have big games to impress selectors etc and then turn around and chose Origin like they never said it.

Part of this is the media, but the media isn't going to stop searching for a story no matter how repetitive it is. These kids need to learn to shut the f**k up until they make a decision.

From a Kiwi POV it's a little concerning. I know most people will blame Meninga, but what about the players agent? A lot of kids listen to their agent, and when confronted with that Origin carrot do the agents really give a f**k where his client comes from?

 

[edabomb]

I actually can't believe we chose guys like Alex Glenn over him for the ANZAC test. I thought at the time that this could come back to haunt us.

 

[Iafeta]

This shit again.

I'd have no problem with Papalii picking QLD if he had chosen QLD and then stuck to it from the start. The problem I have is when he and guys like Tamou come out and talk about how they're Kiwis, how they turned down Stuart/Meninga, how they want to have big games to impress selectors etc and then turn around and chose Origin like they never said it.

Part of this is the media, but the media isn't going to stop searching for a story no matter how repetitive it is. These kids need to learn to shut the f**k up until they make a decision.

From a Kiwi POV it's a little concerning. I know most people will blame Meninga, but what about the players agent? A lot of kids listen to their agent, and when confronted with that Origin carrot do the agents really give a f**k where his client comes from?

Yep, the players come out of it looking like massive idiots really.

I actually can't believe we chose guys like Alex Glenn over him for the ANZAC test. I thought at the time that this could come back to haunt us.

I see your point, but Alex Glenn thoroughly deserved his spot in the team.... it'd be a travesty if we have to go down the path of selecting Kiwis in ANY test just to ensure they can't be poached.

 

[Fast Eddie]

"I know now ... I'm Kiwi 100 per cent," Papalii said.

Players will have to start coming out and saying this to earn themselves an Australian Test jumper :lol:

 

[Usain Bolt]

Who cares, if he's even got to think about who he wants to play for I don't wanna see him in a Kiwis jersey

 

[some11]

I actually can't believe we chose guys like Alex Glenn over him for the ANZAC test. I thought at the time that this could come back to haunt us.

What? Glenn is an established part of the Kiwi squad, at least he actually wants to play for them.

Papalii sounds confused, he wont get picked for QLD/AUS anyway.

 

[edabomb]

What? Glenn is an established part of the Kiwi squad, at least he actually wants to play for them.

Papalii sounds confused, he wont get picked for QLD/AUS anyway.

I just rate him as a player more than Alex Glenn. Paps will be playing rep for the next ten years IMO.

 

[adamkungl]

Exactly, and this has only happened twice in recent memory with Ben teo and uate. You could perhaps include Craig smith in this category although this was in the midst of the super league war and rules were bent!

You could include cutie and Tamou, who moved over here when they were 11 and 13 respectively... it becomes a question of where do you draw the line.

I've previously suggested a junior state residency rule (5 yrs? 8 yrs?), to me that seems the best fit for State of Origin.

 

[andrew057]

Exactly.

Junior Kiwis international, and repeatedly said throughout the year he was a Kiwi. Much the same as James Tamou, repeatedly talked about wearing the black and white.

Quite right, he has both choices in terms of representation. But he's not really choosing to play for Australia. Playing for Australia is a means to an end to get the Origin payment and the exposure it creates in terms of boosting your ability to get a big collect on your next contract. That's professional sports to a tee I guess, they have limited time frames to rake in the dough, and that's exactly what he's doing. Judging by his comments, he couldn't give a flying F for playing in the green and gold, much like Tamou, he wants the cash. I don't blame the bloke at all, its just a farcical situation with a very uneven playing field.

The quote in my sig is from Papalii himself before the kiwis ever got in his ear to play for them.

"Im 100% Queensland" - Josh Papalii

 

[Iafeta]

Got a link to that andrew?

 

[Fast Eddie]

I fail to see how that means anything anyway. Find me a quote where he says he is 100% Australian, all it means is that a Kiwi is going to play for QLD. Congrats.

 

[Rod]

Haha what a joke. Obviously no one gives a stuff about the international game any more, it's all about the Queensland All-Stars vs NSW All-Stars.

Used to really enjoy Origin but meh.

 

[Big Pete]

:lol: If this turns out to be true I have to give props to andrew.

Stuck by his signature even when it looked bleak.