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Papalii turns his back on Kiwis

Pete Cash

Pete Cash

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Mixmasterreece said:
He played for the junior kiwis you clown.
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Yes and no doubt he regrets that decision but he played for Queensland BEFORE that. That solitary game of not even rep RL is the only time he has ever laced up a boot with a side associated with NZ.

You guys are being precious. You will steal any one who has the slightest connection with New Zealand. This guy is Australian. He has lived in Australia for the vast majority of his life. He has only ever played RL for Australian clubs. You can cry about the money, you can cry about his word but at the end of the day he is Australian.
 
Pete Cash

Pete Cash

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Fast Eddie said:
He's Australian? He certainly didn't think so for the last 2 years.
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He was confused with the amount of pressure he was under. The decision should have been taken out of his hands and based on his connection with QRL he should have been forced to have been Australian from day 1. No issues, no tears.

The only connection he has to New Zealand is the fact he was born there. He has spent most of his life here. How much clearer cut can it be. If someone was born in NSW but moved to QLD when they were 6 and played all their RL up there it would be cut and dry who they were to represent at SOO. I can certainly understand why NZ would not want such a rule in place because they cannot produce talent themselves.
 
RecordBreakingMaroons.

RecordBreakingMaroons.

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To all of the outraged Blues fans:

How come none of you objected to Uate playing for NSW?

If Papa played rep footy for QLD first, he should have been prevented from playing rep footy for any other nation but Australia. When a player plays rep footy for any country, that is the country they play represent for life. QLD is part of Australia not New Zealand. Pap chose QLD. Papa should not have been allowed to play for NZ after making that decision.

Players need to treat representative football seriously. We need to halt altogether the ability to play for one country, then at RL World Cup time switch to another country. It is those grey areas at international level which are preventing clear cut rules to be applied at other times and occasions. Regulate just who plays for which World Cup team and we can finally get some clear definition at Test and representative levels.
 
Meth

Meth

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Pete Cash said:
He can't even remember living in NZ lol.

What if a player was born in Malta and moved to Australia when they were one and was entirely developed by NSWRL and an NRL club while having a connection to NSW. Should they be robbed of playing for the state they feel they belong to because of such ludicrous rules.

Here are the facts. Josh Papalii was entirely developed by QRL and the Raiders, Papalii represented Queensland at school boy level and uttered the quote about being entirely Queenslander. Then the hopeless wankers at New Zealand Rugby League who cannot produce a decent player themselves started putting the hooks in. Trying to pressure him based on his family connections with New Zealand. The right decision has been made. He is now going to play rep league with the people who developed him and who he actually remembers living in their country.

All the kiwi supporters in this thread are being precious. Why do they want someone playing for them who literally cannot remember living in their country ? That they haven't put a red cent into developing.
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WTF do the Raiders have to do with anything? :lol:

Leaving Papalii aside for a second- Australia is the centre of professional Rugby League. I have friends with 2 sons- 15 and 11. Both are exceptional Rugby League players? The 15 year old is already in the sights of Aussie clubs and the family are being encouraged (by the clubs) to move over to Australia to get into the Rugby League system. Assuming they progress as predicted, the boys will, in the future, be eligible for both QLD and Australia and, all things being even, be products of a developmental program in Australia...but literally the only reason they are moving to Australia is to pursue a profession in Rugby League.

Back to Papalii- the only reason he is making himself available for QLD and Australia is money. Just like Tamou. It's painstakingly obvious and excruciatingly awkward watching people try to contend otherwise.
 
Pete Cash

Pete Cash

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ozbash said:
NZ born you clown, wtf does that tell you ?

f**k you are thick !
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Who cares where someone was born. Do you need me to point out what a hypocritical buffoon you are being if thats your stance not just in RL but in many sports. BJ Watling was born in South Africa, Dean Brownlie Australia.

Give Australia back the Gold Medal that Mahe Drysdale won you clown.
 
Grapple

Grapple

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Pete Cash said:
He was confused with the amount of pressure he was under. The decision should have been taken out of his hands and based on his connection with QRL he should have been forced to have been Australian from day 1. No issues, no tears.
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Oh was he? :lol: Bloody oath. Selling out will do that to a man, and so it should.
 
Meth

Meth

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Pete Cash said:
Who cares where someone was born.
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We're on the same page there.

If Papalii hadn't of said 'I'm 100% Kiwi...the lure of home is too strong' and maintained all along that he wanted to play for Queensland and Australia, I'd have no issue. Take Willie Mason for example...no issue whatsoever with him not playing for NZ, despite being born there.

But it's painfully obvious why Papalii wants to play for Australia...and its not for the pride of the green and gold.
 
Meth

Meth

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I don't think Pete Cash cited Wiki without his tongue firmly in his cheek.
 
Pete Cash

Pete Cash

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And as I said if it is money then that is life. Do I need to point out that he needs to play 50 times for NZ to match one full series for QLD. That is A LOT of money. If he reaches his potential and plays 8 to 10 years of SOO football he would be losing potentially a million dollars or so.

It isn't Australias issue that we have the best RL set up in the world or that we pay ludicrous sums of money as fees for SOO. It is such a money earner that it wouldn't be fair if the players weren't taking a nice slice of the pie.

In many ways he is backing himself because he might not play origin. If he reaches what he should reach he will but he may never do it. Origin is the peak of RL in this country. What is the saddest thing about the entire debate is playing for Australia is a means to an end. If its about money, prestige or just actual love for Queensland it really doesn't matter its all the same in the end. There are possibly true blue Aussies who see playing for Australia as a means to get in on SOO. Thats not an issue with Josh Papalii thats how every person in Australia looks at rep football.

Look at the ratings, look at the hype. Those three games in the middle of the season are the peak of the game in this country. I think everyone understands how frustrated the poms and the kiwis get but how can you stop us enjoying SOO. International RL simply does not compete and its a bit of a self defeating thing because of the fact SOO lures in the best talent who can play so making sure international may never catch up.
 
Meth

Meth

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Yep- it's money. That's life. The green and gold jersey is as cheap as a prostitute's leggings.
 
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