RLWC17 squads

[Bobby DIGital]

WTF @ Taumalolo...HUH?

 

[tumbidragon]

How about taumalolo turning he's back on kiwis! Holy shit! Now we know why these eligibility rules makes sense

Who's he playing for?

 

[adamkungl]

It's another nail in NZ's coffin. And quite possibly the tournament and IRL in general. I'm sure some people will love players from the big three choosing second tier nations but it's only NZ that is suffering and we need them to provide Australia with competition otherwise it will be even more of a one horse race.

lol.

 

[PARRA_FAN]

It'll make other nations stronger.

Whats JT's reason for opting to play for Tonga?

 

[Jim from Oz]

The source of this ????

 

[Bobby DIGital]

It'll make other nations stronger.

Whats JT's reason for opting to play for Tonga?

It's been reported that he's mad at Kidwell for dropping Bromwich & Proctor.

TBH, I've been saying Kidwell's gotta go before he even began the first training hit out last year, but this isn't the way to go about it. It seems Taumalolo's pulled a bit of a Roy Asotasi circa 07.

 

[adamkungl]

It'll make other nations stronger.

Whats JT's reason for opting to play for Tonga?

Kidwell is a shit merkin

 

[morningstar]

JT pulling out is gut-wrenching, but if reports are true and it's because he doesn't get on with Kidwell then f*ck him.

I don't like Kidwell either, but if he has problems with the coach he should have done an Asotasi after the Anzac test not a day before the squad is named.

Should be blacklisted from the Kiwis from now on.

 

[axe&smash&crush]

Israel Eliab got injured in the Hunters last normal season game. He missed the whole finals series including the Grand Final and last weeks State Cup.

Menzie Yere is past his best. Justin Olam, Kato Ottio and Nene MacDonald have him covered.

Ray Thompson has been injured. hardly played all year and has retired.

Dion Aiye could probably have been picked as a lock forward but as a five-eight that position now belongs to Ase Boas.

Am not sure about mark Mexico. Maybe the fact he is playing in tier 2 went against him.

Jesse joe parker?

 

[Evil Homer]

Jesse joe parker?

Jessie Joe is in the English 3rd tier and I would guess they have better options than him now, same goes for Jason Tali. If Yere can't get in the side then Parker would be no chance.

 

[East Coast Tiger]

PNG has said it will only pick players in SL, NRL, NSW/Qld Cups and if Lo has signed with Cas and will therefore be a SL player it would seem the squad complies with the policy. Whether the policy is right or not is a different matter.

 

[Clarkent]

It's another nail in NZ's coffin. And quite possibly the tournament and IRL in general. I'm sure some people will love players from the big three choosing second tier nations but it's only NZ that is suffering and we need them to provide Australia with competition otherwise it will be even more of a one horse race.

I guess now the kiwis know what's it's like when there best players don't pick them as there first option..

 

[Shorty]

It's another nail in NZ's coffin. And quite possibly the tournament and IRL in general. I'm sure some people will love players from the big three choosing second tier nations but it's only NZ that is suffering and we need them to provide Australia with competition otherwise it will be even more of a one horse race.

How is it a nail in IRL's coffin? He's defecting to a weaker team from a stronger one? I'd have thought the opposite.
Obviously nobody replaces Lolo but it's not like the Kiwis suck in the forwards/second rowers department.

 

[adamkungl]

If true, it is huge news for Tonga and great for the overall competitiveness of the Cup.
I don't think it's a stretch to say that the NZRL and Kidwell's ineptitude has thrown Pool B wide open.
This Cup could be the event that skyrockets the game's popularity in Samoa and Tonga if they nail a big scalp.

As for the Kiwis, they have far far bigger issues. Players defecting is a symptom of wider issues, this World Cup is almost a write off. Luckily they have the profile and players to turn it around in a very short time if their management is sorted out.

 

[jim_57]

No doubt Kiwis will bounce back, just a shame they are unravelling when they are co-hosts. Going to be a hard sell to get crowds in the way they're going.

 

[Clarkent]

How is it a nail in IRL's coffin? He's defecting to a weaker team from a stronger one? I'd have thought the opposite.
Obviously nobody replaces Lolo but it's not like the Kiwis suck in the forwards/second rowers department.

Well they've lost there best prop in Bromwich and one of there best forwards Kevin Procter and Tohu Harris... So yeah they're pretty much screwed lol

 

[East Coast Tiger]

How is it a nail in IRL's coffin? He's defecting to a weaker team from a stronger one? I'd have thought the opposite.
Obviously nobody replaces Lolo but it's not like the Kiwis suck in the forwards/second rowers department.

They do now. One of only two teams who could break the mantra that Australia will walk this tournament and they're no chance. It actually reduces the competitiveness of the World Cup. If winning the trophy is the "competition", and ultimately it is, this reduces the chances of more teams being able to compete for it, because instead of three reasonable hopes it pretty much limits it to two.

 

[adamkungl]

They do now. One of only two teams who could break the mantra that Australia will walk this tournament and they're no chance. It actually reduces the competitiveness of the World Cup. If winning the trophy is the "competition", and ultimately it is, this reduces the chances of more teams being able to compete for it, because instead of three reasonable hopes it pretty much limits it to two.

A team from outside the big 3 winning a game against the big 3 is a far bigger story than NZ beating Australia (again)

 

[kiwileaguefan]

Massive negativity going on in NZ about how much a joke the World Cup is and how players can chop and change nations in the same year.

NZ had a very slim chance now with the latest withdrawals they are no chance.

Hopefully the end of kidwell....

 

[East Coast Tiger]

A team from outside the big 3 winning a game against the big 3 is a far bigger story than NZ beating Australia (again)

For a day or two. Someone other than Australia winning the tournament is far bigger and the chances of that happening are now pretty slim. What was a bigger story, Scotland drawing with NZ or NZ winning the WC? Which did more for the sport?