SMH: Four Nations: Joey Leilua v Michael Jennings in State of Origin showdown

[expansionist]

yeah right, and NZ was hoffman's country, until he wasn't selected and started bleating about becoming an ocker again and playing for Qld!!

and let's not forget Toni carrol, another proud kiwi, but only when it suited him!!

and those proud kiwis fein and Webb, I wonder what they are up to now?

Tonie Carroll told me if he could he would play for QLD and NZ.

He felt like a Queenslander as thats where he lives, but all things being even he would have prefered to rep NZ.

He thought SOO shouldnt lock you into Australia

 

[deluded pom?]

Again, I cant see that trying to weaken SOO will fix that. Strenthening and improving the quantity of the Intl game would though along with providing parity of $$.

How would it weaken SoO? The same players would still be playing it's just that a minority of them might not want to play for Australia. How do you suggest we strengthen the international game if they won't tweak SoO eligibility rules?

 

[deluded pom?]

yeah right, and NZ was hoffman's country, until he wasn't selected and started bleating about becoming an ocker again and playing for Qld!!

and let's not forget Toni carrol, another proud kiwi, but only when it suited him!!

and those proud kiwis fein and Webb, I wonder what they are up to now?

I actually agree with you Ernie on Hoffman and Carroll but Fein and Webb didn't switch back . Either way, two wrongs don't make a right.

 

[franklin2323]

Do you even remember 7 or 10 having our game? if not, stfu

I remember watching a fantastic WC on 7mate this time last year.Same could of been done this year.

Eurosport gives me ESL why not European tests? Hey lets just blame SOO for the RL world's issues.

 

[franklin2323]

My son was born outside the UK to UK parents and grandparents. Does that make him any less English?

Leulia said I am going to have to give up playing for 'my country' to play Origin in that article and he wasn't talking about Australia. He has 7 caps for Samoa already.

Now. He can sit out and hope Samoa organise a test and get a free flight and gear or can sit out and play origin and for his country of birth.

Even we if SOO stays and he changes:

If Samoa have a Mid season test/UK tour next year. Mid season test/Pacific Cup all televised. Any true Samoan is watching them games on TV and wants to be a part of it. If he doesn't the TV exposure brings in Sponsors/$$ that can keep up and comers in the game rather then going to RU

 

[Joker's Wild]

How would it weaken SoO? The same players would still be playing it's just that a minority of them might not want to play for Australia. How do you suggest we strengthen the international game if they won't tweak SoO eligibility rules?

Not what my post was referring to mate. I agree that SOO eligibility and Int'l eligibility should not be linked

What Im sick of is punters on here all but suggesting that SOO should be cast aside in favour of having more tests. Its a classic robbing Peter to pay Paul attitude that only harms our game by weakening the biggest money spinner and advertisement for our game world wide right now, along with destroying a series that means a lot to the biggest combined RL audience on the planet. The goal should be to grow both and provide those outside NSW/Qld something to get equally passionate about

 

[franklin2323]

Not what my post was referring to mate. I agree that SOO eligibility and Int'l eligibility should not be linked

What Im sick of is punters on here all but suggesting that SOO should be cast aside in favour of having more tests. Its a classic robbing Peter to pay Paul attitude that only harms our game by weakening the biggest money spinner and advertisement for our game world wide right now, along with destroying a series that means a lot to the biggest combined RL audience on the planet. The goal should be to grow both and provide those outside NSW/Qld something to get equally passionate about

I agree with you.

If every season these 'heritage teams' had 3 televised tests minimum. New sponsors, New revenue. Hell while Milford and co are sitting out waiting for the impossible call up. New stars can be built and get more then a flight and some boots.

 

[ParraEelsNRL]

I remember watching a fantastic WC on 7mate this time last year.Same could of been done this year.

Eurosport gives me ESL why not European tests? Hey lets just blame SOO for the RL world's issues.

Im not talking last year, I'm talking 20 years + ago.

 

[deluded pom?]

Not what my post was referring to mate. I agree that SOO eligibility and Int'l eligibility should not be linked

What Im sick of is punters on here all but suggesting that SOO should be cast aside in favour of having more tests. Its a classic robbing Peter to pay Paul attitude that only harms our game by weakening the biggest money spinner and advertisement for our game world wide right now, along with destroying a series that means a lot to the biggest combined RL audience on the planet. The goal should be to grow both and provide those outside NSW/Qld something to get equally passionate about

I agree it would be stupid to attempt to undermine Origin just for the sake of it but believe me it's not as popular outside of Australia as you seem to think it is. You might come back with a list of countries that take the broadcast but here in the UK it's on Premier Sports, a pay channel with less than 100,000 subscribers. Many of them won't have any interest in RL full stop let alone SoO. The same goes for the USA. I'm sure SoO is shown in many countries that don't even have a RL presence and the viewing figures will be minimal. It's the obsession with SoO to the detriment of the international game that gets people's backs up. I totally understand the passion it arouses in the citizens of the respective states but because they (NSW and QL) basically ARE Australian RL it (origin) is overshadowing the Kangaroos. What is the bigger achievement? Playing SoO where you are one of the best players in one state of Australia or play for the Kangaroos where you are one of the best players in the whole of Australia?

 

[Scubby]

Not what my post was referring to mate. I agree that SOO eligibility and Int'l eligibility should not be linked

What Im sick of is punters on here all but suggesting that SOO should be cast aside in favour of having more tests. Its a classic robbing Peter to pay Paul attitude that only harms our game by weakening the biggest money spinner and advertisement for our game world wide right now, along with destroying a series that means a lot to the biggest combined RL audience on the planet. The goal should be to grow both and provide those outside NSW/Qld something to get equally passionate about

None of us are saying that. We want to see Origin. We just want players like James Segerayo to continue to play for PNG.

There is no longer any reason for International and Origin to be linked. It is no longer a test trial it happens after the ANZAC test and months before autumn tests. Any rule change would also only affect two or three players at most in the current Origin squads.

Potential Samoan and PI players sitting out competitive International matches to play for Queensland U20s cannot be right in anyone's book. Maed giving up PNG to play for City v Country is ridiculous.

 

[franklin2323]

None of us are saying that. We want to see Origin. We just want players like James Segerayo to continue to play for PNG.

There is no longer any reason for International and Origin to be linked. It is no longer a test trial it happens after the ANZAC test and months before autumn tests. Any rule change would also only affect two or three players at most in the current Origin squads.

Potential Samoan and PI players sitting out competitive International matches to play for Queensland U20s cannot be right in anyone's book. Maed giving up PNG to play for City v Country is ridiculous.

Say we did let anyone play SOO is that going to give us more test matches?

 

[franklin2323]

I agree it would be stupid to attempt to undermine Origin just for the sake of it but believe me it's not as popular outside of Australia as you seem to think it is. You might come back with a list of countries that take the broadcast but here in the UK it's on Premier Sports, a pay channel with less than 100,000 subscribers. Many of them won't have any interest in RL full stop let alone SoO. The same goes for the USA. I'm sure SoO is shown in many countries that don't even have a RL presence and the viewing figures will be minimal. It's the obsession with SoO to the detriment of the international game that gets people's backs up. I totally understand the passion it arouses in the citizens of the respective states but because they (NSW and QL) basically ARE Australian RL it (origin) is overshadowing the Kangaroos. What is the bigger achievement? Playing SoO where you are one of the best players in one state of Australia or play for the Kangaroos where you are one of the best players in the whole of Australia?

Popular or not it's still been valued as bringing $100m next season. I think most of the players holding out for SOO are no chance. Say we let them play Origin and for a minnow They still have no test matches to play for these minnows. Dylan Napa perfect example left Cook Islands no footy anyway.

 

[deluded pom?]

Popular or not it's still been valued as bringing $100m next season. I think most of the players holding out for SOO are no chance. Say we let them play Origin and for a minnow They still have no test matches to play for these minnows. Dylan Napa perfect example left Cook Islands no footy anyway.

But that's a different argument entirely. How much of SoO's profit is generated by TV money?
I bet it the majority which then sees 9 and the print media hype Origin up way beyond where it should be in the grand scheme of things.

 

[Scubby]

Say we did let anyone play SOO is that going to give us more test matches?

Yes, because potentially you also have the scope to schedule a second rep/test weekend other than the Anzac where Aus or NZ could play a pacific nation. This is only competitive if countries like Tonga, PNG, Fiji and Samoa have all their best players. Strong Island nation sides could also potentially tour overseas and be very competitive.

I can put up with Milford and Maguire swapping and changing up to a point (as Aussie born heritage players) but when NSW City and Queensland are picking off born PNG players like Maed and Segeyaro and making them give up playing for their country for State rep matches then it is unfair on both the game and the players. Of course they are going to take the golden carrot dangled in front of them - SOO is a big thing.

 

[franklin2323]

But that's a different argument entirely. How much of SoO's profit is generated by TV money?
I bet it the majority which then sees 9 and the print media hype Origin up way beyond where it should be in the grand scheme of things.

From the report last week. $60m down here 3 out of 5 top sport programs on TV is SOO. 4.5m per game. So you could be right.

My point is most of the tests played now. Aren't on TV so it's hard to get the hype behind it. The neutral teams ratings of the 4 nations have been decent. We have more tests televised. Gets sponsors interested. Media/TV interest. Though more importantly gets the Players sitting out to realise what they are giving up by chasing in most cases the impossible dream

 

[franklin2323]

Yes, because potentially you also have the scope to schedule a second rep/test weekend other than the Anzac where Aus or NZ could play a pacific nation. This is only competitive if countries like Tonga, PNG, Fiji and Samoa have all their best players. Strong Island nation sides could also potentially tour overseas and be very competitive.

I can put up with Milford and Maguire swapping and changing up to a point (as Aussie born heritage players) but when NSW City and Queensland are picking off born PNG players like Maed and Segeyaro and making them give up playing for their country for State rep matches then it is unfair on both the game and the players. Of course they are going to take the golden carrot dangled in front of them - SOO is a big thing.

Why does the other nations need to base what they do around Australia? Australia will do as little as they have too. The world is more then just the arrogant ARLC. 1 test a year is terrible for a RL country like PNG. No nation does tours anymore. I would like to think that the likes of Mead and co when they saw photos, Watched games etc of these countries in France or somewhere would stay with these nations