Talking Tiers

[LeagueXIII]

Rubbish. The only time there isn't a 'strong sense' that these players come from their nations is when we have players playing under the residency rules, and some of the one grandparent rule. How many of the Tongan team do you think aren't Tongan?

I don't why everyone can plainly see that people can be more than one nationality nowadays, but when it comes to rugby league apparently you can only have affiliation with one nation and that's it?

Because that is how it is done throughout WORLD sport....it creates a perception and if you want the game to grow through it's credibility that is what is needed. Sure we can have situations like with Tyson Frizell where he plays for Wales then his dream is to play for Australia and yet his family are Tongan.

https://www.nrl.com/news/2018/10/18...hy-tyson-frizells-family-is-supporting-tonga/

Or players who miss out on selection for their first choice decide on another country just because they want to play in a World Cup not because of any plans on a future long loyalty to a nation.

If this is what we want the perception of our international game to be we must accept not being taken seriously and the crumbs that come with it from sponsors TV etc.

Pick and stick should be the motto.

 

[Springs09]

Because that is how it is done throughout WORLD sport....it creates a perception and if you want the game to grow through it's credibility that is what is needed. Sure we can have situations like with Tyson Frizell where he plays for Wales then his dream is to play for Australia and yet his family are Tongan.

https://www.nrl.com/news/2018/10/18...hy-tyson-frizells-family-is-supporting-tonga/

Or players who miss out on selection for their first choice decide on another country just because they want to play in a World Cup not because of any plans on a future long loyalty to a nation.

If this is what we want the perception of our international game to be we must accept not being taken seriously and the crumbs that come with it from sponsors TV etc.

Pick and stick should be the motto.

Oh right so he only has one side of his family does he? Frizell's other side of the family is Welsh.

No, they play for another country because they want to play for that country.

Who gives a shit about WORLD sport. Soccer didn't grow because potential fans saw it and were like 'ehh...oh wait, they force players to only play for one nation in the international game! I'm in!'

The biggest thing to draw new fans to the game lately - Tonga last year - happened specifically because players were allowed to switch nations. Why aren't all the Tongan fans boycotting games because we aren't credible apparently?

 

[LeagueXIII]

I understand people have heritage to other countries.

However do you understand this very nation hopping is what brings the game undone at an international level....it creates a negative perception which the media love to run with. You and I support the game but if we want to grow it needs tidying up.

Don't you want the game on a bigger stage.

I have no issue with the Tongan's playing for Tonga but they can't play for anyone else, what is the problem with that?

Tonga is the exception.....the same thing doesn't work in Scotland etc.

 

[titoelcolombiano]

Isn't there an RLPA deal getting done to even out payments for internationals? That might help players commit and stick to minnows.

The heart of this issue is this though; we need more nations like PNG and France that are producing players through their own systems that are elegible only for them.

 

[Matua]

Oh right so he only has one side of his family does he? Frizell's other side of the family is Welsh.

No, they play for another country because they want to play for that country.

Who gives a shit about WORLD sport. Soccer didn't grow because potential fans saw it and were like 'ehh...oh wait, they force players to only play for one nation in the international game! I'm in!'

The biggest thing to draw new fans to the game lately - Tonga last year - happened specifically because players were allowed to switch nations. Why aren't all the Tongan fans boycotting games because we aren't credible apparently?

Did it really bring new fans to the game? The Tongans will support Tonga pretty much at the drop of a hat. I'm not sure they added new fans to the game. League probably lost a few NZ fans last year as the Kiwis were a clusterf**k and the three Tongan defectors contributed to that.

 

[Force]

Do you know for a fact he never played RL as a kid? I don't, I'm just asking. It's quite likely that he played both. I was more trying to point out that he is a genuine Tongan, and I think the only one in the current team.

The first time he played league was when he went to NZ. Him and Hurrell were Union players like the many league players who come out of NZ, they were scouted from Union.

 

[Force]

Did it really bring new fans to the game? The Tongans will support Tonga pretty much at the drop of a hat. I'm not sure they added new fans to the game. League probably lost a few NZ fans last year as the Kiwis were a clusterf**k and the three Tongan defectors contributed to that.

Said on the news the participation in league in Tonga rose significantly. Think they were from 15 teams to 32. Some people may question the heritage teams but this has to be a positive.

 

[hutch]

I understand people have heritage to other countries.

However do you understand this very nation hopping is what brings the game undone at an international level....it creates a negative perception which the media love to run with. You and I support the game but if we want to grow it needs tidying up.

Don't you want the game on a bigger stage.

I have no issue with the Tongan's playing for Tonga but they can't play for anyone else, what is the problem with that?

Tonga is the exception.....the same thing doesn't work in Scotland etc.

I used to think this way but the reality is that rugby league does it differently to other sports and we have to. The nation swapping doesn’t have as big a negative effect as I thought it would.
What is far more important is a regular schedule for all nations and possibly a minimum domestic player in a squad rule.

 

[Disinterested third party]

Said on the news the participation in league in Tonga rose significantly. Think they were from 15 teams to 32. Some people may question the heritage teams but this has to be a positive.

Clubs not teams.

 

[LeagueXIII]

I used to think this way but the reality is that rugby league does it differently to other sports and we have to. The nation swapping doesn’t have as big a negative effect as I thought it would.
What is far more important is a regular schedule for all nations and possibly a minimum domestic player in a squad rule.

Why do players have to swap nations, Australia have enough players.

 

[siv]

Why do players have to swap nations, Australia have enough players.

I comes about when a player has multiple national qualification

Be it birth nation, heritage under the parent/grandparent rule or residental

Better players when they young get a early opportunity with a nation

Sometimes its a schoolboy style representation or a heitage one like Tedesco with Italy

Then they get a SOO opportunity if they played RL in Oz since they were 16 so they swap back to Australia their prime nation of choice

But later in their career when they stop being a SOO or big 3 test player, they can if selected play for their other nation qualification eg Farah Lebanon

The only other scenario is around the RLWC where all players want to be involved

Seems to be working well in the Pacific as it has created a 1980s SOO feel to the Tongan team

What happens in a generation or two will be interesting

 

[LeagueXIII]

Correct, it does work well in the pacific, it's the other nations that seem hollow and fake.

People are coming around to Tonga, why? Because they are having players pick and stick, showing continuity of selection WITHOUT nation hoping and everyone is buying into it. It feels genuine.

This is how we grow rugby league at an international level.

Hopefully future players do the same and create this culture.

 

[hutch]

Why do players have to swap nations, Australia have enough players.

I do see your point but rugby league has to do it differently. There are plenty of people who have connections to more than one country. Some of the players currently playing for Tonga may not have chosen them if it ruled out future nz or Aus selection and some wouldn’t be eligible as they repped nz or Aus first. Look what Hayne has done for fiji, he has swapped his entire career after first playing for Australia.
I used to be completely on the one nation for life bandwagon but as I said, we have to do it differently to other sports. I bet you that union are looking at the pacific rugby league teams and thinking they could do the same thing if they relaxed their rules. A regular schedule will decrease the amount of switching remarkably.

 

[LeagueXIII]

I do see your point but rugby league has to do it differently. There are plenty of people who have connections to more than one country. Some of the players currently playing for Tonga may not have chosen them if it ruled out future nz or Aus selection and some wouldn’t be eligible as they repped nz or Aus first. Look what Hayne has done for fiji, he has swapped his entire career after first playing for Australia.
I used to be completely on the one nation for life bandwagon but as I said, we have to do it differently to other sports. I bet you that union are looking at the pacific rugby league teams and thinking they could do the same thing if they relaxed their rules. A regular schedule will decrease the amount of switching remarkably.

Your last sentence is what I am refering to ie. strong leadership/administration.

A structured international program leading into tournaments every two years. Create a pool whereby players are paid equally no matter the country. Ensure junior tests are played before senior ones.

The Australians,who have all the resources have said they are willing to assist financially.

It's about the good of the game not an instant profit.

Focus on full RLIF members and associate members.