Taumalolo Chooses NZ

[beave]

I agree with the general consensus in here, it's getting ridiculous tbh.

 

[Pierced Soul]

like it or not, what it shows is that qld and meninga will continue to strive for success. if nsw had half the nouse meninga has shown they would be looking to do the same thing and tie up any eligible prospects.

if kearney had any brains he would have been trying to talk to this kid last year and getting him to pledge his allegiance to the kiwi's

like everyone else i'd like to see a strong international comp but SOO is throwing the whole thing out of whack. I'm now leaning towards allowing kids from other countries who were raised through the australian junior system to play origin but be eligible to play for the kiwi's or GB or samoa etc

if you played your junior footy o/s then you wont be eligible but if you played junior footy like Taumalolo you would eb eligible for qld as well as tonga or NZ

 

[Frank_Grimes]

More black tears than blue. The blues aren't up yet. Give it time.

 

[BDR]

Really though he came to Australia at the age of 13, he is probably entitled to choose.

I don't see how it's different to Akuila Uate or even Willie Mason

 

[East Coast Tiger]

If he is eligible he has every right to choose Qld. To say that a player cannot play for his chosen country, and therefore state, because he was born elsewhere is discrimination. He moved to Australia as a 13-year-old. Meanwhile we have countries like England who essentially pay players from other countries to play for them who have moved there as adults to play the game professionally. Which is worse?

 

[BDR]

I'm fairly sure he repped QLD at younger age levels and definitely played Australian Schoolboys as well.

There are some cases where eligibility is a little hazy and this is one of them. IMO in that case it should come down to the player's personal choice.

 

[Hutty1986]

lol what a f*cking joke.

 

[Twizzle]

they really should take the word ORIGIN out, its becoming a farce

 

[Special K]

ugh what a joke

 

[KeepingTheFaith]

f**k State of Origin. It's such a shame how many Aussies are too blind to see that this pathetic provincial competition is crippling the international game.

Sad but true. League will only grow so far on the back of two states that nobody outside of those states really cares about.

If these guys were making the choice on their own then I'd be less concerned, but Meninga is really making himself look like a complete dick in all of this.

 

[Izz]

I'm fairly sure he repped QLD at younger age levels and definitely played Australian Schoolboys as well.

There are some cases where eligibility is a little hazy and this is one of them. IMO in that case it should come down to the player's personal choice.

As a balance the other way, he's lived in Australia for less than 4 years.

 

[Hutty1986]

Imagine the Queensland backlash if this was the other way around.

 

[Evil Homer]

If he is eligible he has every right to choose Qld. To say that a player cannot play for his chosen country, and therefore state, because he was born elsewhere is discrimination. He moved to Australia as a 13-year-old. Meanwhile we have countries like England who essentially pay players from other countries to play for them who have moved there as adults to play the game professionally. Which is worse?

Nobody is saying he can't play for whoever he wants. The issue here is that I haven't once seen him mention that he has ambitions to play for Australia, only Queensland, but as a result his decision on international eligibility has been forced by dinosaurs who for some reason place more value on a glorified friendly match than they do international RL. If he legitimately wanted to play for Australia rather than NZ then I wouldn't have a problem, but the fact is that he has been coerced by individuals who want him to play in State of Origin.

 

[Snappy]

 

[Grapple]

Forget Origin, potential huge loss for NZ. Would've loved him to be teaming up with Taupau in the future for us in the back row.

Having said that, is there some way Ricky Stuart can convince Foran to play for NSW? He's sure spent enough time in NSW now. There's got to be a way in there somewhere?

 

[Snappy]

Imagine the Queensland backlash if this was the other way around.

Josh Hoffman & Gerard Beale For NZ, Jack Reed for England. Raised and developed in QLD.

Everyone was disappointed, but I wouldnt call it a backlash.

 

[Pierced Soul]

Having said that, is there some way Ricky Stuart can convince Foran to play for NSW? He's sure spent enough time in NSW now. There's got to be a way in there somewhere?

i think foran may have lived longer in aus than NZ

 

[Big Pete]

It's okay, NSW still have Victoria and WA to choose from.

 

[Haffa]

Cue blue tears.

Don't you mean Black and white tears? I personally DGAF who mal picks, it's the Kiwis who suffer here.

 

[hitman82]

I hope he feels like a total piece of shit when he someday lines up against the haka he should be participating in.