Taumalolo To Play For Tonga

[mikeob]

Well that's a bloody shock.

http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport...a/news-story/a91529c9ed1a02104e9bf312accb0ced

NEW Zealand’s World Cup campaign is in disarray after superstar prop Jason Taumalolo announced his intent to defect to Tonga.

According to a report, Taumalolo, has already told the New Zealand Rugby League he will not be involved in their World Cup campaign and will instead play for Tonga.

The 24-year-old superstar played for the Kiwis during their loss to Australia in the mid-season Test Match in Canberra and his change of heart is a hammer blow to New Zealand’s chances of challenging Australia at the 2017 Rugby League World Cup.

 

[Mr Angry]

Got to love the guy for it.

 

[Benek]

Kiwis are going to get demolished in this world cup.

 

[Meth]

Good

 

[Beavers Headgear]

Got to love the guy for it.

Opposite for me, if the true reasons he has left playing for the Kiwis is his disappointment at 2 guys being sanctioned for getting on the nose candy straight after a woeful test effort, I lose a lot of respect for him

 

[Bobby DIGital]

Opposite for me, if the true reasons he has left playing for the Kiwis is his disappointment at 2 guys being sanctioned for getting on the nose candy straight after a woeful test effort, I lose a lot of respect for him

Agreed. I can't stand Kidwell as a coach, and immediately saw through him when he was appointed. He's a f*ckin amateur in every sense of the word.

..but the jersey comes first.

 

[Rich102]

Rats...Ships.

 

[ozbash]

Listening to the wireless this arvo, Taumalolo said he didn't like the kiwi coaching staff.

 

[ozbash]

What a f**king mess we're in.

 

[Burns]

Sydney Morning Herald report says that he wants to swap between Tonga and New Zealand for the remainder of his career. Hmm.

 

[ZEROMISSTACKLES]

Listening to the wireless this arvo, Taumalolo said he didn't like the kiwi coaching staff.

Thats the real reason. Only he mustve been advised not to say that and so now he's using Bromwich and Proctors non-selection as his excuse. There maybe some truth to that being part of why hes left but he knew they werent playing world cup, so why is JT bringing that up now? Bromwich/Proctor excuse is just a cover up, what it really is, is that he doesnt like Kidwell.

 

[jaseg]

Thats the real reason. Only he mustve been advised not to say that and so now he's using Bromwich and Proctors non-selection as his excuse. There maybe some truth to that being part of why hes left but he knew they werent playing world cup, so why is JT bringing that up now? Bromwich/Proctor excuse is just a cover up, what it really is, is that he doesnt like Kidwell.

It did seem like that was the case.

Though I doubt he used the Bromwich/Proctor thing as an excuse - it makes him look worse, not better.

He actually didn't give an explicit reason (beyond wanting to represent Tonga anyway - he didn't address NZ at all as far as I can see in his comments) and the media almost certainly just latched onto the Bromwich/Proctor stuff in speculation.

 

[ZEROMISSTACKLES]

Though I doubt he used the Bromwich/Proctor thing as an excuse - it makes him look worse, not better.

It does make him look silly as it doesn't add up in that he's only NOW decided to say that was why he's left, knowing full well that Brom and Proc weren't to play world cup ages ago. But like you said, he hasn't explicitly said why, I didn't know that.

 

[Fufu Andronez]

Pride in the Jersey

 

[Fufu Andronez]

Smells like a bit of a diva moment IMO if it's true that he's spat the dummy over the coach or the non selections. Kind of like you're saying I'm above playing for my nation of birth until you do something to appease me. I'd love to see an AB float that idea..

Again it's all speculation until he comes out and says the truth though.

 

[ZEROMISSTACKLES]

Smells like a bit of a diva moment IMO if it's true that he's spat the dummy over the coach or the non selections. Kind of like you're saying I'm above playing for my nation of birth until you do something to appease me. I'd love to see an AB float that idea..

Again it's all speculation until he comes out and says the truth though.

Playing for the All Blacks and David Kidwells super great kiwis is 2 very different things.

 

[adamkungl]

Playing for the All Blacks and David Kidwells super great kiwis is 2 very different things.

Yep.
1. can't see anyone pulling this move under a serious coach.
2. even saying he should respect the jersey - is respect demanded or earned? Big questions to be asked at Kiwi HQ

 

[jaseg]

Smells like a bit of a diva moment IMO if it's true that he's spat the dummy over the coach or the non selections. Kind of like you're saying I'm above playing for my nation of birth until you do something to appease me. I'd love to see an AB float that idea..

Again it's all speculation until he comes out and says the truth though.

On the flip side, Kidwell literally did this himself as a player.... and we won a World Cup the next year because of it.

 

[ZEROMISSTACKLES]

If I was Kidwell, I'd be calling RTS and Fusitua (if they're picked, you never know) to see if theyre ok.

Nek minnit, "RTS chooses to play for Samoa...Fusitua chooses Tonga". It could spiral out.

 

[Penrose Warrior]

I mean what I'm about to say with the utmost respect and admiration for the passion the majority of you show for international rugby league and in fact league in general...

I struggle to see why anyone bothers with the piss pot world of Test match football.

Honestly I can think of nothing I'd rather do less than watch it. Eligibility nonsense. Treated as a poor second cousin to Origin. Shoehorned in at the end of long season. Coaches are generally second rate ones who can't get an NRL gig (and in our case, probably not an Intrust Cup gig). Am I right in saying England hasn't won a tournament, ever (or if so not since the World Wars?).

On the face of it, it's great that JT is playing for Tonga. But f**k me, he played the ANZAC Test. You cannot tell me that it's not a complete farce that a guy can play for two countries in a year. He's gone from wanting to play for NZ, at a time when Tonga had Tests on I think, and now about 4 months later goes the other way. And apparently he was close to declaring his allegience to QLD and therefore Australia a couple of years ago.