The 'Thank you Tonga' Thread

[Nightward]

I think for it to work you'd need games in Samoa and Tonga.

Maybe one in each and one in NZ.

Be nice if we could schedule a Fiji vs PNG series as well, but if you go to Tonga and Samoa you get a 3-hour time difference which lets you put those games on before QLD/NSW Origin.

 

[Meth]

Thank you Tonga- the best World Cup campaign of any nation, ever.

Now, STFU and accept the loss. You had the right to be disappointed, but you were beaten. Its starting to take the sheen off your marvellous campaign now.

 

[Clarkent]

Your team choked....they shouldn't be in the final.....the referee saved their ass by not penalising them for being off side. That would have made it 20 all and with Tonga having all the momentum...they would have more than likely won.

The England team is like the Super League....weak, pathetic and boring...

Still hurt from that loss against Tonga?

 

[Clarkent]

If you ever get the opportunity to attend a PI game at the WC next time it's down under do it. It's like nothing else you will have experienced at a RL match. Samoa v Tonga was the best atmosphere I've ever known. I bet Tonga v England was a step up from that.

I went to the Samoa v Tonga game and for me that was the best atmosphere I've been to... But personally the Tonga v kiwis would've been hard to top... Only because of what Blair said of taumalolo and the kiwi coach saying shit about taumalolo leaving... Kiwis v Tonga was probably my favourite game out of the whole tournament by far

 

[PARRA_FAN]

I would like to say a huge thank you to not only the Tongan players but their supporters.

The passion from the players was great. They put in so much effort and should be applauded, especially Fifita and Taumaolo.

The win against the Kiwis was a huge result for the International game.

As for the fans, well to see the full stadium with about 90% red is truly amazing.

The crowds at the world cup would be very ordinary if it wasn't for the Tongan and PNG fans.

 

[Golden point]

I was right behind Tonga but the constant " we were robbed " mentality is wearing me down.
Just hearing " controversial " is starting to piss me off.
It was a knock on ffs.
Even nsw fans come good by Tuesday.
Bad losers, making it hard to like them.
Part of me just wants them to get flogged next time so I don't have to hear the winging.

 

[Last Week]

I was right behind Tonga but the constant " we were robbed " mentality is wearing me down.
Just hearing " controversial " is starting to piss me off.
It was a knock on ffs.
Even nsw fans come good by Tuesday.
Bad losers, making it hard to like them.
Part of me just wants them to get flogged next time so I don't have to hear the winging.

Yeah I'm sick of them too. The sorest bunch of losers I've ever seen. They're actually protesting the call and want the decision over turned. Try and argue with them, they call you racist and resort to insults.

That Fifita is a good bloke though..

 

[Bobby DIGital]

Sorry I thought this was the F you Tonga thread.

Some of the comments on youtube, and after news articles by Tongan fans have been ridiculously deluded. It was a strip, and apparently anyone else thinking differently is blind and doesn't know the rules. 1 poster in particular kept going on about how Tauamalolo is the richest player in RL, the "10m man" and he's "all ours". Weirdos.

 

[Angry_eel]

Give them a break. It's probably the first time in history that they've really done well in any sport. They'll get over it eventually I'm sure.

 

[Perth Red]

Beats weightlifiting at the Olympics!

Now the nrl, nzrl and tongan rl need to get in a room and figure out how to make the very best of this golden egg they have been handed.

 

[Perth Red]

One of the big issues at the moment isalot of these countries national bodies have little income (inc nz and to some degree england) so rely on internationals to raise revenue. It’s why we won’t see big games taking place in the islands very often sadly.

The best outcome next year would have been England doing a full tour playing in png and nz and games against kiwis, Samoa and Tonga in nz. Bill the return agai st tonga as revenge match.
Sadly we are getting another nz tour to uk and another meaningless game for Samoa v Tonga

 

[Springs09]

Yeah I'm sick of them too. The sorest bunch of losers I've ever seen. They're actually protesting the call and want the decision over turned. Try and argue with them, they call you racist and resort to insults.

That Fifita is a good bloke though..

Based on a ton of comments that refer to the 'TMO', most of them seem to be NZ-based union fans and don't actually know the rules.

 

[Meth]

Based on a ton of comments that refer to the 'TMO', most of them seem to be NZ-based union fans and don't actually know the rules.

Remember that League has been second to Union in Tonga too.

It may not be any more, or right now at least.

 

[Meth]

I drove through the epicentre of the Tongan community in Auckland yesterday- still a lot of pride and that side of it is great to see.

It’s worth noting that there is a celebratory aspect to what is going on- it’s not all whinging and wanting to see the decision overturned.

 

[Meth]

Also, the emergence of Konrad Hurrell as a leader has been refreshing (and surprising) to see.

 

[This Year?]

Thank you Tonga, for daring to dream and going oh so close to shocking the rugby league world. Fantastic support and the singing was beautiful to watch.

 

[ZEROMISSTACKLES]

Thank you Tonga- the best World Cup campaign of any nation, ever.

Now, STFU and accept the loss. You had the right to be disappointed, but you were beaten. Its starting to take the sheen off your marvellous campaign now.

What a crack up post.

 

[Meth]

What a crack up post.

It’s ridiculous now. Talk of legal action? Haven’t seen the Lebanese whinging when Tonga got a leg up the week before

 

[grouch]

https://www.nrl.com/news/2018/01/24/Jason-Taumalolo-has-Tongan-national-competition-named-after-him/

Taumalolo has Tongan national competition named after him
Author
Katie Brown
Timestamp
Wed 24 Jan 2018, 12:49 PM

Jason Taumalolo's immediate – and powerful – impact upon rugby league in Tonga has resulted in the Pacific Island nation renaming its national competition after the North Queensland Cowboys superstar.

NRL.com can reveal ''The Jason Taumalolo Cup'' will kick off on February 17 and the man himself is thrilled.

Taumalolo's World Cup story was the most intriguing of the tournament, with his last-minute decision to play for Tonga rather than for New Zealand attracting both praise and criticism.

The sight of Taumalolo leading Tonga's Sipi Tau ahead of their pool match against the Kiwi's will remain one of the lasting images of the tournament.


That, combined with his outstanding play, has resulted in the decision.

''Tonga's dominated by rugby union, pretty much every time, so for us boys to put rugby league on the map in Tonga, now everyone is starting to play rugby league,'' Taumalolo said.

''It's growing, so hopefully in a few years' time there will be a bit of a grassroots, and boys coming through the ranks in [the] NRL system.''

Taumalolo also revealed that he was contacted by members of the Kiwi World Cup staff after his pre-tournament announcement, and the messages were positive.

''When I said I was going to go back and play for Tonga I had a few of the Kiwi staff message me and tell me how proud they are of me for deciding to go and represent my heritage and fully supporting my decision,'' he said.

''For them to support me like that it gave me confidence going back, but a lot of the media and that, didn’t really approve of the decisions.''

Tonga's Rugby League Manager Tavake Fungapo, who is behind the decision to rename the competition, thanked the World Cup squad for their positive contributions.

''Just overall the World Cup itself, just so grateful that Jason and Andrew and those guys were the guys who really made it happen,'' he said.


''We struggled to get clubs to participate in our [domestic] competition and last year we had 14 clubs and this year we’ve got over 24 clubs.''

Tongan Rugby League didn't stop at Taumalolo when it came to renaming its competitions.

Manu Vatuvei, Solomone Kata, Konrad Hurrell and Tuimoala Lolohea will all have age-restricted leagues named after them.

In further news, Andrew Fifita has agreed to support a Nines Competition named in his honour which will be played on his home island of Eua.

The NRL understands players plan to visit during their respective bye rounds to help with workshops and clinics to ensure the game continues to grow.

 

[titoelcolombiano]

It kind of locks him it to playing for Tonga now doesn't it. Good move by the Tongan RL, it would be a bit ordinary playing for the Kiwis when the Tongan national league is named after you and the Tongan King has given you land for playing for the country in a world cup.