What the hell? RLIF proposing anyone can play for any qualifying country

[expansionist]

Just remove the link between Origin and the Australian team and let players commit to the nation they want to represent...

For mine this is the answer

 

[Knownothing]

FFS, this will entrench the big 3 as the dominant teams for all time....

"The minnow nations can have our scraps, but as soon as one of your players gets good we're taking him"

Just remove the link between Origin and the Australian team and let players commit to the nation they want to represent. Stop Australia hoarding all the best players and maybe we will finally get some genuine competition...

The link between Origin and the Australian team is an essential part of ensuring that Origin remains the "pinnacle of the game".

The ARLC has virtually all the cards and most of the money, world-wide. Why should they give up anything, just for the sake of a genuine international dimension?

The pay-off is not guaranteed in financial terms, which is all that matters to local power-brokers.

 

[ParraEelsNRL]

There is a big pay off though, fans have been screaming for years for a proper International schedule yet the idiots in charge refuse to do a thing except when they feel like a nice trip somewhere once in a while.

This lot running International Rugby League make Parramatta look like they are run by the Broncos in comparison, grow a brain whomever is in charge, and some balls while you're at it.

Numpties every single one of them. Internationals are about the only thing keeping me interested in RL lately, go on, stuff that up while you are at it and I'll not bother at all anymore, just about had enough now. The so called toughest team sport in the world is run by a bunch of softcock pansies who seem too afraid to say anything resembling something smart and or useful.

 

[DiegoNT]

Sign your first professional contract as an adult (whether nrl, nsw/qld cup, in new Zealand, Europe) there should be a simple question.
Nationality?
Simple. Who you pick as an 18-20 year old is who you wish to represent. So bloody simple. If young guys commit to there countries from an early age then those countries will be stronger for it.
Once you pick australia (and only if you pick australia) than you can choose your state of origin.
Once you've made your debut for a country, that's it. Done deal.

But then there should be rules in place so if a player choses one country, and never gets picked for that country, they can apply to have their eligibility changed. This would be more for players who have picked australia/england/new zealand and are nearing the end of their careers and are yet to make their international debut. They can be apply to change their nation, and it must be approved unanimously by a board with representatives of the National federations (England, Australia, new zealand, france, samao)

 

[miguel de cervantes]

If you lot can write a coherent letter and not a rant, PM me for Collier's email. Needs to be some feedback.

 

[roughyedspud]

David.Collier.rlif.com

 

[Scubby]

In the lead up to the 2008 World Cup, Tim Sheens picked a training squad of about 45 and all the other nations had to wait around for scraps.

Can we see a situation where a player is pulled out of the Tonga squad a week before the world cup to cover an injury to Australia?

 

[RedVee]

Self interest... The best horse in the race

 

[mikeob]

In the lead up to the 2008 World Cup, Tim Sheens picked a training squad of about 45 and all the other nations had to wait around for scraps.

Can we see a situation where a player is pulled out of the Tonga squad a week before the world cup to cover an injury to Australia?

I don't think so Scubby. A guy by the name of Ricky Stuart was Australian coach in 2008.

 

[Scubby]

I don't think so Scubby. A guy by the name of Ricky Stuart was Australian coach in 2008.

Yep sorry, memory lapse. The train-on squad and others took the total to over 40 before the 2008 world cup. England did exactly the same.

These will undoubtedly include Pacific Island and Wal, Scot and Ireland players who will be waiting for the scraps. How do they plan?

 

[Hello, I'm The Doctor]

The link between Origin and the Australian team is an essential part of ensuring that Origin remains the "pinnacle of the game".

The ARLC has virtually all the cards and most of the money, world-wide. Why should they give up anything, just for the sake of a genuine international dimension?

The pay-off is not guaranteed in financial terms, which is all that matters to local power-brokers.

Self interest... The best horse in the race

This is why personally i am actually in favour of the RLIF becoming (effectively) a subsidiary of the ARLC....

An independent international board working only in the interests of the game as a whole sounds wonderful, but the reality is that the ARLC hold all of the cards and can hamstring the RLIF if they ever decided it was in their interest.

We are already seeing the ARLC building their little Aus-centric Empire with all of this work in the Pacific Islands; Fiji and Samoa are great little markets, but they will never have the power to challenge the ARLC. Whereas, if the game exploded in China for example, the ARLC would die tomorrow as a local Chinese comp would be set up and they would buy up all of the NRLs players.

The point is, a genuine International comp will only ever happen if the ARLC decide it is in their own best interest and began to push it....

 

[Hello, I'm The Doctor]

Sign your first professional contract as an adult (whether nrl, nsw/qld cup, in new Zealand, Europe) there should be a simple question.
Nationality?
Simple. Who you pick as an 18-20 year old is who you wish to represent. So bloody simple. If young guys commit to there countries from an early age then those countries will be stronger for it.
Once you pick australia (and only if you pick australia) than you can choose your state of origin.
Once you've made your debut for a country, that's it. Done deal.

But thats the entire f*cking problem!!!!

Who would pick their own minnow nation when they have the chance to play Origin. If theyre getting paid $80k a match to represent the Blues, i dont think it will both them if they missed out on representing their home.

And, wadayano, Australia continues to hoard all the best players and nothing has changed.....

 

[Last Week]

This whole idea of removing Origin as only open to those that qualify for Australia is a bit silly.

If Origin is allowed to have the best players of other nations involved, wouldn't that just further undermine the international game. 'Congratulations. You're the best in your county, now come and represent Queensland or NSW.'

 

[hutch]

In the lead up to the 2008 World Cup, Tim Sheens picked a training squad of about 45 and all the other nations had to wait around for scraps.

Can we see a situation where a player is pulled out of the Tonga squad a week before the world cup to cover an injury to Australia?

Anthony tupou mark two?

Absolutely if this ridiculous proposal gets through.

What's annoying is all these media personalities and ex players like Andrew johns supporting this idea and saying "it's common sense"! They are doing more damage than good.

 

[DiegoNT]

But thats the entire f*cking problem!!!!

Who would pick their own minnow nation when they have the chance to play Origin. If theyre getting paid $80k a match to represent the Blues, i dont think it will both them if they missed out on representing their home.

And, wadayano, Australia continues to hoard all the best players and nothing has changed.....

How many current players in the samaon and Tongan teams would give up representing their nation forever on the very slim chance they'd be picked for origin? Would Papalii, Tamou have chosen origin over their home nations as teenagers? Possibly, possibly not. The farce is people can change their minds whenever they want. If they are forced to make a hard decision early then we may avoid these farcical situations. Will still get situations where players eligible for both may pick the chance at origin, like maybe a kane evans type of youngster, but how is that different to what happens now. At least you'll get a few nore players fully commit themselves to the smaller nations.
There is no way in hell that we open origin to all nations.

 

[adamkungl]

The link between Origin and the Australian team is an essential part of ensuring that Origin remains the "pinnacle of the game".

The ARLC has virtually all the cards and most of the money, world-wide. Why should they give up anything, just for the sake of a genuine international dimension?

The pay-off is not guaranteed in financial terms, which is all that matters to local power-brokers.

Love how it's always Union fans who take this kind of view. God forbid RL acted for its greater good for once.

This whole idea of removing Origin as only open to those that qualify for Australia is a bit silly.

If Origin is allowed to have the best players of other nations involved, wouldn't that just further undermine the international game. 'Congratulations. You're the best in your county, now come and represent Queensland or NSW.'

How do people not get that someone can spend their whole life in NSW or QLD (thus being eligible for state of Origin) but maybe want to represent their or their parents heritage? Queensland isn't a country. There's no conflict, it's a different level of the sport.
Playing for NSW and Tonga doesn't undermine the game any more than playing for Parra and representing New Zealand.
State of Origin has nothing to do with international footy, the sooner everyone realises this the better.

 

[jim_57]

Love how it's always Union fans who take this kind of view. God forbid RL acted for its greater good for once.



How do people not get that someone can spend their whole life in NSW or QLD (thus being eligible for state of Origin) but maybe want to represent their or their parents heritage? Queensland isn't a country. There's no conflict, it's a different level of the sport.
Playing for NSW and Tonga doesn't undermine the game any more than playing for Parra and representing New Zealand.
State of Origin has nothing to do with international footy, the sooner everyone realises this the better.

Exactly, it would be oh so simple to make anyone who has lived in a state for 10 years + represent that State in SoO and also have their pick of which nation they wish to play for providing they're eligible. I would have no issue with the following scenarios for example:

Segeyaro - QLD & PNG
Evans - NSW & Fiji
Frizzel - NSW & (OS) Wales
Milford - QLD & Samoa

Then you reach touchy territory with players eligible for say NZ & SoO, I wouldn't have a problem with this honestly providing they meet the 10+ year eligibility rule for SoO.

Of course if these players still opt for Australia then that isn't an issue at all, the issue is that playing for a State (provided you're eligible) shouldn't restrict what country you choose to represent. Australia is an ever changing place, State of Origin needs to get with the times, the problem I suspect though is there are a handful of people who have a self interest for it not to change for the greater good.

 

[adamkungl]

The most ridiculous thing is Australia would still belt everyone except NZ even if they gave up a few advantages for the good of the game.
We just don't need it yet keep taking every last scrap.

 

[BuderusIsaBeast]

Biggest problem I have with letting players play state of origin and for another country is why is it fair that one player can play origin and for a country however someone like Kieran Foran who played his junior footy in NSW can't. If you are going to change the rule that Origin representation is separate from Country you need to make it fair for all players. Further to the point I am certain if you ask Milford, frizzle, Evans or the majority of others if they would rather represent Australia or there Heritage country they will pick Australia most likely because its where they were born and raised. Anthony Milford could have played for Samoa this year but didn't because he wanted to play for Australia.

 

[BuderusIsaBeast]

As for the proposed rule changes I will be so disappointed and fed up if they through with this. It will be a complete sham watching players swap countries tournament to tournament. I don't understand how no one running the sport realises that while countries like Samoa are feeder teams for Australia and New Zealand they will never be able to reach there level.