Bennett blocks Milf from playing for Samoa

[vertigo]

I reckon Bennett is taking the heat for Milf. I don't believe you're able to decline rep selection without a medical note. Clubs are able to block it though.

He would've asked Milf what he wanted to do, and Milf told him he wanted to play for QLD. IMO.

Absolutely, there would be a lot of bad blood if he actually wanted to represent Samoa.

 

[Broncs_Fan]

If Milf wants to play for Samoa and Wayne wont let him then that's not a good thing. Milford could start to resent Bennett if this is the case.

 

[Super Freak]

If Milf wants to play for Samoa and Wayne wont let him then that's not a good thing. Milford could start to resent Bennett if this is the case.

If Milford wants to play Origin next year, he should listen to Bennett.

If Milford plays for Samoa, he will not play for Australia or Queensland next year.

 

[Unbreakable]

If Milford wants to play Origin next year, he should listen to Bennett.

If Milford plays for Samoa, he will not play for Australia or Queensland next year.

I'm certain that's not what they were saying on NRL 360 the other night, they were saying he can play for Samoa and it doesn't affect his eligibility for Queensland or Australia next year because Samoa is a tier 2 nation.

 

[Big Pete]

Eligibility rules are fairly confusing

From the RLIF's official website...

3.3 A player who is eligible to play for more than one country shall be entitled to elect for which country he wishes to play. When a player plays a Senior International Match for a country, he is deemed to have elected to play for that country. Subject to Rule 3.5, once an election is made the player may not play Senior representative rugby league for any other country until the end of the next World Cup tournament, or the expiry of two years, whichever is earlier (“Election Period”).


3.4 After the expiry of an Election Period, the player may elect to play for another country if he is eligible, but once he so elects (or is deemed to elect by playing in a Senior International Match) he may not play for another country until the expiry of another Election Period.


3.5 During an Election Period, a player may change from one country to another for which he is eligible pursuant to Rule 3.1, with the approval of the Federation (but he may only change once in each Election Period).

Essentially, Ben Ikin and Paul Kent are right.

Where people are having trouble is that in 2014 Anthony Milford played a State of Origin Under 20s match. Some people assume that signalled his intent but the rules stipulate that it has to be a senior international match for a country. Last time I checked, Queensland wasn't a country. So until Milford plays another international game (his last being in the Quarter Final of the 2013 RLWC) he's considered a free agent in the eyes of the RLIF.

Admittedly I was confused as well, so I hope that clears it up for others.

 

[broncos4life]

This is a crock of shit if this is the reasoning. Benny can't just selectively block some players from some rep fixtures but not others. If that's his stance he should be blocking players picked for qld and Australia as well.

Bennett can do whatever he wants and I can assure you he couldn't give 2 fifths of 1 **** what you think about it.

 

[tommy]

I'm in the camp who thinks that this was Milford's choice and Bennett is just taking the heat for him. I would be worried if he was actively standing in the way of players representative aspirations.

 

[Nashy]

Replied without realising there was another page...........

 

[Kimlo]

http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport...67423063f54b87-1461922209#load-story-comments

WAYNE Bennett has taken a bullet for Anthony Milford, who privately does not want to play for Samoa because it would risk his selection for Australia later this year.Milford would rather play for Australia than Samoa but he did not want to offend his heritage or the Samoan team by rejecting them. Milford also did not want to be presumptuous by acting as though he was a certainty to be selected for a Four Nations tour.

Bennett has decided to simply ban him from representing Samoa, taking the heat off his star player.
If Milford played for Samoa in next week’s Pacific Test he believed he would be banned from representing Australia until after the next World Cup because he couldn’t change countries.

Rugby league’s international eligibility laws are convoluted and confusion reigns over whether Milford would actually be banned but RLIF officials believe he would be allowed to change countries.


Milford was not eligible for the Kangaroos Test with New Zealand next week because of his Maroons suspension but that expires in July, freeing him for the Kangaroos.
The Broncos have also exploited a loophole in helping Milford not play for Samoa.
In any other week, Milford would be stood down from NRL duty for dodging rep selection.
The NRL confirmed to The Courier-Mail that typically if a club stood down a player from an international, the player would be suspended from his club for that week.
However, the representative round next weekend is free of NRL games meaning Milford escapes suspension and can play for the Broncos the following week.


“There was previously a requirement for players to be stood down from club duties if they were not made available for representative teams on the same weekend but that does not apply to a designated representative round,” an NRL spokesman said.

The representative round was created to promote the international game free from NRL influence.
Cowboys’ coach Paul Green has backed Bennett’s stance over Milford.
Green said the injury risk was too great to allow a player such as Milford to play a Pacific Test.
Cowboys centre Tautau Moga ruptured his ACL representing Samoa in last year’s Pacific Test and was ruled out for the season.

 

[broncos4life]

http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport...67423063f54b87-1461922209#load-story-comments

And stuff like this is why the players want to play for Bennett. **** I love that guy.

 

[Nashy]

Bennett has a pretty good deal too. If they want to complain, he'll answer with single word answers to their questions. Or, they can keep being nice, and he'll keep talking.

 

[I bleed Maroon]

In Wayne, we trust

 

[Foordy]

The RLIF boss was quoted in the media saying that ge wants the eligibility rules changed so that players can represent tier 2 nations without being banned from origin selection for 2 years.

So for example if Milf doesn't get selected for Australia/QLD he can represent Samoa without affecting his chances at QLD or Australian selection later in the year

http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport...l/news-story/2909882b742a8d3c9c4a92f7c93eee13

 

[Sproj]

That would be a good decision in relation to what the system is now...so you can guarantee it won't happen.

 

[Smokin' Joe]

I'm in the camp who thinks that this was Milford's choice and Bennett is just taking the heat for him. I would be worried if he was actively standing in the way of players representative aspirations.

Spot on

 

[Rhys van Beurden]

Steve Mascord has an article up on The Roar where he states that Milford should be stood down for a game for refusing to play for Samoa. Apparently, because he is eligible to play for Samoa, he should be forced to play for them for the good of the international game or something. All this despite the fact that Milford is a born and raised Australian who has made the decision to align himself with Australia. Why is he obligated to play for Samoa because he has in the past?

 

[Sirlee oldman]

I seriously couldn't give a shit about this. If Milford had his heart set on playing for Samoa then Wayne wouldn't stop him. He didn't stop Moose and as far as I can remember hasn't stopped anyone else.

 

[Brett]

Steve Mascord has an article up on The Roar where he states that Milford should be stood down for a game for refusing to play for Samoa. Apparently, because he is eligible to play for Samoa, he should be forced to play for them for the good of the international game or something. All this despite the fact that Milford is a born and raised Australian who has made the decision to align himself with Australia. Why is he obligated to play for Samoa because he has in the past?

It's got a bit of religious stink to it. You must do this because.