International rugby league

[Mr Fourex]

If they can't play origin, the International game suffers.

Thats bullshit.......

they are playing week to week in the NRL....that in itself is helping the International game grow more competitive.

I'm firmly in the ....if you want to play SOO, then you simply have to be available for Australia, first and foremost.
If you then aren't picked for Australia, you can choose the country of your birth place.

 

[Wolfie]

This all reads like an upset Wallabies fan from the 90s.

Origin IS the pinnacle. But it shouldn't be, the international game should be, and as long as Australians continue to allow their national team to take anyone they want with a sniff of eligibility, it will never, ever change.

Origin is the pinnacle though these days. I agree it shouldnt be, but its just overtaken the international game.

 

[Harry Sack]

The answer is simple, the implementation of it isn't. They need to make playing for Samoa and Tonga more attractive financially and from a playing perspective - i.e. more games played. Why would I play one game for Tonga (in a non world cup year) when I could play 3 Origins and bank 90K? Obviously we have the rep weekend at the moment but that needs to be expanded upon. I'd also argue that some of the games between those two sides are easily up there with Origin for intensity and pure entertainment value. Their fans are also some of the most passionate you will come across.

Also, I'm not too sure on the eligibility when it comes to NZ. I swear I've seen players that have played for NZ play for Samoa or Tonga if they've missed out on NZ selection.

 

[Mr Fourex]

Also, I'm not too sure on the eligibility when it comes to NZ. I swear I've seen players that have played for NZ play for Samoa or Tonga if they've missed out on NZ selection.

Which should be ok to do....yeah?

I hadn't realised that being honoured to play representative football ....at its highest levels, had become such a money grab. Most likely you're right then....make all players get the same, no matter which country you're representing. The NRL and SL can split the bill between them......

 

[Mr Fourex]

Origin is the pinnacle though these days. I agree it shouldnt be, but its just overtaken the international game.

Its the game as we know it....played at the very highest level possible. Thats what SOO has evolved to be/always was....

Tighten eligibility to play SOO.....might knock the high level down a touch(?) Even things up a bit....

 

[Mustafur]

Despite all the Circus around the defections the Roos are still the best team on paper so this has helped the game big time here, my prediction earlier that Samoa will be the big surprise is pretty much coming to truth now, on paper the team looks way better then the Tonga team did in 2017 and they are not that bad in the spine as well.

My early tip at this point is a Aus vs Samoa Final.

 

[Mustafur]

Australia:
1. Tedesco (C)
2. Holmes
3. Mitchell
4. Burton
5. Addo-Carr
6. Munster
7. Cleary
8. Fa’asuamaleaui
9. Hunt
10. Carrigan
11. Martin
12. Murray
13. Yeo
14. Grant
15. Cotter
16. Trbojevic
17. Crichton

Samoa:
1. Suaalii
2. To’o
3. Crichton
4. Tago
5. May
6. Luai
7. Milford
8. Papalii
9. Clark
10. Papalii
11. Tuilagi
12. Su’A
13. Faitala-Mariner
14. Brown (Fa’amanua)
15. Leniu
16. Aloiai
17. Molo

Note: Manu Tuilagi probably forces his way in if he elects Samoa, Tabuai-Fidow I can’t really find a spot for having benched all year.

Tonga:
1. Lolehea
2. Katoa
3. Staggs
4. Talakai
5. Tupou
6. Amone
7. Katoa (Isaiya)
8. Fonua-Blake
9. Havili
10. Pangai Junior
11. Kaufusi
12. Kolomatangi
13. Taumalolo
14. Luke
15. Fifita (David)
16. Fotuiaka
17. Paseka

Note: Forward rotation could heavily differ as they are stacked in that department.

New Zealand:
1. Manu
2. Mulitalo
3. Niukore
4. Hiku
5. Rapana
6. Brown
7. Hughes
8. Bromwich
9. Smith
10. Fisher-Harris
11. Papali
12. Bromwich
13. Tapine
14. Foran
15. Leota
16. Asofa-Solomona
17. Nikora

notes: same side as Tongan rep round game. Sebastian Kris finished the season well and might force his way into the centres, likely at the expense of Niukore who would move to the bench.

Fiji:
1. Turuva
2. Sivo
3. Valemi
4. Blake
5. Ravalwa
6. Naiqama
7. Wakeham
8. Campbell-Gillard
9. Koroisau
10. D. Saifiti
11. Kikau
12. T. Sims
13. Milne
14. Lovodua
15. J. Saifiti
16. Kamikamica
17. K. Sims

Note: Lack of depth means this is basically what will happen without injury or pulling out. Korbin just retired but we might see him pull on the boots for the last time for Fiji alongside his brother.

PNG:
1. Johnston
2. Coates
3. Olam
4. Macdonald
5. Derby
6. Laybutt
7. Lam
8. Kapinias
9. Ipape
10. Albert
11. Putt
12. Russell
13. Martin
14. Biondi-Odo
15. Yei
16. Isaac
17. Albert

Note: entirely someone else’s team. Didn’t know enough about PNG but some exciting names like Edwin Ipape and Xavier Coates as inclusions since the rep round.

England:
1. Tomkins
2. Makinson
3. Farnworth
4. Percival
5. Hall
6. Lomax
7. Williams
8. Walmsley
9. Mcllorum
10. Thompson
11. Whitehead
12. Bateman
13. Radley
14. Welsby
15. Burgess
16. Sutton
17. Farrell

Note: Someone else’s team yet again but I know the players well enough that it is 90% probable.

Close World Cup this year. I think England will start to drop below some of the pacific nations. Media can toot Samoa and lesser so Tonga’s horns all they like but the reality is their spines aren’t good enough to win it. NZ have a good crack and Australia still favourites but I think will likely be not as hungry as some of the other nations are as they seem to have ended up being the last few times they have run out. Pretty new team but and a lot of debutants so good chance to change the culture of the Australian team.

Lolohea is Tongas only good half he will not be fullback you can bet the house on that.

As for SOO players picking other countries good on them, SOO isn't a trial game to pick the Roos.

Just like dual nationality is a real thing, in Soccer teams have a homegrown requirement to play in European competitions like the champions league, the homegrown means they trained in the country of the team not that they play for the national team It's a similar thing done in another code and I think it works.

If you make it that they have to play for Australia your essentially wrecking the World cup to make australia more powerful, a double whammy of making the international game more shit.

 

[Harry Sack]

Which should be ok to do....yeah?

I hadn't realised that being honoured to play representative football ....at its highest levels, had become such a money grab. Most likely you're right then....make all players get the same, no matter which country you're representing. The NRL and SL can split the bill between them......

Reckon they will? It's worth a try I guess.

Like I said, the solution is simple...the implementation isn't.

Regarding "I hadn't realised that being honoured to play representative football ....at its highest levels, had become such a money grab" it may or may not be...but shouldn't representing your country BE that highest level? I mean, do you think someone like Luai represents NSW this year if he can represent Samoa for the same money?

 

[Fitzy]

Lolohea is Tongas only good half he will not be fullback you can bet the house on that.

As for SOO players picking other countries good on them, SOO isn't a trial game to pick the Roos.

Just like dual nationality is a real thing, in Soccer teams have a homegrown requirement to play in European competitions like the champions league, the homegrown means they trained in the country of the team not that they play for the national team It's a similar thing done in another code and I think it works.

If you make it that they have to play for Australia your essentially wrecking the World cup to make australia more powerful, a double whammy of making the international game more shit.

Nobody wants them to play for Australia that is the fucking point you are missing. We want them to play for Samoa and not origin.

 

[Kimlo]

Do soccer players get paid for international games?

 

[Nashy]

Origin is the pinnacle though these days. I agree it shouldnt be, but its just overtaken the international game.

Literally what I said. Because of NSWRL neglect, and aboslute batshit eligibility that always suits Australia.

Scrap them from Australian selection if they are eligible for a smaller nation. I don't know, just do something to help the International game instead of this crap.

James Tamou played for Australia. Take a special person to say he deserved to play there with a straight face.

 

[Mustafur]

Nobody wants them to play for Australia that is the fucking point you are missing. We want them to play for Samoa and not origin.

Why would you want to do that?

They are both australian(who grew up in that state they play for) and Samoan.

It's easy to say when you have a mono culture.

 

[Foordy]

If they can't play origin, the International game suffers. That's why we ended up with these rules, to try and help grow it.

What about a full fledged Australian who wants to play for Australia, but can't, because a New Zealander wants to play Origin?

The rules are dud across the board, but removing the option or Origin for those who meet eligibility, works backwards for the game overall.

Origin shouldn't be the pinnacle, the world cup should be. But Origin has fucked the game because of this constant bitching.

do you really believe these rules were changed to help the international game?

the rules were likely changed because NSW wanted someone and needed to amend the rules first

 

[Mustafur]

Do soccer players get paid for international games?

Yes but if the FA is poor for that national team well maybe not.

 

[Nashy]

do you really believe these rules were changed to help the international game?

the rules were likely changed because NSW wanted someone and needed to amend the rules first

It could have been, but it does help the game, even if that wasn't what they set out to do. It allowed a bunch of players, who would otherwise be sitting on their ass, play for the home nations without affecting Origin.

If they want to be dicks about it, fix eligiability to take Aus out of it completely, and drop Origin. Force them to play for their home nations. I dare say the thought of not being able to pick any Islander or Kiwi with ties here would forbid that from ever happening.

 

[Wolfie]

Do soccer players get paid for international games?

They get about $3500-4000 a game playing for England.

 

[Scorchie]

Could be worse

we could have an “all Australian squad” that plays nobody

 

[Foordy]

It could have been, but it does help the game, even if that wasn't what they set out to do. It allowed a bunch of players, who would otherwise be sitting on their ass, play for the home nations without affecting Origin.

If they want to be dicks about it, fix eligiability to take Aus out of it completely, and drop Origin. Force them to play for their home nations. I dare say the thought of not being able to pick any Islander or Kiwi with ties here would forbid that from ever happening.

I personally don't have an issue with the bolded bit ... and i liked the initial change where if the player wasn't selected by Australia they were free to play for the nation of their descent ... but IMO, they've taken it too far, where they can play Origin, then choose which nation they want to represent.