Who is heading to the WC final?

[Nashy]

That's all you've got?

 

[Nashy]

Says you who thinks I'm wrong based on the fact that you think something different.

*repeat facepalm*

 

[Coxy]

Anyone who does not attend the game who lives in, or has reasonable opportunity to get to Brisbane simply does not respect rugby league.

I'll go if Australia is NOT playing.

If they are there, I'm not going to bother. League is nothing in the International world while they steal everyone's players.

ROFLCOPTER!

 

[Nashy]

Good argument you put forward.

 

[Coxy]

Nearly as good as yours. "I don't care if you're born here, play for another country!"

So, I repeat, ROFLCOPTER.

 

[Nashy]

And you say you actually care about the International game. Any ideas?

 

[The Brizz]

I agree in principle with Nashy but wouldn't take it to his extremities. The international game will remain crap until you play for your true country. Problem as I see it though is the Kiwi's would get killed by it a lot worse than we would be and in the short term we would dominate the game by even more.

 

[Jeba]

If the eligibility rules were a bit more strict it would be doing the Kiwis a favour. They wouldn't have Nathan Fien in the team.

 

[Coxy]

I'm not convinced eligibility is the issue. The Australian team doesn't have any non-Aussies really, other than Hunt who has lived here since he was 12 so it's not like we "stole" him. Personally I still think Inglis playing for Queensland is a far bigger crime than anything. He's no more a Queenslander than Andrew Johns. It's no longer State of ORIGIN in my view, it's simply State I Want To Play For.

So let's use that philosophy at Test level. To quality for a country, you have to be one of:

- Born in that country
- Lived in that country for more than 3 years
- Your parents were born in that country

Within Australia, state qualification rules should be similar:
- Born in that state
- Lived in that state for more than 3 years


Many players would have multiple qualifications. How do you sort it out? When players reach the age of 16 (which I believe is considered a senior by the IRLF) they are required to fill out a "Statement of Allegiance". Simple questions on it:

1. Name your first choice international allegiance

2. Provide evidence that the above choice is eligible

3. In a World Cup year, if your first choice international allegiance does not select you, which other eligible country would you choose (excluding Australia, New Zealand or England)

4. Provide evidence that the above choice is eligible

5. If your first choice international allegiance is Australia, which State do you align with?

6. Provide evidence that the above choice is eligible

Once you submit that, it's filed, and nothing can be changed. No more changing countries.

 

[The Brizz]

I am with Coxy, great post and a logical way to eliminate the eligibility grey areas.