Test side

[Guest]

Look as far as I know Mason was born in NZ but moved here as a young kid. Played all his junior footy in Newc area. He NEVER committed to the Bros or ever did the Haka. I may be wrong there but that's what I'm led to believe. And I don't have a prob if that's the case.

Tamou on the other hand I don't blame. It would be very tempting, the chance to play origin. pRicky IMO is doing what I hate about QLD doing, pressuring a young bloke to choose an origin jumper over a National jumper.

And we all criticize the fact Test footy is second rate to origin. There's a reason for that, we are seeing it played out again.

As I said change the rules. Make it so EVERYONE can play for their country and state of choice. I bet the Tamous and kHunts would then play for NZ. It's not as if Origin is a genuine battle for the Aussie side. It hasn't been that since the 80s.

Thata exactly what needs to happen. If you play footy as a youngster in either state you should be eligable to play SOO.

So that way Marshall could play SOO & still play for NZ.

[stsae]

Thata exactly what needs to happen. If you play footy as a youngster in either state you should be eligable to play SOO.

So that way Marshall could play SOO & still play for NZ.

IMO when you sign your 1st NRL contract, even U20s contract, you have 2 standard questions.

What country do you affiliate with???

What state, NSW or QLD, do you affiliate with???

Simple solution to a complex problem.

Maybe it could be the backwards clause in a standard contract???

[SConcierge]

IMO when you sign your 1st NRL contract, even U20s contract, you have 2 standard questions.

What country do you affiliate with???

What state, NSW or QLD, do you affiliate with???

Simple solution to a complex problem.

Maybe it could be the backwards clause in a standard contract???

Personally I dont want to see kiwis play soo or poms, the rules should be what ever ur bith cert says. How can you be proud to play for NSW then turn up for NZ OR pround to watch a kiwi score the winning try lol.

[stsae]

Personally I dont want to see kiwis play soo or poms, the rules should be what ever ur bith cert says. How can you be proud to play for NSW then turn up for NZ OR pround to watch a kiwi score the winning try lol.

We have been seeing Kiwis and NSWelshmen play for QLD for the last 15 yrs or so.

What difference does it make??? State games were only started to have a trial for the Test side. That hasn't been the case for more than 20 yrs. There's a couple of generations who don't realise this was the case now.

Those same fans don't realize Test footy should be the Pinnacle and Origin footy is to make money.

I don't blame the fans, I blame the rule makers in our game. They only think about the cashola not the traditions of our game.

IMO my suggestion covers both. Imagine Benji Marshall or Kieran Foran playing Origin. Or JWH??? Or Gareth Ellis??? Or Mozz when he was out here???

Origin would be bigger and make possibly more money. And Test footy would regain it's place at the top of the tree in the pecking order for kids to aspire to play.

It's a win-win for our game.

[Guest]

Sounds stupid.

[Guest]

I never have and never will understand this eligibility shit.

The rules should be very fuucking simple. As long as they were born in Australia, let them pick the bloody state they want to play for.

Who wants a guy to play for an Origin team he doesn't want to play for?

Silly stuff.

[stephenj]

so i haVE to cheer for nz again? against the news oz team?

[Jollyjock]

Who wants a guy to play for an Origin team he doesn't want to play for?

Then who would want to play for the loosing team NSW
I couldn't give a rats about the farce that is state of origin!!!

Just get back to international laws if you have a passport of your country then you cannot play for any other country till you have been naturalised to your country of choice and have given up your original passport

[PKR]

Good on you Stephen.

[SConcierge]

I think this is a farce, it shows how poor the league has been run. imo Tamou will cheapen the Oz and NSW jerseys.

[stephenj]

good asessment mrs tee!

[Guest]

We have been seeing Kiwis and NSWelshmen play for QLD for the last 15 yrs or so.

What difference does it make??? State games were only started to have a trial for the Test side. That hasn't been the case for more than 20 yrs. There's a couple of generations who don't realise this was the case now.

Those same fans don't realize Test footy should be the Pinnacle and Origin footy is to make money.

I don't blame the fans, I blame the rule makers in our game. They only think about the cashola not the traditions of our game.

IMO my suggestion covers both. Imagine Benji Marshall or Kieran Foran playing Origin. Or JWH??? Or Gareth Ellis??? Or Mozz when he was out here???

Origin would be bigger and make possibly more money. And Test footy would regain it's place at the top of the tree in the pecking order for kids to aspire to play.

It's a win-win for our game.

I hear where you are coming from Stsae but I think this takes SOO further along the path to be an All Stars game.

The problem as I understand it is that Origin is based on "where you played your first senior footy" and test footy has some other vague criteria. They need to change the rules to be clear, specific and consistent across rep footy and then exempt anyone who has already debuted.

[stsae]

I hear where you are coming from Stsae but I think this takes SOO further along the path to be an All Stars game.

The problem as I understand it is that Origin is based on "where you played your first senior footy" and test footy has some other vague criteria. They need to change the rules to be clear, specific and consistent across rep footy and then exempt anyone who has already debuted.

Mate they've just rejigged the Origin eligibility rules, although I find them just as confusing as before, seems now there are ways of getting around the rules anyway. I read it in a very good article by DA. It's also interesting to read his ideas on Test footy eligibility rules also.

I guess my opinion just is to try and make the rules as black and white as possible while protecting and promoting Test footy which IMO should still be the pinnacle.

Link: http://www.nrl.com/grandstanding-fix...3/default.aspx

Grandstanding: Fixing the eligibility minefield
Daniel Anderson NRL.com
April 19th 2012

Let’s start with a talented NRL player named Feleti Mateo. Under current eligibility guidelines and criteria, Feleti qualifies for Australia under birth status. He also qualifies for Tonga under his father’s birth status, he qualifies for England under his mum’s birth status and in September 2013 he will qualify for New Zealand under residency status.

Since from November 2011, the Australian Rugby League Commission (ARLC) will now decide which team players are eligible to play for (NSW/QLD Origin and City/Country Origin) with players answering 5 questions to assist the ARLC process. These questions are:

1.** *In which State was the player born?
2.** *In which State did the player play rugby league for the majority of years aged 6-18 inclusive?
3.** *In which State did the player spend the majority of years at school years K-12?
4.** *In which State did the player first play rugby league in a State run Junior Rep competition aged 15 years or above?
5.** *For which State did the player first play rugby league at a School Representative level?

These questions suggest that Feleti Mateo is eligible for City Origin and NSW Origin representation.

The ARLC have also implemented a similar process to assist in the decision making process for eligibility of the impending NSW 20’s Origin v QLD 20’s Origin fixture. It’s a step in the right direction.

The Rugby League International Federation (RLIF) have the onerous task of eligibility in the international arena. This is very difficult, but currently eligibility can be determined by player birth, parents birth, grandparents birth and residency. Add to this that during a period between World Cups (currently this is 2008-2013) players can change their allegiance once.

This week James Tamou has highlighted the challenge the RLIF faces with eligibility, but each case must be treated on its own as many of our players have multiple eligibility possibilities. It’s not just black and white as some would suggest.

In my opinion, rugby league has a bigger international eligibility and selection problem and this is for the developing nations who want to participate in international rugby league. Developing nations are all nations who participate at the international level outside of the ‘big three’: Australia, New Zealand and England.

The eligibility for international rugby league is not significantly different from other world sports but rugby league is essentially controlled by England, New Zealand and Australia. The current eligibility guidelines are detrimental to the developing nations as the player selection pool is severely limited as the ‘big three’ dominate international destinations of players.

Consider that most NRL player contracts include bonuses for international representation of the ‘big three’, revenue streams in those nations are light years ahead and clubs in both hemispheres frown upon developing nations fixtures in the off-season as it impacts upon their rest period. (The ‘big three’ play their fixtures in this same period too).

I have been associated with club, ‘big three’ and developing nation (in my case Samoa) rugby league utopias. I have spoken to Nigel Vagana - a passionate Kiwi and Samoan representative who has a solution which fits rugby league.

Here it is:

TWO TIER ELIGIBILITY
Tier 1 - Australia, New Zealand and England
Tier 2 - All others (eg Samoa, Tonga, France, PNG, Russia, Lebanon, USA, etc)

Guidelines:
•** *Once you play for a Tier 1 nation, you cannot move to another Tier 1 nation ever (no sideways movement).
•** *Once you have played for a Tier 2 nation, you cannot play for another Tier 2 nation ever (no sideways movement)
•** *In any calendar year, if a player is not named in a Tier 1 team, then he is eligible to drop down and play for a Tier 2 team. (You can move up/down between your Tier 1/Tier 2 nation that you have represented).

I understand it’s not easy for clubs to swallow that players may be injured playing for developing nations, but they are insured. This weekend, there are no NRL fixtures. It is a standalone rep weekend for the Kangaroos and Kiwis as well as City and Country. What’s wrong with staging games like Samoa v Tonga in Brisbane, Fiji v Cook Islands in Suva and Italy v Lebanon at Parramatta?

Why can’t we stage an international festival this weekend?

Has anyone asked someone like Feleti Mateo, Anthony Minichiello or Frank Pritchard if they are not selected for Australia (or City/NSW) or New Zealand if they would like to play for Tonga, Italy or Samoa, without reprisals?

[Guest]

Three ex-Roosters in the Australian squad and not one current player speaks highly of the stupidity of this club since 2004.

Do you think, just a little bit, it might have something to do with our youth policy, ha, just a little bit??!!

[Cockadoodledoo]

Do you think, just a little bit, it might have something to do with our youth policy, ha, just a little bit??!!

Not at all. How does that youth policy explain letting go James Tamou who was our best NYC front rower at the time? Shillington was offered massive coin and left at the time Mason and O'Meley were sucking up massive coin from the Rooster's.. I think the club can be somewhat forgiven as he was going through the motions here but clearly this speaks volumes for the club that his performances lifted massively when joining Canberra... I have heard so many different stories on Hannant but I did hear big Artie claim he was unfit which I thought was one of his better attribute's. He also despises Ricky Stuart for some unknown reason.