1000 fans at 3am - Tonga international airport

[Copa]

I think this is all the critics of team selection rules need to know. Tonga RL is happy , Tongan players are happy and fans in Tonga appear happy. 

If you don’t like heritage players tell the people who run the team you support but don’t go telling others what is good for them.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/sydney-plumbers-provide-financial-sponsorship-for-tonga-during-rugby-league-world-cup/news-story/ac76a67df30a7509f324a790c7927bda

 

“About 1000 fans turned out to the Fuaʻamotu International Airport at 3am on Thursday to welcome the Tongan team home for a week-long training camp.”

[kiwis 13 6]

couldn't read article it was behind a pay wall. If true that is 1% of Tonga's population of 100,000.  I am all for people representing countries they are eligible for & sticking to there decisions permanently and making an ongoing difference for there chosen country even when its not a world cup year!

[Farmduck]

http://matangitonga.to/2017/10/11/joyful-welcome-mate-ma-tonga-players

There's some photos at the bottom of the page

[Exiled Wiganer]

1 hour ago, Farmduck said:

http://matangitonga.to/2017/10/11/joyful-welcome-mate-ma-tonga-players

There's some photos at the bottom of the page

Which one is big picture in? ?

Wonderful, just wonderful. 

[Damien]

I think most people are against the constant switching rather than against any qualification through heritage. 

[Futtocks]

1 hour ago, Damien said:

I think most people are against the constant switching rather than against any qualification through heritage. 

 

[damp squib]

2 hours ago, Damien said:

I think most people are against the constant switching rather than against any qualification through heritage. 

It's easier to misrepresent people's arguments than engage in an actual discussion. 

[Exiled Wiganer]

4 minutes ago, damp squib said:

It's easier to misrepresent people's arguments than engage in an actual discussion. 

It's best to misrepresent them, and then dismiss the misrepresentation out of hand. 

[Niels]

4 hours ago, Damien said:

I think most people are against the constant switching rather than against any qualification through heritage. 

I agree with your point Damien. I think sports with fewer nations playing have to be relaxed about heritage rules otherwise there would be less competitive teams.

I agree also that once a player has decided which nation to play for then that should be the end - unless a new "nation" is admitted such as Kosovo in football. 

 

[Copa]

24 minutes ago, Niels said:

 

I agree also that once a player has decided which nation to play for then that should be the end - unless a new "nation" is admitted such as Kosovo in football. 

 

And that would allow wealthy Australia and NZ to lock up most high quality players.

“On just 60k per year but look like the next big thing? Just one game with us and you’ll earn a heap of money!”

Even if the smaller countries had more test matches they’d still never be able to offer the money Australia and NZ can.

One of the Tongan players has a $10 million deal, the current rules now gives him freedom and a chance to represent the mother country. This will probably inspire more Tongans to play rugby league and represent Tonga.

Tongan fans are happy, Tongan RL is happy. There’s been a big increase in ticket sales for Tongan games.

Looks like only some fans of the privileged RL nations are grumpy. Something must be working then.

[B rad]

20 minutes ago, Copa said:

And that would allow wealthy Australia and NZ to lock up most high quality players.

“On just 60k per year but look like the next big thing? Just one game with us and you’ll earn a heap of money!”

Even if the smaller countries had more test matches they’d still never be able to offer the money Australia and NZ can.

One of the Tongan players has a $10 million deal, the current rules now gives him freedom and a chance to represent the mother country. This will probably inspire more Tongans to play rugby league and represent Tonga.

Tongan fans are happy, Tongan RL is happy. There’s been a big increase in ticket sales for Tongan games.

Looks like only some fans of the privileged RL nations are grumpy. Something must be working then.

What do you call a good Fijian Rugby player? An Australian. 

[Tongs ya bas]

6 hours ago, Damien said:

I think most people are against the constant switching rather than against any qualification through heritage. 

If that's true: and there's no evidence that it is, it doesn't make them right

[Niels]

1 hour ago, Copa said:

And that would allow wealthy Australia and NZ to lock up most high quality players.

“On just 60k per year but look like the next big thing? Just one game with us and you’ll earn a heap of money!”

Even if the smaller countries had more test matches they’d still never be able to offer the money Australia and NZ can.

One of the Tongan players has a $10 million deal, the current rules now gives him freedom and a chance to represent the mother country. This will probably inspire more Tongans to play rugby league and represent Tonga.

Tongan fans are happy, Tongan RL is happy. There’s been a big increase in ticket sales for Tongan games.

Looks like only some fans of the privileged RL nations are grumpy. Something must be working then.

I appreciate you have made some good points here.

I would much rather a country like Tonga won the competition so my views are certainly not aimed to help the big countries. 

Maybe then switching countries should be allowed as long as it isn't between the big 3 nations?

[Damien]

26 minutes ago, Tongs ya bas said:

If that's true: and there's no evidence that it is, it doesn't make them right

I never said it did and you could make that reply to almost every post on every thread. There are very few definitive right and wrongs on most topics on here, largely just opinions.

[Tongs ya bas]

9 minutes ago, Damien said:

I never said it did and you could make that reply to almost every post on every thread. There are very few definitive right and wrongs on most topics on here, largely just opinions.

I agree.

My point was that using the fact that a majority of people think something or believe something, validates it, is questionable. And no, I wasn't saying that you were doing that.

[B rad]

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/sydney-plumbers-provide-financial-sponsorship-for-tonga-during-rugby-league-world-cup/news-story/ac76a67df30a7509f324a790c7927bda

 

"The defections of Taumalolo and Andrew Fifita were a catalyst for another sponsor jumping on board last week. and has also produced a surge in ticket sales."

"The Scotland-Tonga game in Cairns was the third-highest-selling Australian game of the week behind the finals and the tournament opener."

"Matches in New Zealand featuring Tonga have topped sales across the ditch for the past two days. And ticket sales for the blockbuster pool clash between New Zealand and Tonga have increased tenfold."

[DoubleD]

13 hours ago, Copa said:

And that would allow wealthy Australia and NZ to lock up most high quality players.

“On just 60k per year but look like the next big thing? Just one game with us and you’ll earn a heap of money!”

Even if the smaller countries had more test matches they’d still never be able to offer the money Australia and NZ can.

One of the Tongan players has a $10 million deal, the current rules now gives him freedom and a chance to represent the mother country. This will probably inspire more Tongans to play rugby league and represent Tonga.

Tongan fans are happy, Tongan RL is happy. There’s been a big increase in ticket sales for Tongan games.

Looks like only some fans of the privileged RL nations are grumpy. Something must be working then.

Says a lot about a person though if they choose to play for a country based on how much they will pay. 

Nation swapping damages the credibility of the sport. I made a tongue in cheek remark on another thread but if Tonga and NZ toured England next year, they could come with a joint squad of 24 players and have many players play for both countries. That is farcical 

[Tongs ya bas]

3 minutes ago, DoubleD said:

Says a lot about a person though if they choose to play for a country based on how much they will pay. 

Nation swapping damages the credibility of the sport. I made a tongue in cheek remark on another thread but if Tonga and NZ toured England next year, they could come with a joint squad of 24 players and have many players play for both countries. That is farcical 

yes, it says that they are a professional sports player.

 

[B rad]

10 minutes ago, DoubleD said:

Says a lot about a person though if they choose to play for a country based on how much they will pay. 

I think all it says about them is that they are normal. 

The reason we play State of Origin is because all the Queenslanders use to play for the Sydney clubs to make more money at which point they were eligible for NSW. I guess guys like Arthur Beetson who played 18 games for NSW before State of Origin should have stuck with low paying Queensland clubs for he career or he was some kind of unpatriotic Queenslander to take the money over his state.

I think when you look at the amount of money they are missing out on to represent Australia or New Zealand over a pacific island then its more then understandable.  

[DoubleD]

2 minutes ago, B rad said:

I think all it says about them is that they are normal. 

The reason we play State of Origin is because all the Queenslanders use to play for the Sydney clubs to make more money at which point they were eligible for NSW. I guess guys like Arthur Beetson who played 18 games for NSW before State of Origin should have stuck with low paying Queensland clubs for he career or he was some kind of unpatriotic Queenslander to take the money over his state.

I think when you look at the amount of money they are missing out on to represent Australia or New Zealand over a pacific island then its more then understandable.  

That was then and this is now, where players can earn many millions of $ in their club career. The fact the likes of Fifita and Taumalolo turned their noses up at the money on offer for Oz and NZ shows the money argument is less of an issue now

[B rad]

1 minute ago, DoubleD said:

That was then and this is now, where players can earn many millions of $ in their club career. The fact the likes of Fifita and Taumalolo turned their noses up at the money on offer for Oz and NZ shows the money argument is less of an issue now

Not everyone is on Taumalolo or Fifita type money though.

[jannerboyuk]

League players are one injury away from a career ending abruptly and earning nothing - i don't blame them for taking what they can when they can, whole principle of our sport surely is that players deserve the fruits of their labour in what is a short and dangerous career.

[DoubleD]

2 hours ago, B rad said:

Not everyone is on Taumalolo or Fifita type money though.

So you wouldn’t have an issue if NZ took a squad of 24 players to the UK next year with Tonga and players could pick and choose which team to play for?

[Tex Evans Thigh]

Highlights how much of a shame it is that they don't have more games or pretty much any games at home.

I die inside a little when I think of the state of the organization of international RL. Imagine if there was a confederations cup to look forward to next year so Tonga could build on this or a pacific cup played every 2 years. Instead they'll have a hastily thrown together one off game with Cook Islands at Leichardt. 

[B rad]

2 hours ago, DoubleD said:

So you wouldn’t have an issue if NZ took a squad of 24 players to the UK next year with Tonga and players could pick and choose which team to play for?

I think that's taking it to extreme. Yes I would. There isn't a win win situation. 

A: Players play for one nation meaning Australia and New Zealand become in essence Australia/Pacific, New Zealand Pacific as they absorb all the best players. Its not a theory this is just what happens. There are 4 Fijians in the current Australian Union line up and its no coincidence the best Fijian Rugby League player in the game at the moment Semi Radradra last played for Australia in league as did every other player of that country, Tonga and Samoa that was any good. Is that fair on England and every other nation that has to compete with these power houses topped up with the best extra's? 

B: Do what they are doing now which takes away from our games international credibility. But at least it creates a stronger international competition keeps people from those Pacific Nations happy and interested in our game. The players seem to appreciated it and brings in extra sponsorship as it did with Tonga this week. So its defiantly the lessor of the two evils in my opinion. NZ bringing a bunch of guys who could pick and choose as you mention is going too far obviously and they wouldn't do it anyway. 

C: The only other option and best in my opinion is to pay the players the same amount of money and to let them play the same amount of games so a career with Tonga is the same as a career with Australia or New Zealand. Let them be on equal footing in the first place and not have the Pacific as 2nd tier nations. Although that's by far and away the best option who is going to pay for it?