Mojo

He'll be a very good 14 off the bench

Aj Brimson has put his hand up for England. He's a very solid player

Payne Haas was confirmed by the Samoan coach that he was supposed to go on tour the England before he got injured towards the end of the nrl season. He's also been posting on Instagram about the samoan team all tour, so that gives me an indication he's definitely interested in the samoan team. Tino Fa'asuamaleaui has been out for most of the nrl injured so I haven't heard much about him but surely he'll get tempted to join Haas next year in the samoan team. There are a number of Samoan players who were supposed to commit to samoa over the top teams but most of them are out injured. Jarome Luai and the Samoa RL chairman confirmed there are a number of them on the Kiwis and Kangraoos teams who's committed to the samoan team in a interview in samoa before the samoan team toured to England. It's also frustrating that they couldn't name those players but I also understand why because the media will go after those players if they are named. The annoying thing is we won't know those players for another 9 months ffs

I think we knew how many Tonga fans turned up on the weekend by the amount of empty seats during the Kiwis game, and you add in the amount of Samoan fans with that number and you'll get close to 50,000. If the Samoans team include Haas (who's supposedly committed to Samoa) and Tino we might be in for a cracker of a match. I feel like Abdo and Vlandy are keeping a close eye on the Pac Championship if they can keep up the high numbers of viewership without the Kangaroos.

If all 3 nations are at full strength Tonga would be the outsiders tbh which is crazy because they just played in the final. I think it comes down to the spine and I feel like Samoa and Kiwis have better players in the spine

I think your forgetting that the Fijian team always give the Kiwis trouble. They knocked out the Kiwis in the 2017 world cup and almost beat them the previous wold cup

I agree but in terms of Australia's depth, I don't think it's bigger then what it used to be thanks to a number of Samoan heritage players committing to Samoa, and a few tongans as well. They just beat Tonga by 6 points and no one was surprised by it. Usually the tongan players would look satisfied with that result but they all looked gutted after the game because they know they can beat Australia. I even saw at one stage of the game Yeo looked gassed during the game which showed how physical the tongans we're. Yes they need mid season games but I don't see it happening in 2 years unless the broadcasters see's the potential in the international game and they start demanding it from the nrl. At the end of the day they're the ones you want to impress the most

Games like these will only improve Tonga for the world cup. 3 games against England last year definitely helped with the combinations. Tonga definitely needs more star power in the backs and on the spine. Lehi and Katoa will be better players after another nrl season under their belt. They also need a 6 to help Katoa. Samoa vs Tonga game next year is going to be one of the most anticipated international game next year

Yes games are less now in the Pac championship because Samoa has to travel to England and Tonga last year. I think you are underestimating the value of putting out Team lists early. It's a big factor on promoting games here. The fans get excited to see their fav player or club player get to play that week. The podcast that promotes the game gets the fans excited by talking about certain match ups. The fact that England don't do this is mind blowing. It goes to show how far behind they are with the times. Everything is on social media now. If you see the Tongan Instagram page they put out content every day and their fans are with them every step.

The international game in the Southern hemisphere is growing every year. I think it all starts I'm the SL and the way you guys promote the game. For example over on this side of the world there's a whole heap of podcast every week building up the games and putting contents on social media. Technology is such a huge thing not that fans just relies on social media more then the media. When the samoan team toured England there was hardly and build up from the media during the week. I think that's also due to team naming list coming out a day before kickoff and then the final team list on game day. England definitely needs to get with the times and promote the game more. Team List should come out early during the week to get the fans excited about the potential matchups that they're going to watch on game day. The little things makes a huge difference. I also think Samoa and England should've had fan days during the week to get the fans engaged more with the players. I felt like the build up was very flat.

https://x.com/NRL/status/1852981268088004792?t=QF111hi-T8_1vO26isOG2A&s=19 Surely this is a gee up. Kangaroos vs Tonga ain't the main event??

That would be awesome tbh I loved it when we had the 4 nations in the past when England came over. With Tonga at its peak too it should be 5 nations and put France in the bowl comp with Fiji, CI and PNG. That would be the perfect scenario

...

Jayd'n Sua was out injured no way he misses selection after getting the player of year at the dragons and making SOO. This was one of his best years in the nrl

Nelson Asofa-Solomona said last year he wants to represent Samoa to honour his dad who passed away, I feel like next year is his last chance to do so because he's nearing the end of his prime tbh. I don't even think he'll be good enough to make the samoan squad at the world cup. Tino Fa'asuamaleaui is the only one I'm 50/50 on but he's done everything in the Kangaroos jersey and I won't be surprised if he follows Haas to the Samoan team. Hearing Luai and Murray Taulagi saying there's a few boys from the Kangaroos and Kiwis pledging to the Samoan team for the world cup don't be surprised if you see the likes of Dyland Brown or Moses Leota make the move over next year. Personally I don't like the thought of the Kiwis boys playing for Samoa because that would weaken the Kiwis team heavily. Talagi for me ain't ready yet, CHT played in the halves with Luai for years even in the Kiwis U20s. Samoa needs experienced heads in the spine.