Radradra Wants to Play for Australia

[deluded pom?]

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/parramatta-eels-winger-semi-radradra-wants-to-play-for-australia-20160223-gn1fod.html?&utm_source=social&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=nc&eid=socialn:twi-14omn0015-optim-nnn:nonpaid-27/06/2014-social_traffic-all-organicpost-nnn-smh-o&campaign_code=nocode&promote_channel=social_twitter

[brooza]

I hope he doesn't get picked. Choose one country and stick with it

[thebull13]

I hope he doesn't get picked. Choose one country and stick with it

This is totally wrong. I'm with you in hoping that he doesn't get picked!! But probably will!!

[Guest]

I hope he doesn't get picked. Choose one country and stick with it

Mal meninga is the coach so I'd say it's a sure thing.

[Odsal Outlaw]

Doesn't qualify for NSW but does for Australia

[DoubleD]

All down to $$$$$, sad really

[GeordieSaint]

Pick a country and stick and if you've played for one you should never be allowed to change.

Agreed - but you also need to give the likes of Fiji et al far more games than 1 x match per year with the same opportunities to travel etc as per Eng, NZ and Aus.

[deluded pom?]

Agreed - but you also need to give the likes of Fiji et al far more games than 1 x match per year with the same opportunities to travel etc as per Eng, NZ and Aus.

All England, Australia and New Zealand are interested in is themselves.

[Odsal Outlaw]

Agreed - but you also need to give the likes of Fiji et al far more games than 1 x match per year with the same opportunities to travel etc as per Eng, NZ and Aus.

Yes, agree with that. I think a proper 8 year cycle of events should be the start of a reset of eligibility.

[The Future is League]

He was born in Fiji and has played for Fiji. Shouldn't be allowed under any circumstances to play for Australia.

[GeordieSaint]

Article in RLW states Fiji have played just twice since they lost the semi final at RLWC13...

[The Future is League]

Article in RLW states Fiji have played just twice since they lost the semi final at RLWC13...

That's terrible. Rugby League needs to play a lot more internationals.

If the PI's are worried about expenses they could always play the pacific cup in Australia where a majority of their players seem to be based. I agree not the best option but better than playing no internationals.

[JoneslessBishop]

Lack of games will be resolved in part by Confed Cup. Will be a minimum of 3 games 2 years after a World Cup, with World Cup also being attractive. Pacific nations are also scheduled to play on the standalone SOO weekend that will come in in 2018, filling airtime outside the main event as there will be no NRL games.

So things getting better. There does seem to have been a bit of a lull in the Pacific since the World Cup. No reason they shouldn't be playing an equivalent of the Euros every season

[hutch]

Article in RLW states Fiji have played just twice since they lost the semi final at RLWC13...

And this is exactly what the major problem is. Radradra wants to achieve as much as he can in his career, Fiji play once in Australia per year. They never play at home, they rarely play in big tournaments outside of world cups, they don't play test series and players like radradra have little incentive to play for their country for no $$$$.

The NRL don't care. He should be the face of rugby league in Fiji, he should be the sports ambassador and the Fiji national team should be playing regular tests and tournaments with their full compliment of players.

[Jean de Bordeaux]

He was born in Fiji and has played for Fiji. Shouldn't be allowed under any circumstances to play for Australia !

 

I agree !

 

Doesn't qualify for NSW but does for Australia ????  It's a joke !

[EastLondonMike]

Think most outside of Australia agree other nations other than the big three need more games, but the NRL is king, and dictates accordingly.

Nothing stopping NZ organising games against Fiji/Samoa/Tonga/PNG et al, except that they'd probably pizz off the NRL and NRL clubs, whose players would pick up those mysterious injuries which would 'advise' them against playing. Same goes for the smaller nations. Though with Origin moving to weekends in 2016 that would have been the perfect time for NZ to get some games in against the other pacific nations.

 

Again nothing stopping England from doing the same, except we cant afford to bring teams over to play tests when the fans won't support the games in large numbers. That and TV scheduling.

 

Bottom line is things wont change until Australia come to the table and England and NZ show a bit more determination at making the change happen.

[Fabou]

That's terrible. Rugby League needs to play a lot more internationals.

If the PI's are worried about expenses they could always play the pacific cup in Australia where a majority of their players seem to be based. I agree not the best option but better than playing no internationals.

 

 

And this is exactly what the major problem is. Radradra wants to achieve as much as he can in his career, Fiji play once in Australia per year. They never play at home, they rarely play in big tournaments outside of world cups, they don't play test series and players like radradra have little incentive to play for their country for no $$$$.

The NRL don't care. He should be the face of rugby league in Fiji, he should be the sports ambassador and the Fiji national team should be playing regular tests and tournaments with their full compliment of players.

 

that is what i was thinking. what is the situation of RL in fidji?

this is a strong RU nation if i remember correct. 

a rising star like radradra would be the perfect way to develop our sport there

[Farmduck]

 

 

 

that is what i was thinking. what is the situation of RL in fidji?

this is a strong RU nation if i remember correct. 

a rising star like radradra would be the perfect way to develop our sport there

 

No, it's a very strong RU nation with a small but growing RL comp.

[Ullman]

He was born in Fiji and has played for Fiji. Shouldn't be allowed under any circumstances to play for Australia.

I thought Radradra was the Norwegian king who was defeated at the battle of Stamford Bridge. 

[terrywebbisgod]

I thought Radradra was the Norwegian king who was defeated at the battle of Stamford Bridge.

On the away goals rule if I remember correctly.

[Tex Evans Thigh]

To be honest I wouldn't want to play for Fiji either, or Tonga, Samoa, Cooks, Wales, Ireland Scotland unless it was a world cup. The international fixture list and schedule is an absolute joke and a shambles. We can barely organise a tournament for the big nations, what hope is there for the smaller ones. Absolutely no planning for them apart from the odd little end of season effort here and there which attracts less fans than a championship game.

 

What sort of representative career is Radradra going to have? 0. Rock bottom. Already said he cant play for NSW and Fiji get no encouragement. So he's meant to not put his hand up for Australia because of some dogged devotion to a principle that you should only play for the country where you were born. You know like they do in soccer...Akila Uate was the same and I don't blame them one bit.

 

If there was a Fiji worth playing for then I would be having a go, but there isn't so his only option is to look elsewhere to fulfil his potential. Hell Parra aren't going to win owt!

 

Don't hate the player, hate our rank bad international game.

[Futtocks]

I thought Radradra was the Norwegian king who was defeated at the battle of Stamford Bridge. 

Great, now I won't be able to see Radradra in action without hearing Albert Steptoe going "Haarooold?"

[mrbenarthur]

To be honest I wouldn't want to play for Fiji either, or Tonga, Samoa, Cooks, Wales, Ireland Scotland unless it was a world cup. The international fixture list and schedule is an absolute joke and a shambles. We can barely organise a tournament for the big nations, what hope is there for the smaller ones. Absolutely no planning for them apart from the odd little end of season effort here and there which attracts less fans than a championship game.

What sort of representative career is Radradra going to have? 0. Rock bottom. Already said he cant play for NSW and Fiji get no encouragement. So he's meant to not put his hand up for Australia because of some dogged devotion to a principle that you should only play for the country where you were born. You know like they do in soccer...Akila Uate was the same and I don't blame them one bit.

If there was a Fiji worth playing for then I would be having a go, but there isn't so his only option is to look elsewhere to fulfil his potential. Hell Parra aren't going to win owt!

Don't hate the player, hate our rank bad international game.

Agree with everything here. England's international calendar is shocking too. Why can't their be any mid-season internationals like their used to be? It'd be great to see England play against island teams.

Two internationals against Samoa and Fiji would help our international team as well as theirs.

[Futtocks]

Agree with everything here. England's international calendar is shocking too. Why can't their be any mid-season internationals like their used to be? It'd be great to see England play against island teams.

Two internationals against Samoa and Fiji would help our international team as well as theirs.

I'd imagine that the RFL would have to shoulder most of the funding for those internationals, unless Fiji could get Vodafone to put in a bit extra to their RL setup, and the same for whoever is Samoa's main sponsor these days.

[JoneslessBishop]

Can we wait and see if the Confed Cup is implemented before we drone on about hating the interntional calendar? A lot of effort has been put into renergising the RLIF and they have produced a very ambitious plan. Has anyone bagging interntional RL bothered to read it?

Yes it was frustrating the Aussies didn't play last year. But we went from a great RLWC2013, to the best attended and most successful 4 Nations (NZ pulling off shock, Samoa so nearly so) in 2014. Last years test series was a virtual sell-out with England finally winning a series. We now have Wayne Bennet, slamming Sam, a 4 Nations this year and what looks like the biggest World Cup ever in 2017 to look forward to. Euros have been a success with various winners.

After that the new cycle kicks in, with the 8 team Confed Cup giving 5 smaller teams a chance to take on the big guns 2 years after every World Cup, with test series in the alternate years, and mid season test between the Pacific Nations and potentially England v NZ. A lot to look forward to.

As ever criticism of the RL authorities is getting very outdated and fails to recognise a lot of very good progress that is being made.