jenson Posted January 22, 2018 Share Posted January 22, 2018 Looks like things are getting closer to fruition: https://www.nrl.com/news/2018/01/21/fiji-team-in-nsw-cup-close-to-reality/ If they can replicate even half the success of the PNG Hunters it’ll be another good shot in the arm for Pacific RL. The competitive landscape is a bit different though, with Union the number 1 code, the strength of Sevens, and an NRC team already playing in Aus. Interesting times ahead. Good luck to all involved! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 22, 2018 Share Posted January 22, 2018 25 Fijian players in the NRL last year is a fantastic achievement for Fijian RL. Not sure if this includes heritage players and Holden cup players but either way that number will no doubt increase over the years with the inclusion of a Fijian franchise in the NSW cup. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghost crayfish Posted January 23, 2018 Share Posted January 23, 2018 This is really good news. I'd been worried it may be stalling. The growing strength of rugby league in countries like Fiji is really important. Rugby league has the chance right now to step up from being a game 'big on the Australian eastern seaboard and in parts of Auckland' to being a game 'big in the region'. Fiji, Tonga and PNG don't bring great corporate support, but they potentially offer lots of players and strength and diversity to the international game. That boost should help the game's credibility and growth in NZ, as well as Australian expansion areas. The next 5-10 years could be really exciting for the sport, if we get this all right... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adelaide Tiger Posted January 23, 2018 Share Posted January 23, 2018 But ...... but ..... but ...... where are all the players coming from to play for the Fijian team. Will the global game survive if Fiji poach players from other teams ......... ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manfred Mann Posted January 23, 2018 Share Posted January 23, 2018 7 minutes ago, Adelaide Tiger said: But ...... but ..... but ...... where are all the players coming from to play for the Fijian team. Will the global game survive if Fiji poach players from other teams ......... ? Some might come from rugby union. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adelaide Tiger Posted January 23, 2018 Share Posted January 23, 2018 4 hours ago, Manfred Mann said: Some might come from rugby union. MM. My comment was in jest and aimed at posters on here that continually knock the potential applications from Boston, Hamilton and NY by saying that these clubs will drain existing clubs of players. Anyway, I hope that some Fiji RU players have a go and make the grade. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farmduck Posted January 23, 2018 Share Posted January 23, 2018 15 hours ago, walter sobchak said: 25 Fijian players in the NRL last year is a fantastic achievement for Fijian RL. Not sure if this includes heritage players and Holden cup players but either way that number will no doubt increase over the years with the inclusion of a Fijian franchise in the NSW cup. That would be 25 in NRL squads so a few probably didn't play any NRL. Half would be Aussie-born heritage players. Most of their players will probably come from Fiji RU clubs. There'll never be a huge number of heritage players because most "Fijians" in OZ are Indians who came here after the first coup in 1986. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Getmefood Posted January 24, 2018 Share Posted January 24, 2018 Reading about this MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) that the squad has to be 100% Fijian domestic RL players otherwise FNRL won't approve the bid, even if the team were 100% Fiji RL players I think they'd still manage decent results. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farmduck Posted January 24, 2018 Share Posted January 24, 2018 Just now, StadiumXIII said: Reading about this MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) that the squad has to be 100% Fijian domestic RL players otherwise FNRL won't approve the bid, even if the team were 100% Fiji RL players I think they'd still manage decent results. That's fine if they treat it as a development squad and don't try to tie players down to contracts that border on peonage. If these players are any good they could all earn substantially more with NRL contracts so, to me, that should be the goal of this project, even if it means massive player turnover. If they use restrictive deals to tie up their best players just for the sake of winning some B-grade trophy then I think it's a waste of time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghost crayfish Posted January 24, 2018 Share Posted January 24, 2018 1 hour ago, Farmduck said: That's fine if they treat it as a development squad and don't try to tie players down to contracts that border on peonage. If these players are any good they could all earn substantially more with NRL contracts so, to me, that should be the goal of this project, even if it means massive player turnover. If they use restrictive deals to tie up their best players just for the sake of winning some B-grade trophy then I think it's a waste of time. Agree, but NRL clubs should have to pay a fee to the club to buy their players. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farmduck Posted January 24, 2018 Share Posted January 24, 2018 31 minutes ago, ghost crayfish said: Agree, but NRL clubs should have to pay a fee to the club to buy their players. No. Why would an NRL club pay a transfer fee for an NRL-untried squad-filler when they could just pull one out of their local junior comp on minimum wage? Have you seen the list of players still off-contract? Proven NRL-ready players with a documented verifiable track record as far as off-field issues, training attitude and so on. If the Fiji player has signed a 4-year-deal and a club wants him mid-contract then maybe but how would that even happen? (I'm talking pragmatically, not administratively) This team won't be full of Vunivalus or Koroibetes or Radradras. The best Fijian players will already have been scouted by the Fiji RU or the Fiji 7s or NZ RU clubs or AUS RU or NRL clubs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghost crayfish Posted January 24, 2018 Share Posted January 24, 2018 13 hours ago, Farmduck said: No. Why would an NRL club pay a transfer fee for an NRL-untried squad-filler when they could just pull one out of their local junior comp on minimum wage? Have you seen the list of players still off-contract? Proven NRL-ready players with a documented verifiable track record as far as off-field issues, training attitude and so on. If the Fiji player has signed a 4-year-deal and a club wants him mid-contract then maybe but how would that even happen? (I'm talking pragmatically, not administratively) This team won't be full of Vunivalus or Koroibetes or Radradras. The best Fijian players will already have been scouted by the Fiji RU or the Fiji 7s or NZ RU clubs or AUS RU or NRL clubs. This could potentially be a great production line of talent, but it will continue to face likely resource/financial issues. A small transfer fee from NRL clubs to help keep the club moving, with decent training facilities, youth development etc seems reasonable to me. Particularly given most of those players will end up at rival NSW Cup sides. A $10k fee could be very useful over there, and NRL clubs spend that much on referee gripes all the time... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
East Coast Tiger Posted January 24, 2018 Share Posted January 24, 2018 NRL clubs are supposed to pay development fees to junior clubs when they sign players so it should be the same. Guyra Super Spuds website Guyra Super Spuds Facebook Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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