Fiji lose another talent

[langpark]

So, Koroisau has just been named in the NSW side, so he has effectively been poached by Australia now, if I am not mistaken.

Sad as he has been playing for Fiji since 2013. 

[JM2010]

Just now, langpark said:

So, Koroisau has just been named in the NSW side, so he has effectively been poached by Australia now, if I am not mistaken.

Sad as he has been playing for Fiji since 2013. 

I think he might still be able represent Fiji if he wants to.

Australia might be using origin as a lure for the Kangaroos though

[Cumbrian Mackem]

1 minute ago, langpark said:

So, Koroisau has just been named in the NSW side, so he has effectively been poached by Australia now, if I am not mistaken.

Sad as he has been playing for Fiji since 2013. 

Can still play for Fiji if he wants I believe?

[Cumbrian Mackem]

Just now, JM2010 said:

I think he might still be able represent Fiji if he wants to.

Australia might be using origin as a lure for the Kangaroos though

That’s what I thought what with Fiji not being a tier1 nation.

Either way it again makes “international” RL look what it is....Mickey mouse.

[langpark]

I am still confused about the eligibilty rules. But even still, what is the scenario? 

Play good, get selected for Australia.

Play bad, get selected for Fiji?

Either way, not exactly a win for International RL.

[JM2010]

Just now, Cumbrian Mackem said:

That’s what I thought what with Fiji not being a tier1 nation.

Either way it again makes “international” RL look what it is....Mickey mouse.

Fiji, Tonga, Samoa, PNG, New Zealand need to develop the  Pacific cup to rival Origin. Although I enjoy Origin I would definitely prefer watching those nations go at each other

[Cumbrian Mackem]

1 minute ago, JM2010 said:

Fiji, Tonga, Samoa, PNG, New Zealand need to develop the  Pacific cup to rival Origin. Although I enjoy Origin I would definitely prefer watching those nations go at each other

I agree but realistically this is never going to happen and RL in the long-term and overall picture will suffer and continue to suffer.

[Cumbrian Mackem]

5 minutes ago, langpark said:

I am still confused about the eligibilty rules. But even still, what is the scenario? 

Play good, get selected for Australia.

Play bad, get selected for Fiji?

Either way, not exactly a win for International RL.

This and injuries.

[JM2010]

4 minutes ago, Cumbrian Mackem said:

I agree but realistically this is never going to happen and RL in the long-term and overall picture will suffer and continue to suffer.

Unfortunately money talks and the money generated by Origin and paid to players dwarves what the Pacific Nations players receive 

[Cumbrian Mackem]

14 minutes ago, JM2010 said:

Unfortunately money talks and the money generated by Origin and paid to players dwarves what the Pacific Nations players receive 

And thus the cycle continues and will continue. 
 

Don’t know what the answer is unless you invite NZ, Fiji and Tonga into state of origin?

[Scubby]

9 hours ago, langpark said:

So, Koroisau has just been named in the NSW side, so he has effectively been poached by Australia now, if I am not mistaken.

Sad as he has been playing for Fiji since 2013. 

The guy has 16 tests for Fiji he is not going anywhere. Jerome Luai and Brian To'o were also talking about Samoa and the World Cup a couple of weeks ago. The ARL can't stop these guys playing for Island nations, and they will keep picking them for Origin because they are so far up their own ####. They have let it go because if they didn'y they wouldn't have any players left to pick for NSW and Qld.

[langpark]

25 minutes ago, Scubby said:

The guy has 16 tests for Fiji he is not going anywhere. Jerome Luai and Brian To'o were also talking about Samoa and the World Cup a couple of weeks ago. The ARL can't stop these guys playing for Island nations, and they will keep picking them for Origin because they are so far up their own ####. They have let it go because if they didn'y they wouldn't have any players left to pick for NSW and Qld.

This is the confusing part. Because there was a big debate about allowing pacific island players (Taumalolo was the main name being talked about) to be eligible for origin. And apparently they decided against it. But there still seems to be some confusion. Is it just Tonga players because they are now classed as a tier 1 nation? 

[nadera78]

You can play for a Tier 2 nation and still play Origin (assuming you were born in NSW/Qld, or moved there before turning 13). That's why Luai, etc will do both.

Taumalolo is ineligible on two grounds: he moved to Australia aged 13, so missed the cut off, and because he already played for New Zealand (Tier 1) before switching to Tonga (who remain Tier 2).

[Scubby]

8 hours ago, nadera78 said:

You can play for a Tier 2 nation and still play Origin (assuming you were born in NSW/Qld, or moved there before turning 13). That's why Luai, etc will do both.

Taumalolo is ineligible on two grounds: he moved to Australia aged 13, so missed the cut off, and because he already played for New Zealand (Tier 1) before switching to Tonga (who remain Tier 2).

Luai actually declared for NZ on his contract when he first signed in the NRL. It was just the sea change of Tier 2 nations being able to play both that allowed him to sidestep that. The NRL will conveniently ignore it because they just want the best players they can get for the series, end of.

Luai, To'o, Koroisau, Paulo, Tupou, Ofahengaue, Coates etc. will not be wearing Kangaroo colours in the World Cup. The NRL/ARL's power over players is over and we have the group who defected to Tonga to thank for that. In fact, I think all players will receive the same base pay for the WC this year which will also help with this.