Pacific Tests - June 25th

[Davo5]

15 minutes ago, Big Picture said:

I seem knowledgeable about Union in Australia?  Just from looking something up in Wikipedia???  ROFL!!!!!

We’ll you claim to have a deep knowledge of the psyche of Australian sports fans based on meeting a few in a pub no doubt.

[Gomersall]

https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/disappointing-pasifika-communities-shattered-at-nrls-axing-of-mid-season-representative-round/lqnur6dv0

[Damien]

6 minutes ago, Gomersall said:

https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/disappointing-pasifika-communities-shattered-at-nrls-axing-of-mid-season-representative-round/lqnur6dv0

I know Clint Newton and the RLPA are mentioned in that article but they really need to step up now. It is well within their power to make the NRL change their decision on this. Newton talked big around the RLWC withdrawal but did little, he can't do that again.

[Dave T]

8 minutes ago, Gomersall said:

https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/disappointing-pasifika-communities-shattered-at-nrls-axing-of-mid-season-representative-round/lqnur6dv0

It's a good point. During the winter window, many of these teams are shoved out of the limelight due to the presence of the 'big' teams. 

It's crazy, but predictable. 

[StandOffHalf]

Reeks of giving the Kangaroos a post-season test match window.

The comments from the NRL about tours and series are pretty lame and disingenuous.

"Instead of having just a single round we can start to think about tours, we can start to think about tournaments, and we can start to think about regular content every year, instead of just doing a one-off. That is incredibly exciting."

 

[unapologetic pedant]

Australian RL`s principle code rival is the exclusively club-focussed AFL. NZRL`s principle code rival is the mostly international-focussed NZRU. Hence, regular internationals involving Kiwis/Samoa/Tonga are more valuable to NZRL in their domestic code rivalry than any games involving the Kangaroos are to ARL.

Could be that outside of World Cups Australia should be left to fight their domestic code war against AFL, with Origin as the only significant point of difference.

Kiwis v Samoa played in Auckland is potentially as big an event, even bigger given the demographics, as Kiwis v Tonga. And Samoa v Tonga would be bigger still. The fixtures could be as successful played end-of-season as mid-season.

Question is, are the NRL able and willing to sustain a commitment to make them successful? 

For Toa Samoa to emulate Mate Ma`a Tonga they need a handful of star players to irreversibly pledge an allegiance to their heritage nation. At the moment, just one NRL club (Panthers) could effectively scupper that. They could easily find pretexts to withdraw players, and the NRL would be powerless to stop them.

[Scubby]

4 minutes ago, unapologetic pedant said:

Australian RL`s principle code rival is the exclusively club-focussed AFL. NZRL`s principle code rival is the mostly international-focussed NZRU. Hence, regular internationals involving Kiwis/Samoa/Tonga are more valuable to NZRL in their domestic code rivalry than any games involving the Kangaroos are to ARL.

Could be that outside of World Cups Australia should be left to fight their domestic code war against AFL, with Origin as the only significant point of difference.

Kiwis v Samoa played in Auckland is potentially as big an event, even bigger given the demographics, as Kiwis v Tonga. And Samoa v Tonga would be bigger still. The fixtures could be as successful played end-of-season as mid-season.

Question is, are the NRL able and willing to sustain a commitment to make them successful? 

For Toa Samoa to emulate Mate Ma`a Tonga they need a handful of star players to irreversibly pledge an allegiance to their heritage nation. At the moment, just one NRL club (Panthers) could effectively scupper that. They could easily find pretexts to withdraw players, and the NRL would be powerless to stop them.

An annual tri-series between NZ-Samoa-Tonga held every October (in NZ) is an absolute no brainer. Three weeks, round robin - create a trophy in honour of Pacifica. 

Imagine - week 1 Samoa v NZ, week 2 Tonga v Samoa, week 3, NZ v Tonga - You would be looking at 75k in fans, and a huge TV audience in NZ (and probably Aus too). 

[Dallas Mead]

56 minutes ago, Scubby said:

An annual tri-series between NZ-Samoa-Tonga held every October (in NZ) is an absolute no brainer. Three weeks, round robin - create a trophy in honour of Pacifica. 

Imagine - week 1 Samoa v NZ, week 2 Tonga v Samoa, week 3, NZ v Tonga - You would be looking at 75k in fans, and a huge TV audience in NZ (and probably Aus too). 

This would be amazing, leave the Aussies to play with themselves (oooo er missus).

[Jonty58]

15 minutes ago, Dallas Mead said:

This would be amazing, leave the Aussies to play with themselves (oooo er missus).

Rather than make grand plans for the Southern Hemisphere and suggest what they should do and give it to the dirty Aussies why don't we........

Do something ourselves to build the game in the North?

Play France or a combined Celtic team rather than a team of "Exiles or outcasts"

Its time to stop whining about Australia or wishing to play the Pacific Island teams that are in many cases populated by Aussies and do something ourselves.

 

 

 

Edited July 1, 2022 by Jonty58

[Damien]

16 minutes ago, Jonty58 said:

Rather than make grand plans for the Southern Hemisphere and suggest what they should do and give it to the dirty Aussies why don't we........

Do something ourselves to build the game in the North?

Play France or a combined Celtic team rather than a team of "Exiles or outcasts"

Its time to stop whining about Australia or wishing to play the Pacific Island teams that are in many cases populated by Aussies and do something ourselves.

Well the thread is about the Southern hemisphere and Pacific tests. Why not start a thread about the northern hemispheres if you want to discuss that? I'm sure there will be lots of takers.

[Dallas Mead]

24 minutes ago, Jonty58 said:

Rather than make grand plans for the Southern Hemisphere and suggest what they should do and give it to the dirty Aussies why don't we........

Do something ourselves to build the game in the North?

Play France or a combined Celtic team rather than a team of "Exiles or outcasts"

Its time to stop whining about Australia or wishing to play the Pacific Island teams that are in many cases populated by Aussies and do something ourselves.

 

 

 

Let’s do both eh?

[Guest]

3 hours ago, Dallas Mead said:

This would be amazing, leave the Aussies to play with themselves (oooo er missus).

It wouldn't be amazing because it leaves out PNG who have the most potential given that league is their national sport. Assuming Aus don't play that leaves you with PNG, NZ, Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, and Cook Islands. They could all play in a cup competition. ERL want a European competition every 2 years so Oceania could be run the same. Run North-South tests in the off year.

Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, and Niue can all play in another cup. That gives them at least 2 tests every year and something for young players in those countries to aspire to.

Edited July 1, 2022 by NW10LDN

[Guest]

3 hours ago, Jonty58 said:

Rather than make grand plans for the Southern Hemisphere and suggest what they should do and give it to the dirty Aussies why don't we........

Do something ourselves to build the game in the North?

Play France or a combined Celtic team rather than a team of "Exiles or outcasts"

Its time to stop whining about Australia or wishing to play the Pacific Island teams that are in many cases populated by Aussies and do something ourselves.

 

 

 

Europe is difficult since England doesn't have any competition. Maybe France eventually. I think we should commit to an annual 2 test series every year and then play the Knights in a bi-annual European competition. A dedicated international window could allow countries access to NRL/SL players. These tests need to be played in their home countries, not in Aus. I'm not interested in people who say you'll only get a few people there. You have to start somewhere. Malta used to get decent crowds when they actually played in Malta.

[StandOffHalf]

“If you want to talk the international game, I genuinely think there should be an international week. I’d love to see the whole lot – England, Ireland, Wales – down there for two weeks in the year.''

Willie Isa would love to see more international games in rugby league (loverugbyleague.com)

[Dave T]

I think in reality we need two windows. I think we should be staging internationals during June/July in Oz/NZ and then in Europe in Oct/Nov. 

Every year, without fail, maybe flipped in World Cup years. 

[Damien]

6 minutes ago, Dave T said:

I think in reality we need two windows. I think we should be staging internationals during June/July in Oz/NZ and then in Europe in Oct/Nov. 

Every year, without fail, maybe flipped in World Cup years. 

Absolutely. 11 months with international RL is a travesty. It constrains the international games far too much and limits growth. It also practically becomes impossible for teams to play each other to any meaningful degree.

A mid season window and an end of season window makes complete sense. Mid season for games in your own hemisphere, to make things easy and reduce issues, then northern and southern hemisphere teams meet at the end of season. It is logical and the practical way to do things. I could even live with just a couple of mid season weekends but whatever it is we need something.

Obviously your idea would be great, it just seems impossible at the moment.

Edited July 4, 2022 by Damien

[Big Picture]

On 01/07/2022 at 12:52, NW10LDN said:

Europe is difficult since England doesn't have any competition. Maybe France eventually. I think we should commit to an annual 2 test series every year and then play the Knights in a bi-annual European competition. A dedicated international window could allow countries access to NRL/SL players. These tests need to be played in their home countries, not in Aus. I'm not interested in people who say you'll only get a few people there. You have to start somewhere. Malta used to get decent crowds when they actually played in Malta.

Malta got decent crowds playing Malta did they?  RL Project's Malta results page doesn't show that.

[Big Picture]

3 hours ago, Damien said:

Absolutely. 11 months with international RL is a travesty. It constrains the international games far too much and limits growth. It also practically becomes impossible for teams to play each other to any meaningful degree.

A mid season window and an end of season window makes complete sense. Mid season for games in your own hemisphere, to make things easy and reduce issues, then northern and southern hemisphere teams meet at the end of season. It is logical and the practical way to do things. I could even live with just a couple of mid season weekends but whatever it is we need something.

Obviously your idea would be great, it just seems impossible at the moment.

The trouble with a midseason window is when countries (Scotland and Ireland both come to mind) are reliant on players who play in the opposite hemisphere to field a competitive team or in some cases any team which won't be hopelessly out of their depth.

Edited July 4, 2022 by Big Picture

[Guest]

7 minutes ago, Big Picture said:

Malta got decent crowds playing Malta did they?  RL Project's Malta results page doesn't show that.

The football team gets around 2,000 so 500 is decent and something to build on.

[Dave T]

8 hours ago, Big Picture said:

The trouble with a midseason window is when countries (Scotland and Ireland both come to mind) are reliant on players who play in the opposite hemisphere to field a competitive team or in some cases any team which won't be hopelessly out of their depth.

That's why I think we should base ourselves in one hemisphere for each window (broadly speaking). 

That way we guarantee games being played in each hemisphere every year and it does help to keep together groups of players, reducing travel requirements. 

 

[Big Picture]

5 hours ago, Dave T said:

That's why I think we should base ourselves in one hemisphere for each window (broadly speaking). 

That way we guarantee games being played in each hemisphere every year and it does help to keep together groups of players, reducing travel requirements.

The trouble remains that no northern hemisphere countries can compete with England without players from the southern hemisphere, so competitive matches will only possible postseason.

[Dave T]

13 minutes ago, Big Picture said:

The trouble remains that no northern hemisphere countries can compete with England without players from the southern hemisphere, so competitive matches will only possible postseason.

Yes, so NH teams travel to the SH in Summer and SH teams travel North in winter.