Hamiso eyeing Kangaroos spot

[eal]

Stories like this make a mockery of international rugby league. Guys giving a different international team a try each season. I really wish the game could just make guys choose one team, and if they want to switch force them to have a stand down period of 2-3 years.

https://www.nrl.com/news/2023/09/18/hammer-and-tongs-hamiso-eying-kangaroos-spot-alongside-foxx/

[UTK]

The present allegiance-changing laws are a necessity of an International game that is in its competitive infancy, in order to maximise the eligibility of talent across competing nations. Until a consistent calendar is observed that offers equality in the amount of fixtures available and to a certain degree financial opportunities available to those players then such flexibility is required to avoid the impacts of a highly-prejudiced eligibility decision. Until such a status quo is reached then the current laws provide infinitely more value in achieving goals for International RL than the negative perceptions that would appear to harm the sport's credibility.

In the particular case of Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow I would struggle to find his 'defection' overly offensive as he has never to date been in Samoa's first-choice team and indeed only got a start at the WC through injury to Taylan May. Furthermore in the singular game he did play for Samoa he got injured and has therefore played less than 1 half of RL representing Samoa at Test level.

Edit: Broadly-speaking HTF's defection is in-line with nation-switching rules of even FIFA. Players in International Soccer are allowed to switch nations provided they have played less than 3 matches, these matches were before they turned 21, and as long as the matches weren't apart of a WC or Confederation competition. HTF played 1 match, turned 21 a month prior (considering the difference in physical development requirements for the sports I think this is acceptable in a RL context), and therefore only contravenes the WC element of the provision.

Edited September 18, 2023 by UTK

[JohnM]

"an International game that is in its competitive infancy"

From here, it's more like one in its dotage.

[StandOffHalf]

But he's Samoan, isn't he?!!!

It shows that there is still a lot to be done to elevate the island teams, and even NZ. Players are naturally drawn to the legacy of the Green and Golds.

[UTK]

33 minutes ago, StandOffHalf said:

But he's Samoan, isn't he?!!!

It shows that there is still a lot to be done to elevate the island teams, and even NZ. Players are naturally drawn to the legacy of the Green and Golds.

Of Samoan and Torres Straight Islander descent on his Father and Mothers sides respectively. 

Born and raised in Cairns, Queensland.

Edited September 18, 2023 by UTK

[17 stone giant]

The positive view is that he's keen to play international rugby league, whether that's for the country of his birth (Australia) or ancestry (Samoa).

[Mojo]

Love HTF, I wish he was playing for Samoa this year but that's good for the kangaroos who are running out of centers. He would've struggled to make the samoan starting line up in the centers over Crichton and Tago. But he would've made it on the wing, only because Tylan May is out for the season. When all the kangaroos top players comes back next season I don't think he'll make the squad because of how much depth Australia has. His best chance of making the samoan team next season will be even harder, if Sua Faalogo for the Storm has a breakout season or even Critchon playing well at fullback for the Bulldogs. Love him as a player but his pecking order in the samoan team will be lower if he doesn't commit to the samoan team this season.