Poaching Kiwis

[DIEHARD]

Meninga won't coax Kiwi pair

While making no apologies for his Kiwi raids, Mal Meninga admits he feels for New Zealand-born Queensland targets Sam Kasiano and Josh Papalii as they wrestled with their allegiances.

However, the Maroons coach ruled out "chewing their ear" to persuade the former Junior Kiwis to choose Queensland ahead of next month's end-of-season trans-Tasman Test in Townsville.

"There's no need for me to do that. I have had a yarn with them but I just want to see where their head is at," he told AAP.

"It is not up to me to persuade them. I would love to have them in that program but it is up to them.

"From my perspective ... to play for Queensland they have got to have a passion to do that.

"If they have that passion, so be it and let them get on with their lives."

However, Meninga agreed State of Origin eligibility rules must be cleared up by next year.

In March, the ARLC hoped a new system in which players are asked six key questions about their origins would avoid another Greg Inglis-style scandal.

However, an even bigger controversy erupted a month later when a loophole allowed Kiwi-born James Tamou to play for Australia then NSW.

"It's a fantastic opportunity to re-address the rules, let's be honest," Meninga said.

"The way the rules are they (Kasiano, Papalii) have every right to make a decision about who they want to play for.

"These kids have been playing in the Queensland junior comps for a number of years.

"But I feel for them. Let's hope we can get more clarity. It's fairly grey at the moment - we need some decisions that are black and white."

It is believed the ARL Commission are considering a new model in which a player will be ineligible for NSW or Queensland selection if he has spent less than 50 per cent of his life in Australia.

That would rule out Kasiano, 21, from being a Maroon because he arrived in Queensland aged 16.

He would also be ineligible under Meninga's proposed system.

"It should be based on age," he said.

"If a player comes from anywhere in the world before say 13 or 14 then his rugby league development has been through that junior system whether it be Queensland or NSW and he should be eligible for that respective state.

"Take the pressure off the players themselves and have a clear cut, definite age.

"If they come after that time - whether they are Kiwi or English - that is what defines them."

Meninga flew out of Australia on Friday - but not due to the furore created by his interest in New Zealand-born players.

As Prime Minister's XIII coach, Meninga touched down with his team in Port Moresby in preparation for Sunday's annual clash against the PNG Kumuls.

http://www.nrl.com

[DIEHARD]

Mal really annoys me. From his siding with Super League and claiming Rugby League had never done anything for him, to his 30 second long political career to finally and ultimately helping destroy Origin and Tests with this mercenary crap.

Obviously the Kiwis need a pay rise.

[DIEHARD]

CANBERRA Raiders young gun Josh Papalii is set to become the latest Kiwi to turn his back on New Zealand and pledge allegiance to Queensland and Australia.

The Sunday Telegraph has learned that the New Zealand-born enforcer who enhanced his reputation by taking on Cronulla captain Paul Gallen during the finals series will make the announcement official tomorrow.
The move is a huge coup for Queensland coach Mal Meninga and the Maroons, with the Kiwis poised to pick Papalii for the October 13 Test in Townsville.

Papalii has represented the Junior Kiwis and signed a letter of intent, pledging his allegiance to the New Zealand on August 25 last year.

But the problem with letters of intent is that they are not legally binding.

New Zealand drafted Papalii into their train-on squad last Wednesday, but The Sunday Telegraph understands the Raiders backrower has had a change of heart and will inform the NRL of his decision tomorrow.

Kiwi high-performance manager Tony Kemp was tight-lipped when told of the development yesterday.

He has been a staunch critic of the Maroons and NSW bidding to lure the likes of Sam Kasiano, Papalii and James Tamou to State of Origin.

Last Friday, Kemp told a rival publication: "The international game will die. We can't compete with $50,000 payments for blokes. Every kid in Australia, whether they're Kiwi or from bloody Timbuktu, will want to play State of Origin.

"The ARLC and NRL are very supportive of upping the ante for international payments, and I think it's a very good argument. It's not cap in hand, it needs to happen.

"A kid tells you he wants to play for New Zealand, then if they continually just chip away at him, eventually he starts to get confused and thinks, 'What am I doing?'

"It's not their fault, they're young men who are being enticed by a bit of romance.

"That's not actually State of Origin, it becomes an All-Star game and Arthur Beetson would be rolling in his grave."

Papalii was born in Auckland but moved to Queensland at the age of six and played his junior football for South Logan and Logan Brothers.

He represented Queensland under-18s in 2010 before starring for the Junior Kiwis last season, drawing comparisons with a young Ruben Wiki.

Rather than condemning the decision to play for Queensland, former New Zealand captain Hugh McGahan said he could understand Papalii's reasoning.

"I personally have a son who was born in NSW but his allegiance is with New Zealand because he's spent most of his life here," McGahan said.

"If Papalii moved to Queensland when he was only six, then I can understand his decision. His heroes would have been people like Mal Meninga."

http://www.couriermail.com.au/

[DIEHARD]

This after saying he was 100% earlier in the season!

At this rate my interest in State of Origin and maybe even Test footy is taking a battering and that is saying alot...

[Smakked]

SOO is going to turn to crap now. Next they will start doing the haka before games

[Chaos]

I don't agree with the need to poach Kiwis into Origin and I also believe we should enhance the international scene but the Papalii situation isn't a good example for any point to be made...he came over here at the age of 6.

[DIEHARD]

They play for NZ now, but wait until Mal gets to them



They may be Junior Kiwis now but who knows where they'll end up playing - and in what colours - in the future. Source: The Daily Telegraph

MEET the Kangaroos' Generation Next.

A gifted bunch of footballers who are all Maori ink, Auckland passports and "how the bloody hell do you sing Advance Australia Fair, cuz?"

With the Australian Rugby League Commission yet to sort league's shambolic eligibility laws, there is a chance these Junior Kiwis could one day play for the Australian Kangaroos.

In fact, The Daily Telegraph can reveal it was this squad of 19 young men - 10 of whom already represent Australian Toyota Cup sides - that formed much of the discussion when New Zealand Rugby League officials met with the commissioners in Townsville over the weekend to thrash out the eligibility crisis.

Only hours before James Tamou demolished his countrymen wearing a Kangaroos jersey and Maori tattoos, a series of ideas were debated inside a meeting called specifically to keep these young Kiwis in black.

It's understood the ARLC discussed three different eligibility options, one of which insists a player can only represent Australia, and therefore be eligible for State of Origin, once he has lived here for 50 per cent of his life.

Therefore, a New Zealander who moves to Australia aged eight can represent Australia once he turns 16. However, a Kiwi who moves here at 16 is not eligible until he turns 32.

Tamou, who moved to Australia at 13, would still be representing New Zealand under this model. The Kangaroos' 18th man Ben Te'o, a Junior Kiwi who represented Samoa at the 2008 World Cup, would also be wearing black.

Asked how it felt to watch the prop dubbed "Aussie Jim" tear his Kiwis apart on Saturday night, NZRL chairman Scott Carter said: "Oh, look, certainly there is some irony to it. But over the past two days we've covered a lot of ground with the commission regarding eligibility laws.

"I'm not going to reveal exactly what was discussed, but we're hoping before the start of next season there will be rules in place so this latest batch of Junior Kiwis . . . they'll be staying in black jerseys."

Of this current batch of Junior Kiwis, 10 are already playing Toyota Cup with Australian clubs in NSW or . . . worse . . . Queensland.

Already, Carter has voiced his concern about Maroons coach Mal Meninga and his cronies "hanging from the trees in Townsville" to get a look at his boys.

Living in Queensland and playing for the Cowboy' Toyota Cup side are backrower Jason Taumalolo and winger Wayne Ulugia. Next year, centre Curtis Rona will join them. Meninga will also have an eye on backrower Tohu Harris and 18th man Jeremy Hawkins, aligned with Melbourne and the Raiders respectively.

Given the way Tamou played, you can circle a blue target around boom Roosters fullback Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Cronulla halfback Penani Manumalealii and Tigers props Mosese Fotuaika and Jesse Sue.

The Junior Kiwis bench also included Tupou Sopoaga (Canterbury Bulldogs) and Apirana Pewhairangi (Newcastle Knights).

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news...-1226495740811

[Titanic]

I'm all for stronger international guidelines, however, it's tough to draw the line. If we are to follow the "no immigrants" model then the Indigenous All Stars should be the Kangaroos (sarcasm raises its head).