International "Changes to SOO"

[SBW1]

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[CWC]

Ya they should thank Ponga for his high profile power play too, seems to have kicked off the discussion

 

[Shogun]

Only those who want to play for the Kangaroos should play SOO. And the year(s) you play, you cannot play for anyone else

 

[SBW1]

Interesting dilemma. If the Kiwis can secure a number of players early on in their career, they will have players which they will be needing for Origin much further down the track. Casey Maclean is one who comes to mind. If we get a few the Aussies may eventually make some concessions. I can genuinely see a time where both states starting running low on playing stocks. This is kind of happening especially with Jesse Arthars picked in the wider training squad. You also have guys like JT and AFB, who have been brought up in Oz and would be snapped up for Origin with a slight tweak in eligibility.

 

[wizard of Tauranga]

Interesting dilemma. If the Kiwis can secure a number of players early on in their career, they will have players which they will be needing for Origin much further down the track.

You are saying players will sign for the kiwis knowing it won’t close doors and stop them playing SOO?

 

[SBW1]

It is very much a changing dynamic, the Kiwis can get some bargaining power by securing some of these players early on and I believe it is already happening. If Kalyn Ponga does defect to the Kiwis, the door will open.

 

[JaggedJ]

Only those who want to play for the Kangaroos should play SOO. And the year(s) you play, you cannot play for anyone else

This would be the worst possible solution.

 

[SBW1]

Wait and see how it unfolds.

 

[Shogun]

This would be the worst possible solution.

If Crichton & To'o wanted to play for the Kangaroos they'd be playing. There's enough quality Poly players to not need SOO players anymore

 

[JaggedJ]

If Crichton & To'o wanted to play for the Kangaroos they'd be playing. There's enough quality Poly players to not need SOO players anymore

That's not how it would work. Australia would use SOO and the $$$ it brings as the gun that gets held to the heads of the best Polynesian players and then Samoa and Tonga would be worse off because of it because some would definitely choose Origin over Internationals.

SOO has reached it's ceiling, the game can't grow any further off the back of NSW v QLD anymore. Anyone who cares about Origin already cares about Origin and it's not going to bring in any substantial growth. The international game has to be pushes to ensure it grows because that's where the future is - not in Origin. Forcing players to chosse between Origin and Samoa/Tonga/Fiji etc will only hurt the international game.

Like I said - worse possible outcome.

 

[WA Warrior]

If Crichton & To'o wanted to play for the Kangaroos they'd be playing. There's enough quality Poly players to not need SOO players anymore

Would you rather watch Critta and To’o playing in the Pacific Championships or Enari Tuala & Ed Kosi for Samoa.
International footy outside NZ, Australia & England die overnight if you make players select Origin or International side.

 

[Shogun]

Would you rather watch Critta and To’o playing in the Pacific Championships or Enari Tuala & Ed Kosi for Samoa.
International footy outside NZ, Australia & England die overnight if you make players select Origin or International side.

Tuala & Kosi

They wouldn't have to choose until good enough for SOO and by then some who would have already played for island nations might stick with them. If I am wrong the great thing about it is they can change the rules again like they always do.

 

[Ref]

Don’t pay anyone to play SOO.
Get rid of the silly Tier 1 and Tier 2 test status.
And if you play SOO you have to play for Aussie.
That should be the only incentive to play SOO.

 

[Playdaball]

A SOO post in the international section?? SOO has done a good job in killing off internationals - remember the old mid season Kiwi vs Aussie games? GB touring here mid season ? Pacific games played mid year ??

 

[SBW1]

Pretty sure it wasn't that long ago when they had a few internationals between the island nations being played during Origin.

 

[SBW1]

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