Fittler's Origin Blues in rare Pacific air
Twenty years after NSW had no players from Pasifika background in their State of Origin squad, 13 of Brad Fittler’s players are eligible for Polynesian nations.
Brad Fittler’s 22-man NSW State of Origin squad have already set records, with players with Pasifika backgrounds making up a majority of the side for the first time.
Thirteen of the players in Fittler’s side have links to Tonga, Samoa and Fiji in a reflection of how the demographics of the NRL have changed.
You need to only look back 20 years to the 2002 series and not a single Blues player had Pasifika heritage, with Jim Dymock and John Hopoate two noted names who had represented NSW in the 1990s.
“I think the first (Pasifika) players I remember playing for the Blues were Jarryd Hayne, who is Fijian, and Michael Jennings, who is Tongan,” prop Payne Haas told AAP.
“It’s pretty cool seeing so many Polynesians making up half the team.
“It makes me proud to be Polynesian and hopefully we can inspire more kids to stick at footy and hopefully get here one day.”
Haas will start in the front row for the Blues alongside Parramatta’s Junior Paulo next Wednesday, with the pair pitted against Queensland’s Josh Papalii and Tino Fa’asuamaleaui.
All four are of Samoan descent.
Paulo takes pride in being both Samoan and from western Sydney but concedes that, unlike in 2022, there were few players who shared his background when he was aspiring to play NRL.
“As a Parramatta fan growing up I loved Fuifui Moimoi and I was fortunate enough to play with him,” he said.
“You want to be able to inspire the kids coming through from where you’re from.
“If I can change one kid’s life or 10, you want to be role models on such a big stage.”
Paulo is one of the game’s best front-rowers, but he is undecided on whether he will represent Australia or Samoa at the rearranged 2021 World Cup in England later this year.
Given the mixed lineage of many of the games Origin stars, eligibility has never been a more fraught issue within a game where the inter-state series was once the breeding ground for the Australian Test team.
The rise of Tonga, who have beaten the Kangaroos, Kiwis and Great Britain under Kristian Woolf since 2017, has meant that now more than ever, there are players with split loyalties who are considering playing for other nations at the World Cup.
It has also given rise to the hope that the international game might begin to realise its potential.
The difficulty for players, however, is when they are forced to make a choice.
There is a Pacific Test on the same weekend as Origin II in Perth, meaning Daniel Tupou and Kotoni Staggs are likely to be absent from a Tonga team aiming to upset New Zealand.
Given the money on offer to play Origin – $15,000 per game – it’s understandable why they might take that option over international football.
“It is difficult (to make a choice), if I get picked for the Blues (for Origin II) then it’s a great opportunity for a young kid to play for Tonga,” Tupou said.
“I can focus on Tonga later in the year. We want to continue on that journey with Tonga and go one better this year.”
NSW’S PASIFIKA MAJORITY FOR STATE OF ORIGIN I:
Fiji-eligible: Reagan Campbell-Gillard, Api Koroisau, Daniel Saifiti, Tariq Sims
Samoa-eligible: Stephen Crichton, Payne Haas, Jarome Luai, Junior Paulo, Joseph Suaalii, Brian To’o
Tonga-eligible: Tyson Frizell, Kotoni Staggs, Daniel Tupou.
Comments on RugbyPass
Can someone fill me in please, I've read a number of Ben Smith articles now and it seems he's got something again South Africa? Surely, this game was over and done with 7 months ago. Can't we have something a bit more interesting and relevant, or is this the calibre of journalist on this site?
227 Go to commentsNot sure what the Welsh are moaning about. They’ve had far more players off England, than England have had off Wales. Guys like Josh Hathaway and Kane James will play for Wales in the end. And they’ll be fsr better players for having played in the Gallagher Premiership, than they ever would have been had they stayed mired in the shambles that is Welsh rugby.
3 Go to commentsThis is all being blown totally out of proportion. First of all, since half the Irish team isn’t Irish - it’s very likely that none of the Irish players said that at all and, thus, we’re not being arrogant. Second, since half the Irish team is Kiwi - it’s very likely the Kiwi players were predicting a NZ SA World Cup final. Which they got spot on. Good on them!
163 Go to commentsAha. An Irishman with logic! Follow the flow: - Ireland peaks with a >80% win record between 2020 and 2023. And then… - crashes out of another QF at the WC; - Beat a poor French Team; - Beat 6N wooden spoonists Italy; - Play shite against eventual wooden spoonists Wales; - Lose against the most boring, “the worst English team ever” , a team widely regarded as unable to attack; - scrape through against Scotland. This article, No - Trimble, is on the money! Except for one glaring statement: _The Springboks have a few aces in the hole in this debate being the reigning world champions and official world number ones_ There is no debate, boys and girls. There it is. In black and white. “Reigning World Champions and OFFICIAL world number ones”. Come July, the overrated Andy Farrell and this overhyped team are going to enter into a world of hurt.
86 Go to commentsI’d like to know what homoerotic events Daniel enjoyed at 8th man. I clearly missed out!
19 Go to commentsThis article is missing some detail, like some actual context or info about what led to him abusing the ref.
2 Go to comments*They used to say that football is a gentleman sport watched by hooligans and rugby is a hooligan sport watched by gentlemen. How times have changed.*
3 Go to commentsexcept ot wasnt late wasnt late at all so dont know why you all saying its late he commits early and its your fault fir not paying attention
29 Go to commentsNot sure the Bulls need another average utility back in their ranks. Chamberlain has been ok for the Sharks but is by no means an X-Factor player. Bulls bought several utility backs which they barely use. A typical example would be Henry Immelman who plays mostly Fullback. The Bulls however have rarely played him this year and he has played wing or centre. Bulls want to build depth but seems like they have too many surplus players
1 Go to commentsABs lost against a side playing without a hooker - The guy playing, had one shoulder. Line outs were a gimme for the ABs, and the last 8 minutes 14 played 14 against a team that had been smashed 3 weeks in a row… Yet with all that possession, with all that territory, with all the advantages they actually had, especially in the last 8 minutes, they couldn’t buy a point. Those last 8 minutes determined if they outplayed the Boks or not. History will show that the Boks completely outplayed the ABs, especially in those last 8 minutes, the business end of any rugby match
227 Go to commentsWould’ve, could’ve, should’ve, didn’t.
227 Go to commentsKok will become a fan favourite
1 Go to commentsI am really looking forward to Leigh Halfpenny playing his first Super rugby game for the Crusaders Playing a long side his former Welsh and Scarlets team mate Johnny McNicoll.Johnny has been playing great, back in a Crusaders jersey.The attack has strengthened big time. Also looking forward to David Havili at 10. David is a class act, it also allows Dallas McLeod to remain at 12. A good thing.
1 Go to commentsIf he had stopped insisting on playing in the backrow, instead of wing, where everyone told him he should, he would have been a Bok years ago….
11 Go to comments‘Salads don’t win scrums’ 😂 I love that.
19 Go to commentsCan’t wait for the article that talks about misogyny in Ireland. Somehow.
19 Go to commentsI would like to see a rule change, when the attacking team is held up over the try line, by allowing the defensive team to restart a goal line drop out releases the pressure for the defensive team, but what if the attacking team had to restart a tap 5m out from the defensive team it gives the attacking team to apply more pressure, there are endless options for the attacking side and it will keep the fans in suspence.
2 Go to commentsLess modern South African males predictably triggered.
19 Go to commentsMy heart is with Quins, but the head is convinced Toulouse have too much. Ntamack is back, his timing and wisdom has been missed.
1 Go to commentsWow, what a starting line up for the Sharks) Tasty up front,kremer vs Tshituka or venter …fiery ,,Lavannini ,,will he knobble etzebeth? Biggest game for belleau?
1 Go to comments