Official Siosifa Talakai

bort

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That's handy seeing Jurbo is starting
Don't think I've actually seen the side haha, just seeing comments and all the 'likely' sides suggested from the squad.
Not overly excited about starting Jurbo either but I guess it is my preference between that and bench.

And (checks side before making another incorrect comment) Api to start is interesting.
I guess it gives Cleary, Luai and Yeo the exact service they are used to to start the game and then allows Cook to come on with some energy in his beach legs instead of just being tackle bot.
 

apezza

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I think Api should come off the bench. Let Cook get through the tough stuff first.
 
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I think the NRL made are trying to help as they allowed NSW / QLD players to play for their country (for tier 2 countries). That will help this countries improve.

The problem is that there is a clash this year in that the games are on the same weekend.

It's hard trying to balance SOO, minimising impact to NRL season and trying to promote Pacific nations by giving them more games and exposure.
NRL made this a bad situation for those 2nd tier RL nations and created this new problem.
Stand alone Origin and have your international games end of season
 

apezza

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australia
But he still can.

The options are going back to the old rules where the likes of Talakai would have to state their allegiance prior to having a hit up in the NRL.

If he chose a second tier Nation (ie Tonga, Samoa, Fiji etc) and plays a game for them he runs the risk of missing out playing for NSW or Australia, even though he may have been born and bred in Sydney.

If he chose NSW / Australia, he will never be able to play for a tier 2 country - even if he never gets picked for NSW. This weakens the tier 2 nation.

I think the current set up the best system. Sure not perfect but no system ever is.

The only issue I have is if we pick a player for Origin in Game 1 then they choose their nation and knock back game 2. They should let the SOO coach know their intentions before getting picked.
 

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Cooks running game takes advantage of tired forwards more so than api
Yeh fair enough. I though it was the other way around but happy to go with this. Haven't seen much of Api this year.
 

bort

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But he still can.

The options are going back to the old rules where the likes of Talakai would have to state their allegiance prior to having a hit up in the NRL.

If he chose a second tier Nation (ie Tonga, Samoa, Fiji etc) and plays a game for them he runs the risk of missing out playing for NSW or Australia, even though he may have been born and bred in Sydney.

If he chose NSW / Australia, he will never be able to play for a tier 2 country - even if he never gets picked for NSW. This weakens the tier 2 nation.

I think the current set up the best system. Sure not perfect but no system ever is.

The only issue I have is if we pick a player for Origin in Game 1 then they choose their nation and knock back game 2. They should let the SOO coach know their intentions before getting picked.
I agree, happy for players to play SOO and still rep Tonga, Samoa and so on in other international fixtures.

Just need to clean up the mess we have just run into of players being picked for multiple teams and nobody (or at least, publicly) knowing which one they are going to play for and that it might involve a mid series swap. There should be no option for a mid series swap (ie Tonga instead of NSW for game 2) until you have not been selected for Origin for that weekend.
If public know they are dedicated to SOO and will only look at other option if not selected then they won't question the name popping up in a nations squad as much.
 
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