State of Origin eligibility is set to change in what would be the biggest shake-up for representative rugby league rules in decades.
The ARL Commission appears poised to scrap the rule that says players with dual eligibility from Tier 1 countries cannot represent NSW and Queensland.
That means that players from New Zealand and England who qualify for Origin because they have played league in NSW or Queensland before their 13th birthday will be eligible to turn out for the annual interstate contest while also representing their nation of choice.
ARL chair Peter V’landys told the Sydney Morning Herald that the Commission would investigate their options at the end of this year in a move which would help the Kiwis and England to retain their best players rather than forcing them to choose between Origin and representing them in the Test arena.
Raiders fullback Kaeo Weekes recently turned down an approach from the Kiwis to play for them in this year’s Pacific Championships because he wanted to be in the running for NSW honours next season.
If the rule changes, he would be able to line up for NZ and also be eligible for Blues selection in the future.
Newcastle skipper Kalyn Ponga could also be able to play for the Kiwis while remaining in the Maroons with other players such as Roosters lock Victor Radley and Titans utility AJ Brimson also potentially benefiting from the move after declaring their allegiances with England.
Players from Tier 2 nations like Samoa and Tonga are eligible to play Origin and retain their Test credentials with Payne Haas, Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow and Tino Fa’asuamaleaui considering a switch to Samoa later this year in what will be a huge blow to incoming Kangaroos coach Kevin Walters’ plans for the Ashes tour of the UK.
“It is something we’re going to have to look at again and to me there does seem to be a stronger push this time for change,” V’landys told the SMH.
Kaeo Weekes of the Raiders celebrates scoring a try (Photo by Mark Nolan/Getty Images)
“It is a strong argument that if you’ve played your footy in Australia before the age of 13 and you are eligible to play Origin, why shouldn’t you be able to?
“It’s a polarising idea. When we’ve consulted on any possible Origin eligibility changes some people have loved it, others hated it.
“We want a strong international game and calendar, and we want Australia to be challenged. And we want to respect the players and the nations they want to play for, and the argument for change is one we’ll consider.”
PVL takes aim at AFL over ‘poor cousin’ status
V’landys is eyeing off a long-term deal to extend the NRL’s Las Vegas opening round sojourns for as much as 20 years after a recent fact-finding mission to the US where he rubbed shoulders with NFL boss Roger Goodell.
He is preparing to kick off local broadcast rights negotiations with Nine, new Fox Sports owner DAZN and other networks and is bullish about the NRL’s future after once being considered the “poor cousin” to the AFL on the national sporting landscape.
V’landys pointed to viewing figures which showed the NRL had 186 million viewers last year, 38m more than the AFL.
When asked in a NewsCorp interview what he liked about the AFL, he responded: “Nothing, zero.
“They always look down their noses at us in rugby league. They always think that we are the poor cousin.
(Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
“All of a sudden this poor cousin has become wealthy and we have overtaken them in audience. They always just discarded us as being an inferior product, all of a sudden we are not.
“We have put a lot of work into making our game more entertaining. We have more ball in play than we have ever had. We are always underestimated.
“When you overtake them, they think maybe we should have paid more attention.”
V’landys said league’s overhaul of its rules has led to more ball in play than ever before, claiming it was a superior product to the rival football codes.
Hasler makes future call ahead of 500-game milestone
Des Hasler has indicated he doesn’t want his 20th season as an NRL coach to be his last, adamant there is still more in the tank ahead of game number 500.
Hasler enters his milestone match against the Warriors on Saturday under intense scrutiny, fighting to hold on to his job with Gold Coast.
Last on the ladder and out of finals contention, a clause in Hasler’s contract means he can be cut as coach at the end of 2025 with a year still to run on the deal.
Hasler is expected to coach out this season regardless of what happens, but the veteran mentor insisted on Friday he still had the fuel to coach on.
Asked whether there was more left in the tank by local Auckland media, Hasler was defiant.
“If you enjoy something do you still do it?” Hasler responded.
When the reporter responded they would, Hasler replied: “Well there you go, there is your answer.”
A premiership-winning coach at Manly in 2008 and 2011, Hasler rebuilt the Sea Eagles out of the Northern Eagles merge and into NRL heavyweights.
(Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
His shock 2012 Canterbury defection led to two more grand finals, before returning to Manly and sitting second to only Bob Fulton for combined games coached and played for the Sea Eagles.
The Titans then saw Hasler as the man to take the club to the promised land when they signed him in 2023 for the 2024 season, but the move has not paid off.
“I’ve really enjoyed it. Whether it is 100, 200, 300 or 500 games, I have been very fortunate. There is no other way to describe it than that,” Hasler said.
“It’s always a navigation piece. It’s about the journey, and with people you never know what is around the corner form day to day.
“It’s a matter of strapping yourself in and going for it.
“The moments you experience when you bump into a person 15 or 20 years later and you get feedback from them about how important it was … that’s quite significant.”
Hasler’s career remains inextricably linked to Kieran Foran’s, after he handed him his Manly debut, signed him to Canterbury, then brought the half back to Brookvale.
Foran will also play his last game in his native New Zealand on Saturday, ahead of this year’s retirement.
“The impact he has had on many players’ lives has been instrumental,” Foran said.
“It is a credit to the kind of person he is, the coach he has been, he has tried to drain every ounce possible out of all his players and get as much success as possible.
“I struggle to name another guy that dedicates as much time and passion to what they do than Dessie.”
Meanwhile, Hasler claimed he had “forgotten” and “moved on” from his dressing-room spray at Titans players last week, which was caught on camera after their loss to Wests Tigers.
Panthers keeping Garner around
Luke Garner will see out his Penrith contract after the four-time defending premiers ensured the backrower would stay with the club until the end of 2026.
Off contract at the end of next year, Garner had been given permission by the Panthers to see if he could find a longer deal elsewhere.
But the 29-year-old will now remain at Penrith by mutual agreement, after having his most consistent season since arriving in 2023.
“My understanding is he is staying, which is great,” coach Ivan Cleary said.
“We always wanted him to stay. It was one of the situations where if he can have a look and extend you maybe think about it.
“But we’re really happy, he is playing great footy and looking forward to the future with him.
“He has been really good for us which we’ve needed.”
Penrith have decisions to make in their back row ahead of the finals, as they edge towards full fitness.
Liam Martin is some chance of making his return against Wests Tigers on Saturday, after suffering a fractured hand in State of Origin III.
Scott Sorensen will miss the CommBank Stadium clash with injury, but is expected to return in coming weeks.
Half Nathan Cleary is meanwhile close to resuming goalkicking following his groin issue, while Brian To’o has also been cleared of any fresh injury after a knee knock last week.
Penrith’s return to fitness could not have come at a more threatening time for the rest of the NRL, following six straight wins after sitting last in June.
They have conceded just 11 points a game through those six victories, taking their defence back to the same levels as through their four premiership years.
Crucially, that has also come through a time where their five State of Origin stars have been in and out of camp, rarely able to train with the team.
Penrith have won grand finals in almost every way during their four-year romp, with nail-biters, comebacks and utter dominations.
But the Panthers’ poor start has presented Penrith with a different kind of challenge to defend this year’s title, and still loom as a genuine chance come finals.
“I wouldn’t have scripted it that way if I didn’t have to,” Cleary said.
“It’s definitely a different season for us and a challenge that is new. I have certainly coached teams that have been down the bottom before.
“From where we have come from it is definitely unchartered waters.
“I’m just really happy with the middle part of the year. The Origin period’s always hard for us, but this year in particular after the way we started.
“I’m really happy with the way we navigated through that, and our best footy is in front of us which is exciting.”
with AAP
