Kiwi stars pulling out of Denver Test shows lack of respect to the game
IN 20 years, will people be reflecting on next week’s NRL round, or a history-making Test between New Zealand and England at Mile High Stadium? #TALKTHEGAMEUP? You’re kidding, right?
Opinion
Don't miss out on the headlines from Opinion. Followed categories will be added to My News.
IT’S a sad reflection on New Zealand Rugby League that Shaun Johnson, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck and Tohu Harris are at home resting — and not in Denver preparing for this weekend’s Test against England.
Johnson has a niggling hamstring problem that apparently stopped him from playing for the Kiwis, although it didn’t stop him running out for the Warriors last Friday night.
But just look at the around-the-clock rehab Billy Slater put himself through to get the green light on Wednesday to make his comeback for Queensland in Sunday night’s second State of Origin — after five weeks on the sidelines nursing his own hamstring injury.
NEXT LEVEL: Kiwis’ minds blown by Denver facilities
NEXT IMMORTAL: 10 candidates revealed
I’d imagine if Queensland were playing in Denver, Billy still would have boarded the plane dragging an Esky of ice.
Yet, you go back 38 years, when Origin was in its infancy, and perhaps Slater might not have tried so hard, or his club allowed him to take such a risk.
But if clubs back then had their way, would Origin be where it is today?
Meanwhile, Tuivasa-Sheck, who probably would have captained his country in this Test, knocked back the opportunity to play, reportedly, because he wanted to spend more time with his new baby.
As sweet as it sounds, it’s worth pointing out Tuivasa-Sheck’s baby arrived three weeks ago.
As for Harris, the explanation for his absence was “personal reasons”.
Again, this might be a legitimate excuse. But I call bullshit.
The suggestion I’m inclined to believe is that the Warriors pulled rank with all three players, or they just didn’t want to go.
And if that is the case, I ask this question:
In 20 years’ time, do you hope people will be reflecting on next week’s NRL round, or this history-making Test between New Zealand and England at Mile High Stadium?
Seriously, where is the NRL’s responsibility to growing the international game in all this?
Where is Todd Greenberg’s #NRLTALKTHEGAMEUP?
Since they first started talking about the possibility of this Test in Denver, it seems almost everyone involved in the NRL — not just the media and the clubs — have gone out of their way to talk this game down.
That includes the NRL and the Rugby League Players’ Association.
I know the way the system is set up in rugby union wouldn’t allow this.
But just imagine the blow-up in New Zealand if Sonny Bill Williams decided to put the Auckland Blues ahead of the All Blacks.
Former Kiwis coach Graham Lowe came out last week and was bang on the money when he said any player who put their NRL club ahead of their black and white jersey should be barred from future Kiwi selection.
Lowe was shocked to learn Ben Matulino and Russell Packer had announced their representative retirement while aged in their late 20s.
As Lowe said: “I think they’re two of our best front-rowers and they are at the peak of their career. I wonder if (the Test) was in Sydney or Auckland if those retirements would have been announced.”
But you know what I wondered? I wondered if it was Tonga playing England in Denver if any of the Tongan players would have stayed home to get ready for the next NRL round?
“I think these blokes would want to be a part of it, no matter where we played,” Tongan coach Kristian Woolf said when I put the hypothetical question to him.
For all the bad raps so-called “defectors” Andrew Fifita and Jason Taumalolo copped when choosing Tonga over Australia and New Zealand, respectively, at last year’s World Cup, how can you not admire their stand even more today?
Fifita has basically sacrificed $100,000 in the past eight months through not playing for Australia or NSW.
And I get how the Warriors want to protect their star players, given the team’s standing on the NRL ladder.
But as James Graham said when he pushed hard for this Denver Test back in January: “Anyone that watched the World Cup knows that international rugby league could be at the forefront of our game.
“We might all have to sacrifice a little bit, but for the greater good of the international game I would be happy to do it.”
Like Fifita and Taumalolo, Graham and his England teammate Sam Burgess have backed up words with actions.
In fairness, every player who took up the challenge to support this rep weekend should be commended.
I loved how Newcastle’s Slade Griffin responded to new Kiwi coach Michael Maguire when told he was in the frame for selection.
“I told Madge I’d travel to Antarctica to play for the Kiwis,” Griffin said.
Yet Maguire still came out publicly and said he was fine with all the lame excuses that were dished up by players not available.
I don’t see how the New Zealand Rugby League could not be embarrassed.
Like Graham said, there was so much goodwill that came out of last year’s World Cup, you would have thought everyone with rugby league’s best interests would have jumped on the back of promoting this game.
They use the excuse this is nothing more than a promotional match and it is awful timing coming in the middle of the NRL season.
Didn’t they say similar things about Origin back in the day? And you talk about wanting crowds to grow.
Last Friday night we had two of the NRL’s best teams playing a prime-time game between the Sydney Roosters and Penrith Panthers and there was lucky to be 10,000 people in Allianz Stadium — in the heart of Sydney.
Yet this weekend there will be at least double that watching live in Denver. Doesn’t that tell you why this game is worth the gamble?
LIVE stream every game of every round of the 2018 NRL Telstra Premiership on FOX SPORTS. Get your free two-week Foxtel Now trial and start watching in minutes. SIGN UP NOW >