State of Origin eligibility: Mal Meninga says only potential Kangaroos should be playing

Mal Meninga reckons only players who will play for Australia should be picked for Origin – but that’s the wrong attitude, writes Phil Rothfield. Have your say.

Mal Meninga says Origin eligibility should only extend to players who want to play for Australia.

Mal Meninga created a State of Origin storm by questioning the selection of Blues five-eighth Jarome Luai and other Polynesian players who are not committed to the Australian jersey.

This is an issue and debate the game needs to have.

Mal is a huge supporter of growth in the Pacific Islands but insists Origin should be a selection trial for the Australian team and include only players who are playing for a green and gold jersey.

Back in 1980 when State of Origin was launched only 0.5 percent of players in the NRL were Polynesian. That’s when Origin was genuinely the best of the best.

Jarome Luai has declared his allegiance to Samoa. Picture: Jason McCawley/Getty Images

We now have Polynesian boys making up more than 50 percent of the NRL competition.

It’s a whole new ball game. If these guys don’t play the quality suffers greatly.

Mal said: “My preference is that if you make yourself available for NSW and Queensland that first and foremost you are available for the Kangaroos.

“You might describe that as selfish but I want to keep the fabric of Origin clean.

“I’m a huge fan of the international game and I don’t begrudge players wanting to play for their ancestors and their country.”

Junior Paulo has made the team for NSW. Picture: Matt King/Getty Images

Luai is an interesting case.

He is as NSW as he is Samoan, born and raised in Sydney’s west. A great little player.

In Test football he wants to play for his family and his heritage … which should be encouraged.

If the international game is to grow, we want more players like him.

Instead of just Australia, New Zealand and England we want Tonga and Samoa eventually becoming Tier One nations.

To achieve that, their players shouldn’t have to make a choice between Origin and their pride in playing for their own countries.

EARLIER: MAL HITS OUT AT SELECTION

Mal Meninga has created a State of Origin storm by questioning the position of Blues five-eighth Jarome Luai and other Polynesian players in Wednesday night’s game who are not committed to the Australian jersey.

The Kangaroos coach is a huge supporter of growth in the Pacific Islands but insists Origin should be a selection trial for the Australian team and include only players who are playing for a green and gold jersey.

“My preference is that if you make yourself available for NSW and Queensland that first and foremost you are available for the Kangaroos,” Meninga told The Daily Telegraph.

“You might describe that as selfish but I want to keep the fabric of Origin clean.

Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga, pictured chatting with Daly Cherry-Evans, doesn’t think Jarome Luai and Junior Paulo should play Origin. Picure: Chris Hyde/Getty Images

“I’m a huge fan of the international game and I don’t begrudge players wanting to play for their ancestors and their country.”

I put it to Mal that Jarome Luai deserves his spot in the side, despite him pledging his allegiance to Samoa.

“You could put a Jack Wighton or Luke Keary at five-eighth,” he said.

“You look at Junior Paulo … do you lose anything by putting RCG (Reagan Campbell-Gillard) there. There’s plenty of props around.

“Would that weaken the Blues or Origin? I don’t think so.”

Luai told The Sunday Telegraph this week he was desperately keen to represent Samoa.

“At international level you should play for your heritage,” he said. “I was brought up in the Samoan church and I owe it to my family. I want to do them proud.

“Money’s all good but I think at international level it shouldn’t be about money.”

NSW Blues Origin legends Gus Gould and Freddy Fittler have previously thrown their support behind relaxing qualification rules for more Polynesians to play State of Origin.

“If they are born here, grew up here and were nurtured here then why can’t they play for NSW or Queensland?” Fittler said on 2GB in April. “Then they go and play for their country. They might have allegiances to a parent or grandparent from the Pacific Islands.

“Times have changed. We need to start looking at our rules. International football can only improve if you allow this to happen.

“They play State of Origin then take that experience into international football.”

There was a failed push earlier this year for Tongan powerhouse Jason Taumalolo, who has also played international rugby league for New Zealand, to represent Queensland.