Rugby league 2022: Junior Paulo’s World Cup efforts rival what Arthur Beetson did for Origin
In years to come Junior Paulo’s World Cup contribution could rank up with what the legendary Arthur Beetson did for Queensland and the making of State of Origin, writes Paul Crawley.
What Junior Paulo has done for Samoa at this World Cup could one day be acknowledged as the equivalent of what Arthur Beetson did for Queensland back in 1980.
And Samoa’s stunning semi-final win over England must surely send a message to everyone that the continued growth of the international game is now as important to the future of the sport as the inception of State of Origin.
In no way is the comparison between Paulo and Beetson meant to be disrespectful to a rugby league Immortal’s amazing legacy.
But Paulo’s contribution should not be undervalued in the wake of the emotional scenes that followed what should be recognised as a famous moment in the game’s history.
It’s astonishing to think this will be the first time when Australia, New Zealand, England or France have not played off in the World Cup final – and that’s dating back to the 1950s.
So don’t tell me what is happening now – and indeed throughout the last decade – is not worthy of some significant recognition.
At the 2013 World Cup it was basically Australia by the length of the straight ahead of New Zealand and England, as the only nations with a genuine chance.
As for the rest, including Samoa, Tonga and Fiji, they were just making up the numbers. Yet fast forward a decade and look at them now.
We will forever be indebted to the Tongan players and, in particular Jason Taumalolo, for getting the ball rolling.
But now it is men like Paulo, Josh Papali’i, Jarome Luai, Brian To’o and Stephen Crichton, along with young Joseph Suaalii, who should be celebrated.
In Paulo’s case he would have been a walk-up start for Australia, but he chose to proudly represent his family’s heritage.
As did Victor Radley, who qualified for England because of his father.
In Radley’s case it’s embarrassing that he now does not qualify for Origin because England is classified as a tier-one nation. It is nonsense that a bloke who grew up in Sydney, where he played all his junior rugby league, is ineligible to play for the NSW Blues.
To qualify for Origin you must have grown up in Australia and played at a junior level in NSW or Queensland.
That should never change.
But if a player ticks all the boxes to qualify for Origin then whoever he decides to represent on the international stage should be irrelevant.
In the next 20 years this tournament will only get bigger and better if everyone gets on board and stops the bickering over the eligibility rules.
No one is saying rugby league will ever become a truly global sport. But that should not mean we have to live in the past and not accept the changing landscape, where close to 50 per cent of the NRL’s players come from a Pacific nation heritage.
The international game, led by the growth of the Pacific nations, is clearly the future for rugby league.
It’s time we all embraced it.
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FREDDY: SAMOA HIGHLIGHTS NEED TO OVERHAUL ORIGIN
By Dean Ritchie
NSW coach Brad Fittler has called for players eligible for State of Origin selection from all tier-one nations to be made available for the Blues or Maroons to safeguard against the possibility of giant-killing Samoa one day being promoted to the top level as a rugby league nation.
World Cup finalists Samoa shocked international rugby league with a famous 27-26 victory over England in a World Cup semi-final — a win which has prompted calls for Samoa to be considered as a tier-one country alongside Australia, England and New Zealand.
While there are no current plans for Samoa to be elevated in status by the International Rugby League, Australian officials are aware such a move would potentially have a disastrous impact on State of Origin.
The current rules state that for a nation to gain tier-one status, it must meet a range of criteria including, ‘player numbers, participation in an organisation of club competitions, access and resources’ which Samoa doesn’t meet.
Under existing selection rules, any player who represents a tier-one nation must choose between his country of heritage or State of Origin. The player cannot represent both. Roosters star Victor Radley chose England — where his father Nigel was born — over NSW just this year.
There are five current Origin players representing Samoa at the World Cup — Jarome Luai, Stephen Crichton, Brian To’o and Junior Paulo from NSW along with Queensland’s Josh Papali’i. Rising Samoan star Joseph Suaali’i was named in a 2022 extended Blues squad.
Three other Samoan players have played for Queensland — Jaydn Su’A (2020), Anthony Milford (2017-18) and Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow (2021).
Fittler wants the rules to state that anyone eligible for State of Origin should also be permitted to represent a tier-one nation.
“The Victor Radley situation will most probably bring things to a head. I’m sure they will sit down and look at eligibility straight after the World Cup,” Fittler said. “They are old rules and the game is (now) different.
“In you play in NSW or Queensland before you’re 13 years old — and play in the junior systems — then you should have the right to play for NSW and Queensland. It shouldn’t matter which international team you play for.
“I think we have shown a weakness in the World Cup with the score lines. The more those players can go and play State of Origin, and high-level games, the better international competition is going to be.
“Origin rules shouldn’t be determined by who you want to play for internationally. I don’t think international football should have any bearing on State of Origin.
“(Storm centre) Reimis Smith is a really good example — born in Mascot, played for Mascot and ended up playing for New Zealand. It took him out of playing for NSW. Yet he played for NSW Schoolboys and NSW under-19s.”
Asked whether Samoa could become a tier one nation, Fittler: “I don’t think it will (happen) but if it does we will face that if it happens.”
Fittler’s plan would allow more players from different heritages to play Origin football.
Officials also want rugby league to become the Pacific’s number one sport, meaning any Samoan elevation would be highly unlikely, given some players could choose the riches Origin over country.
As one official said: “You need to look at the ramifications that it (a Samoan promotion) would bring with it.”
The NRL is planning to review and simplify the entire Origin eligibility protocols.
In another significant development, around half of this year’s Australian Schoolboys side would be eligible to represent Pacific nations.
Given their famous World Cup surge, many believe the number of young players wanting to represent Samoa over rival nations will increase.
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