‘Australians first’: Mal Meninga on eligibility row as several Kangaroos players linked with Samoa defection

Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga has drawn a line in the sand after a wave of Australian players have reportedly began considering defecting.

Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga has voiced his concerns over the current state of rugby league’s international eligibility rules in the wake of Payne Haas, Tino Fa’asuamaleaui and Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow all considering making the switch to represent Samoa this year.

Speaking on SENQ Breakfast on Wednesday, Meninga expressed his frustrations with the system that allows players to effortlessly change between Tier 1 nations (Australia, New Zealand, and England) and Tier 2 nations such as Samoa and Tonga on a year-to-year basis.

Watch the biggest Aussie sports & the best from overseas LIVE on Kayo Sports | New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited time offer.

Meninga, a dual international himself, said his anger has little to do with players embracing their heritage, it is more so to do with the rules allowing them to change nations as they please.

“(Before agreeing to being called up) Know you want to put a green and gold jersey on. It has to comes from the heart,” he said on SENQ Breakfast on Wednesday.

“But if you’ve got doubt in your mind … I mean, I class myself as an Australian–South Sea Islander, but I’m Australian first.”

The 64-year-old also says it getting close to the time when Australia has to draw a line in the sand and things such as State of Origin eligibility may need to be looked at.

“At some stage, we need to make a decision,” Meninga continued.

“It doesn’t affect Origin … but at some stage, there’s got to be parity.

“New Zealand and Australia have made so many sacrifices over the last half-decade. At some stage, you know, we’ve got to get a little bit back.”

Mal Meninga fears having an Australian Indigenous team play in direct competition to the Kangaroos could ultimately end in a white-only Australian team. Image: Getty

Meninga’s comments come after former NRL player Dean Widders spoke of the need for an Indigenous side to play at the Pacific Championships, citing that there isn’t “a platform for our Indigenous players to play at a higher representative level”.

Speaking on National Indigenous Television, Widders said: “We saw last year at the World Cup in the mens, Cody Walker, Latrell Mitchell, Josh Addo-Carr, some of our big star players … they all sat on the sideline and watched these international games.

“We need to find a platform for our players to perform at the highest level.

“I keep pushing the barrow of the Pacific Cup.”

However, that concept has been widely rejected due to how it may cause unnecessary division.

And speaking to Fox Sports Meninga said that if it was to be the case the Australian side would become white-only.

“I think it would (become white-only),” Meninga said.

“For me there is no reason why we can’t celebrate our history and our heritage.

“At some stage, we have got to make a decision are we Australian first? That doesn’t disrespect First Nations people because they play a really important part in our history but also a really important part in our game.

Payne Haas is considering making the switch to represent Samoa. (Photo by Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images)

“And if a First Nations person by heritage is good enough to be picked in the Australia team we do that. So I don’t think there is any bias.

“You know, I have got an Australian South Sea Islander background but all my cousins are First Nations peoples. But I take the view that we are Australians first.”

“I pick Latrell Mitchell and I pick a Josh Addo-Carr in my footy teams. Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow. So we have an everlasting respect for First Nations people in representative teams.

“So I disagree they don’t get a platform to excel. I think they do.”

But Meninga believes it is time for change and wants to see every player decide what nation they want to represent as soon as they sign their first NRL contract.

Meninga also said he had no dramas if players who chose other nations wanted to still play Origin as long as they met the eligibility criteria.

Originally published as ‘Australians first’: Mal Meninga on eligibility row as several Kangaroos players linked with Samoa defection