The representative U /16 and U/18 grades in Sydney are dominated by players with links to New Zealand through their heritage. In fact at least 50 percent of these young players have Polynesian heritage of some sort.
38 percent of players in the NRL have Polynesian heritage. In 1985, that number was 1.8 percent. 40 percent of Holden Cup players this year are Polynesian. What that means as they become NRL players is that they can play for the Kiwis, Samoa or Tonga.
The carrot the NRL will wave in front of them is an opportunity to play in State of Origin. Once they do that they are only eligible for Australia.
I think this can be easily overcome by playing a Kiwi heritage v Island heritage series in New Zealand during the same time frame as the Origin.
I can see a series along this line being every bit as good and successful as the State of Origin.
But back to my first point, Australia are in big trouble internationally so the NZRL and also their counterparts in the Island nations need to strike now and demand a better international calendar.
I think both Tonga and Samoa would beat Australia at the moment and I'm sure the powers that be in Australia can see it too.
That is why this New Zealand Heritage v Island Heritage is so important. The momentum must not be lost.
I know the Aussie mentality and they will want to sit back and lick their wounds for as long as possible. They will be hoping the Origin series will unearth new talent and it probably will.
But in the meantime the International governing body has got to find some courage and lay the law down to the NRL. We need more test matches.
Historically the international rugby league calendar is drafted to suit the NRL, that's got to change.
I'm the first to agree the NRL is dynamic competition featuring the best players in the world, but it's also too big for its boots.
