Leave our (almost) fair-dinkum lads alone, says Mason

Australian league players Karmichael Hunt (right) and Petero Civoniceva in Auckland yesterday. Picture / Greg Bowker

Australian league hardman Willie Mason yesterday hit out at New Zealand in the league allegiance debate ignited when Karmichael Hunt chose to represent the Kangaroos over the Kiwis.

Hunt will again step out for the Aussies in the Tri-Nations opening test at Mt Smart Stadium on Saturday night. The fullback made his Kangaroos debut in the Anzac test in May.

Mason, who was born in Auckland, spent yesterday defending another teammate, Reni Maitua, the latest Kangaroos test debutant to declare his allegiance for Australia over New Zealand.

"Every test selection there's someone they [New Zealand] think they should claim as a New Zealander," Mason said, before pointing out New Zealand's double standards.

"Kiwis try and get everyone with an Islander background. You don't see Australians complain about Jason Cayless, Nathan Cayless, Jake Webster, Frank Pritchard ... they're all born in Australia," he said. "We don't whinge about them. We respect their decisions, it's obviously where their heart lies and they play for New Zealand."

Much of the lead-up to the Anzac test focused on Auckland born and raised Hunt's decision to align himself first with Queensland and then the Kangaroos, with Kiwis such as Benji Marshall expressing disappointment with his decision.

In the game itself, won by Australia 50-12, Hunt was targeted by the Kiwis and ended up leaving the field on a stretcher after being levelled by a huge hit from Pritchard - one of five Australian-born players fielded by the Kiwis. Maitua fended off overtures from the New Zealand Rugby League in 2004. He would qualify through his father, a Samoan who lived in Auckland for 20 years before crossing the Tasman.

"Reni was born in [Sydney's] Paddington Hospital. I don't think you can get more Aussie than that," Mason said.

He took a swipe at the "New Zealand media" for wheeling out the perennial question and claimed the Kiwis players had no problem with those who qualified for both countries but opted to wear green and gold.

"The Kiwis don't care, they know who should and should not be playing for New Zealand."

- NZPA