Rugby league: 'May as well scrap it': League world reacts to Jason Taumalolo's State of Origin plea

Tongan and North Queensland Cowboys forward Jason Taumalolo. Photo / Brett Phibbs

A State of Origin icon has rubbished the idea of NRL star Jason Taumalolo playing for Queensland despite being born in Auckland and a representative of Tonga.

The Daily Telegraph reported over the weekend that Taumalolo's manager Chris Orr approached Queensland coach Paul Green about the possibility of the Tongan star playing in State of Origin.

Green coached Taumalolo at the North Queensland Cowboys where the forward has been plying his trade in the NRL since 2010. He's currently sidelined with a broken hand suffered at training earlier this month.

Taumalolo has represented Tonga 13 times after controversially changing countries on the eve of the 2017 Rugby League World Cup after having played 10 times for the Kiwis.

According to the Telegraph, Wayne Pearce is conducting a review of the current eligibility criteria for State of Origin. As it stands players have to be available to represent Australia.

The idea of a player ineligible for the Kangaroos putting on the Maroons jumper hasn't gone down well.

Maroons great Gorden Tallis says it's a fairly simple call.

"We got past that when Tonga beat England and they beat Australia. That conversation left the table way back then," he said.

"It's happened with both states with (Akuila) Uate and all those guys playing for NSW and Qld.

"I would rather lose as a Queenslander with the best Qld kids than win having non-Queenslanders in it. It's as simple as that."

Triple M's Dan Ginnane said it was all about money.

"He is not from Queensland. He's Tongan and played for New Zealand as well," he told Triple M's Sunday Sinbin.

"I am so sick of players not Origin eligible saying 'I want to play Origin'. Of course you want to play Origin, it pays a sh*tload and it's the best product we've got.

"Last decade it was 'oh how are we going to get Sonny Bill Williams playing in Origin.' Well bad luck, it's the best thing going in our game and we want to stuff it up."

May as well scrap Origin if Jason Taumalolo is allowed to play. Has already played for NZ. Pretty sure that makes him ineligible to play for Australia. There’s already a game for guys like him called the All Stars

— Brent Read (@brentread_7) March 27, 2021

- With news.com.au