When someone like Jason Taumalolo makes themselves available for a World Cup campaign, you've gotta pick him and when that RLWC campaign is in Aotearoa and Australia, pick him twice. Andrew Fifita is in the same category and Manu Ma'u's ability is such that if he's riding with you, he's more than likely going to be the best edge forward in your squad. These moves and a few others caught headlines for obvious reasons, although no one really considered the collateral damage that bringing in Taumalolo would have.

Remember during the last RLWC when Sonny Bill Williams made himself available for Aotearoa, thus pushing Tohu Harris out of the squad? Harris is a young Kiwi great, my favourite footy player in the game and I simply love him, but like, you're not picking Harris over SBW four years ago. That's slightly different considering the timing of it all, but I use it as an example of how when the headline act gets all the attention, there's always a loser in the situation.

Tonga's game against Fiji earlier this year featured Leilani Latu, Felise Kaufusi, Tony Williams, Patrick Kaufusi, Leivaha Pulu and Siosaia Vave; all of whom aren't in this current RLWC squad. Apart from the two hookers Siliva Havili and Sione Katoa, along with Joe Ofagengaue, Tonga will roll out a completely different forward pack for the RLWC.

Players who didn't take the field against Fiji but are in the RLWC squad: Sika Manu, Manu Ma'u, Sam Moa, Ben Murdoch-Masila, Tevita Pangai jnr, Ukuma Ta'ai, Sio Siua Taukeiaho, Jason Taumalolo, Peni Terepo.

That's in the squad and in my RLWC top-17 I'd have; Moa, Havili, Fifita, Manu, Ma'u, Taumalolo with a bench of Katoa, Taukeiaho, Murdoch-Masila and Ofahengaue.

The backline will be fairly similar, although Brenko Lee and Moses Suli started in the centres against Fiji and neither is in this RLWC squad. Tonga now have Konrad Hurrell, Solomone Kata and Michael Jennings. Yeah, there are losers in the sense that they won't get to play for Tonga with all these newbies popping up for the RLWC glory, on all fronts though these are upgrades and none more so than in the centres.

Another funky wrinkle here is that this secret pact to play for Tonga over Aotearoa or Australia obviously didn't get as far as Addin Fonua-Blake. Fonua-Blake started at prop against Fiji and played 44 minutes, but opted to go the Kiwis route for the RLWC and from that Tongan team that played against Fiji, Fonua-Blake and Felise Kaufusi have been named in Aotearoa and Australian squads respectively.

While the moves of other players away from Aotearoa and Australia, back to Tonga got all the hype, these two have slid in the opposite direction and have done so despite being unlikely to feature in either Aotearoa or Australia's top-17; Fonua-Blake is behind Adam Blair, Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, Martin Taupau, Nelson Asofa-Solomona, Russell Packer and perhaps Joseph Tapine while Kaufusi is behind Body Cordner, Matt Gillett and Wade Graham.

Fonua-Blake and Kaufusi gave up top-17 roles with Tonga to be depth players for Aotearoa and Australia. That just means that we can chill on the hypebeast sort of stuff as it almost levels out and keep in mind that Kaufusi started at prop for Tonga against Samoa in 2016, meaning he played the last two games for Tonga.

From that 2016 game against Samoa, only Fusitua, Kata, Katoa, Terepo and Manu have been selected in the RLWC squad. Five of Tonga's 17 vs Samoa in 2016 and eight of Tonga's 17 vs Fiji this year are in the RLWC squad and this total revamp of Tonga's team showcases their depth and to a lesser extent, you can make the same case for Samoa. Nine of Samoa's 17 that lost to England earlier this year are in their RLWC squad and nine from Samoa's team that played Tonga last year are in this RLWC squad.

There are so many different ways you could view this as Samoa for example could have more cohesion as they've maintained a fairly consistent group, while Tonga have had a revolving door. You could view it as a bit stink that a player could make a concerted effort to play for Tonga in the years leading up to a RLWC, only for Taumalolo or Fifita to make a last minute switch for the RLWC, thus robbing you of your RLWC dream. You gotta select the best players though, right?

In a RLWC vaccuum, having Taumalolo etc available is fantastic for Tonga and it's fantastic for the RLWC. It would be a lot more meaningful for these nations and international rugby league if these players were ready to lace up for Tonga in mid-year Tests, or Tests at any time. Cute lines about giving up all this money to represent Tonga and inspiring young Tongans are nothing but cute lines when you consider the change that would come when players actually carried these beliefs into the full international calendar. Do you live by it or just apply it when you want to?

It would mean a lot more if Taumalolo etc turned out for Tonga every year and this would be far more inspiring than chopping and changing. Tonga would then be able to consistently get sponsorship, consistently sell tickets and lay down some genuine rugby league foundations, instead of a few weeks that suit the players. Then there's an actual benefit for Tongan rugby league in a business sense, where as now the RLWC will be a spike, a peak that will likely drop off after the RLWC.

Peace and love 27.

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