27fm Long Yarn: Rugby League's Making Pacific Islands Moves
King.
As the #KiwiNRL takeover steadily builds momentum, the battle for the Pacific Islands has been an interesting side show to follow. Both rugby league and rugby union have benefited greatly from the plethora of talent hailing from Fiji, Tonga and Samoa (as well as Cook Islands and Niue), on both sides of the Tasman. Whether it's the All Blacks, Wallabies, Kangaroos or Kiwis, both codes have laughed all the way to the footy talent bank via players that have found their way to the respective teams.
Of course, there's a major disclaimer that many overlook when they ponder this situation as migration of polynesians to Aotearoa and Australia has meant that the majority of polynesians representing either nation in either code, were actually born in Australia or Aotearoa. I've got a hunch that this is the case now more than ever and English folk for example, who whinge about the All Blacks with regards to this topic tend to overlook the fact that most of these players haven't experienced life in the Pacific Islands. All they know is Aotearoa as they were either born here or came here when they were babies, hence it's never as simple as the whingey-moaners make it out to be.
This isn't about eligibility and all I care to say on that specific subject is that polynesians are in a fantastic position where they can genuinely chose between two lovely options; be a hero and leader in representing their homeland, or represent the All Blacks etc. We've seen this with Jason Taumalolo and Andrew Fifita, because as polynesians, they own great power in having options and this can only be viewed as a positive.
When some of that power is taken away from them by the New Zealand Rugby Union for example - players need to play in Aotearoa to be eligible for the All Blacks - someone like Charles Piutau still has the path to Tongan greatness open if he wants it. Polynesians have options and power, their talent deserves such levels of options and power.
You can debate eligibility all you want in either codes, but damn; it's tricky. All I care for is players being able to exert their power and make decisions in their best personal interests.
Where things get funky for me, is in what either code is doing to ensure that their code is winning the battle in Fiji, Samoa and Tonga. This moves from international eligibility, to a battle between the NRL and Super Rugby specifically as these competitions are big business and a stronger presence in the Pacific Islands is hugely beneficial on all fronts. Well, maybe not right now because I think we're only seeing the start of this with either competition only realising the potential of these untapped markets.
My perspective of how the battle is being played out right now is best summed up by Super Rugby playing the odd game in Samoa and the NRL setting up roots in various nations. I mean, Super Rugby franchises like Waikato Chiefs, Auckland Blues or Canterbury Crusaders. The NRL on the other hand is putting resources into establishing a presence in Fiji and you also have NRL franchises themselves setting up roots, as well as unaligned individuals like Brad Fittler and Andrew Johns putting resource into finding talent.
Right now, it appears as though rugby league is wiggling its way in to lay serious foundations. Canberra Raiders have recently set up a Fijian academy and there are a number of examples of (Fittler/Johns etc) of other teams and people searching for talent and spreading positive vibrations at the same time. The profile of polynesians in the NRL plays a major role here as well and with the Rugby League World Cup about to begin, we've not only seen Tonga, Fiji and Samoa spending time connecting with fans in their own nations, we've seen a conscious effort from players to lead by example; players flexing their power to represent their homeland.
You could boil this battle down to; who do young Fijians, Samoans and Tongans identify the most with? Who do they see the most? Who are their heroes? Forget all the financial benefits and business decisions that are an illusion of gauging this battle, this is about what code young polynesian boys and girls are exposed to the most.
What I've found interesting over the past 12 months especially, is that rugby league appears to view the Pacific Islands as an opportunity, while rugby union appears to view it as a burden or has their focus in the wrong area. A lot of this stems from Super Rugby being a shambles outside of Aotearoa and you've got to ensure that your own backyard is tidy before you venture elsewhere. Then again, all the rugby union talk that comes when the Blues play in Samoa or the Crusaders in Fiji is about the financial viability of playing these games in the Islands and whether an Islands franchise could compete in Super Rugby.
Rugby union has a focus on taking Super Rugby games to the Islands, while rugby league ain't playing NRL games in the Islands nor has there been any noise about doing so. There's barely any benefit for the Blues/Crusaders to take a game to the Islands from a business viewpoint, so the NRL is wise not to go down that route. The NRL and their franchises have however made a conscious effort to ensure that their product is highly visible by engaging with communities, pouring resource into getting polynesian talent from the Islands to the NRL.
While the discussion in union zones in on whether a franchise should feature in Super Rugby, the NRL wants the connection to the Islands through individuals. These individuals certainly help franchises win games and they are always looking for an advantage in development/recruitment, so there's obviously a benefit to the franchises. However, from that point, most of these players are likely to turn out for their homeland. One or two might go down the Semi Radradra route, but we've seen that there's a slight shift in the mentality of players. Even then, purely thanks to Australia or Aotearoa having their own share of talent, the majority will go back to represent their homeland.
When that Raiders academy was announced, their Recruitment Manager Peter Mulholland said that they watched Fiji's Deans Trophy schoolboy rugby union final as well as keeping an eye on the Fijian Under 16 and Open rugby teams that toured Australia. From there, Canberra Raiders identify players to join their academy system and these players are still welcome to play union, their families are required to approve this and schooling is a priority.
Canberra benefit because they have access to talent that is probably better than their junior pathways. The chances of players that work their way through to the NRL representing Fijian rugby league would then be super high as these lads only leave Fiji when they are 18-20yrs and Canberra aren't in the business of supplying talent to Australia, they're trying to solely win footy games.
Fiji Bati then gets the benefit of having players who would have otherwise played rugby union, or not played anything, thus making Fiji a better team. The Raiders logo is spread throughout this area of Fiji and Canberra's lime green becomes a staple, families and villages feel an allegiance to Canberra Raiders because the Raiders invested time and effort into those communities.
That's one NRL team and one area of Fiji. Fiji is the first frontier of this process and it won't be long until other NRL franchises have set up similar roots in Tonga and Samoa. This revolves around talent and exploring untapped talent is crucial to sporting franchises getting better; where ever the talent is, franchises will invest. What makes this situation funky though is that there are business benefits that come with investing in such development pathways.
Not only does an NRL franchise get talent they need, they grow their brand and spread positive vibrations or good will. Some people or some franchises may view this as a one-way exchange (so, not an exchange) where a franchise gets talent. What I'm seeing is that franchises understand the bigger picture and are more than willing to invest time, resource and good will into ensuring that this is a genuine exchange; franchise gets talent and the community gets infrastructure, role models and even just stuff like shoes or gear that put smiles on faces.
We are at an interesting juncture because the Under 20s competition is no longer, thus throwing a slight curve-ball at development pathways in the NRL. Time will tell how this impacts these pathways with regards to the Pacific Islands - one thought I do have is it'll be good for polynesians as it will stop the rush to get players over from the islands and into Under 20s systems while NRL franchises still go out scouting talent.
NRL clubs will definitely have junior teams and they'll compete in state-based competitions, perhaps even allowing for Pacific Island teams to compete in these competitions. There may be greater benefit in keeping players in their country and setting up academies etc to develop these players, instead of shifting them from Australia as teenagers. We all know how different life can be and it's got to be rough for a teenager to make that move from a Pacific Island to Australia. Canberra have laid out a fine example by ensuring that players are able to finish education and leave their homes when they are a bit older, more able to deal with the dramatic change in their lives.
Keep in mind that NRL clubs are very aware of welfare issues among polynesian players and we're only going to be moving towards more resources being made available for this. If franchises invest in infrastructure in the Islands, then they get the best player possible as well as ensuring that the players are best equipped to deal with life as a professional.
Let alone the jobs and opportunities that setting up genuine academies in the Islands will create. Think of the personnel required; coaches, trainers, physio, chefs, cleaners, equipment people, office staff. I'm just brain-storming here and to me that sounds like a mini eco-system that could dramatically increase jobs and money flowing through a village or town. Heavy investment for a franchise sure, but these communities then become fans of that franchise and an NRL franchise could then open these facilities up for local activities, thus engaging the community even further.
The Pacific Islands are a goldmine for NRL franchises, not only because of the talent on offer but also because of the general opportunities that are on offer. Nothing leads me to believe that the NRL and NRL franchises will go about this in the wrong way through exploitation and snatching away talent without giving back to communities in return. In fact, from what I've seen, the seeds of a holistic eco-system have already been planted.
The NRL don't really have to a whole lot either. Their franchises can operate their academies and the NRL only need to ensure that franchises are operating in good faith and that infrastructure is put in place to encourage good fatih and positive vibes. If done correctly, all parties benefit; NRL gets a bigger audience (more dosh), franchises get talent and more supporters, Island communities get greater opportunities and players get a clear pathway.
Players are even leading the charge to give back and at the bare minimum where the NRL and franchises don't do anything, players who make it to the NRL happily set up systems to help their communities. Players don't forget where they came from and the best case scenario is that players, the NRL and franchises (three different parties) all support Pacific Island communities.
As for rugby union? Well I'm not overly optimistic about their position in the Pacific Islands and I view this as a slow, steady overhaul of the status-quo. Similar to my belief in the #KiwiNRL takeover that flows into the overhaul of rugby union's dominance in Aotearoa, which is based on the premise of many sports overhauling union's dominance and not just league.
Super Rugby isn't exactly trending upwards at the moment and any talk about Super Rugby in the Pacific Islands only really centres around taking games there. Kiwi Super Rugby franchises obviously don't need to invest in getting Pacific Island talent and Australian franchises are the best bet to emulate what NRL franchises are doing. There are positive moves like a Fiji team in Australia's domestic competition, although these get swept away by major issues such as exploitation of Pacific Island talent by European rugby.
Rugby union has to make some serious moves in the next few years to change this situation. Through the NRL and buzz around Fijian, Samoan and Tongan international rugby league, rugby league is laying foundations in the Pacific Islands. Maybe rugby union doesn't care and I won't get too dramatic in going down that route - rugby union doesn't appear to be making the positive steps that rugby league is making and I'd suggest that the two codes are moving in different directions with regards to their presence in the Pacific Islands.
Don't expect a radical change in the coming years, expect a gradual change. And remember who told you about that change, or warned rugby union about their perilous poisition.
Peace and love 27.
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