Tonga waltzed into battle against Samoa as the favourites and more interestingly, the darlings of international rugby league. Their dismantling of Samoa went as predicted and the result along with the way Tonga blew away Samoa in the first half was the perfect reflection of where these two teams currently sit.

The way everything played out only left me pondering the bigger picture for either team. To debrief the game, I've done exactly that...

Tonga

Tonga picked up where they had left the World Cup as their powerful forwards not only rolled down field easily, but they generated a speed of play that terrorized Samoa's defence. Some of the tries that Tonga scored looked excessively easy and in international games such as these with limited preparation, such a tempo in the ruck is borderline un-defendable out on the edges.

Chuck a Tongan jersey and shift Will Hopoate to fullback and he combines sublime play-making with robust running. Chuck two fringe NRL halves, in Tuimoala Lolohea and Ata Hingano who haven't actually played much NRL footy in the halves this season, into the Tongan team and they have everyone wanting more NRL opportunities for them. All three of these players have high ceilings as rugby league players (Bulldogs gotta get Hopoate into fullback), but the dominance of Tonga's forwards is most evident in how good their play-makers look when playing in red.

Playing behind Tonga's forward pack would be a dream for any fullback or half, let alone two very slick hookers in Siliva Havili and Sione Katoa.

Given that, we literally learned nothing new about Tonga here. Everything from the World Cup was on repeat and the same yarns about Tonga rising through the international ranks, demanding a game against Australia are now on repeat. I don't doubt the talent or competitiveness of Tonga, I just find the desire, or desperation to play against Australia a wee bit weird.

Tonga could beat Australia right now, so could full-strength Aotearoa and England teams. Australia are not the same beast without Cameron Smith, Jonathan Thurston, Cooper Cronk and Billy Slater, it's completely understandable for Tonga to want to strike while they have buzz and momentum.

The sole focus for Tonga should be playing as many games as they can each year, against whoever. That's why I find it weird for everyone involved to be only focused about playing Australia because that's a very short-term mindset and while I expect and hope that Tonga will play Australia this year, I'd also love to see Tonga build some foundations and prepare for sustained success.

I'd be trying to get games in Tonga, against whoever. Take the show back to the people and either demolish a weaker team, or start to build a wider squad that can ride the ups and downs of international availabilities. Because, to keep it real; Tonga have enjoyed a fantastic run of availability.

Not in terms of who wants to play for them, but in terms of who is actually available through injury (major or niggly) or suspension, or dramas. The Tongan team that beat Samoa was largely the same team that rolled through the World Cup and if you take one or two of nek-level powerful forwards out of the team, the battlefield shifts slightly.

I've celebrated the budding play-making depth of Samoa and Tonga, but there isn't enough depth for Tonga to lose Lolohea or Hingano and not feel some impact.

This glorious run for Tonga has come with Tonga fielding a full-strength team consistently, which is a unique challenge for one game; try coming up against a Tongan team that has their best players and already established combinations, yikes. If Tonga can maintain that, they will be an international force, but the footy gods don't work like that and there could be some niggly times when Tonga have to dive into their depth.

Samoa

Samoa are at the other end of the spectrum and it felt like their pride, passion and desire not to get smoked by their rivals somewhat kept them in this game. In other words; Samoa aren't very good but weren't gonna get embarrassed.

A smaller forward pack were steam-rolled and after Sam Kasiano left the field injured, Samoa were playing with Bunty Afoa and Dunamis Lui alongside James Gavet, even overlapping with Pita Godinet's injection at hooker. Smaller forwards can definitely be effective with the right style of play and a lot of planning in attack and defence, for Samoa though, without enough big bodies in the middle, their chances to slowing Tonga down decreased dramatically.

Tonga rolled out the same spine from the World Cup, Samoa moved Anthony Milford to fullback with Mason Lino and Tyrone May figuring out their new halves combination, then Joseph Paulo 'doing a job' at hooker with Godinet coming off the bench.

Hopoate, Lolohea, Hingano, Havili/Katoa vs Milford, May, Lino, Paulo/Godinet; see the difference there?

This meant that Samoa were likely to struggle and they did exactly that. I wouldn't quite say that there are foundations from which Samoa can build upon, but there are pieces to the Samoan puzzle that are in place and things to work with moving forward. Much of the same principles that I talked about with regards to Tonga also apply to Samoa, just in a different fashion as the focus for Samoa should now be on playing as much footy as possible, against whoever and establishing a core group for selection.

Samoa will have Joey Leilua and Tim Lafai in the centres. Milford has a chance to be the spiritual leader for Samoa as Jason Taumalolo is for Tonga and make a stand to stick with Samoa. Lino and May can build on their selections, then focus on giving forwards like Afoa, Gavet, Kasiano, Paulo, Michael Chee Kam and/or start integrating young forwards into the international team.

While Tonga need to ponder some long-term vibes to sustain their success, Samoa need a long-term mentality to build towards success. The major focus for Samoa should be easing into the next World Cup and by easing, I mean sticking with a younger group and perhaps suffering further short-term pain with the World Cup in mind.

Samoa (and Tonga) need to take responsibility for their own futures and get busy scheduling games against any international team who wants to play them. There has been a lot of complaining from Samoa and Tonga about their lack of footy, with very little responsibility from either nation to schedule games against any number of international teams who also want footy; Papa New Guinea, Fiji, Scotland, France, Italy ... fuck it, invite Jamaica over and just play some damn footy.

Instead of relying on the NRL, or Australia, or Aotearoa, take responsibility and do your own thing. There is a world of rugby league out there who also want a crack at more international footy and that's an opportunity.

Players must also take responsibility, because the chopping and changing of Samoan and Tongan players between these teams and Australia/Aotearoa is only hurting Samoa and Tonga. It's a bummer Jason Taumalolo isn't playing for Aotearoa, but I love the fact that he has taken responsibility for leading Tongan rugby league forward into the future and Tonga are where they are right now simply because their players took responsibility for Tongan rugby league.

How can Samoa build anything (culture and combinations) if their players are switching between Samoa and Aotearoa all the time?

How can any planning or preparation for A) scheduling fixtures and B) building towards a World Cup be done when players are chopping and changing?

The only team/people that are negatively impacted by the chopping and changing of these players, are Samoa and Tonga. However it plays out, chopping and changing is the worst case scenario for Samoa and Tonga and until players fully understand that, it's hard to take any complaints all that seriously.

Don't be a dick, pick and stick.

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Peace and love 27.