2019 Spring Internationals: Tonga Invitational Did The Most
Prior to the Spring International window opening, I pondered a Tongan rugby league plateau. After the World Cup in 2017, Tonga defeated Samoa before losing to Australia and earlier this year, Tonga lost to Aotearoa which gave them a win over a weaker Samoa team and losses to stronger Kiwis and Kangaroos teams. No signs of progress or growth were evident, then came an under-whelming World Cup 9s performance and dramas between the playing group and their governing body lurked in the shadows.
Now that the Spring International window has closed, Tonga did exactly what they needed to do in terms of winning footy games. In snaring wins over Great Britain and Australia, Tonga settled back on to their path towards taking over international rugby league and did so under the most adversity any international team has faced since 2017.
It's one thing for Tonga to bounce back and upset the bigger nations again, it's a whole new level when that was done without any support from Tonga National Rugby League. I'm kinda fascinated by this situation and have consistently highlighted that all the leverage in this drama between the playing group and TNRL, resides with the playing group.
This is now to the extent where TNRL are an embarrassment.
I'm not even going to mess around in using the name 'Tongan Invitational' as that murkys the waters a bit. This is simply a case of the playing group, which includes coach Kristian Woolf and support staff like John Hopoate vs TNRL. Not only did the playing group win games against Great Britain and Australia, they drew similar public support to games in Hamilton and Auckland, while most notably doing so with sponsors all over their apparel.
One would have assumed that in going directly against TNRL, the playing group would be sacrificing the support of sponsors - how the fuck could a group of rebel players generate the same level of sponsorship? Any logical person would have guessed that the playing group would play in basic Tongan colours, no brands on their jerseys and without much sponsorship support, there wouldn't be enough resource to fund a wider squad and staff.
Yet the playing group did exactly that and the simple fact that over the past month or so, it genuinely looked like nothing had changed between 'Tonga' and 'Tongan Invitational' is an embarrassment for TNRL. In turn, it shows how much power and leverage the playing group has and at this juncture, anyone involved in the playing group has to wonder why they need TNRL.
Remember, prior to the World Cup 9s and Spring Internationals, we were looking at a situation where Frank Endacott was going to be coaching Manu Vatuvei and the Folau brothers.
Let that sink in.
Even more, absorb it into your loins.
It's a joke. As a pakeha/palagi/palangi chap from South Auckland, I can't go too deep into the corruption, greed and ego-tripping that many Polynesian leaders enjoy. It's not my place to highlight that or investigate it, I would express this as interesting case study as to where the illusion of power is in countries like Samoa and Tonga vs where the actual power is.
That means that the playing group vs TNRL could serve as an example of certain issues in these countries and that means we should all be taking notes on leveraging your power. The playing group realised their power, knew the TNRL have an illusion of power and the playing group acted on that. This isn't anything different to your personal power, you just need leverage and knowledge of the situation to allow you to act on that leverage.
As if fighting the illusion of power wasn't enough, there is a key aspect of the two wins that bolsters the adversity faced by the playing group and thus boosting their case against TNRL. Mid-year, Tonga had a halves combination of John Asiata and Tuimoala Lolohea in their loss to Aotearoa. The win over Great Britain saw Fanitesi Niu come in as a late call up, essentially playing fullback and bumping Will Hopoate into more play-making duties alongside Lolohea.
Then came the win over Australia, with Kotoni Staggs partnering Lolohea. Tonga beat GB and Australia, with one specialist half and all three of their games this year featured a different halves combination. Their World Cup success was built around the forward pack, but low key around solid play-making via Lolohea, Ata Hingano and Will Hopopate. Hingano hasn't played for Tonga since last year's loss to Australia and while their forward pack has largely remained the same, Tonga have rallied without anything close to a stable halves combination.
On top of that, the two Tests recently saw this group of rebels still manage to develop young talent. Like securing sponsorship and logistical planning, developing young talent tends to connected to the governing body and generally over-seeing a smooth operation. The playing group secured their own sponsors, sussed out their own mini-tour and then, also ushered in younger players to build depth.
While the World Cup 9s was kinda a bummer for Tonga, they leaned on young players who have barely played NRL footy or are yet to make their debuts. William Fakatoumafi was plucked out of Aotearoa Warriors Jersey Flegg, Tevita Funa from Manly Sea Eagles reserve grade, Peter Hola had a couple NRL games with North Queensland Cowboys this year, Jamil Hopoate came from Redcliffe Dolphins in Queensland's Intrust Super Cup, Tuipulotu Katoa was selected from Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs reserve grade and Fanitesi Niu is a Broncos prospect with Souths Logan Magpies.
All of those tokos have potential to play NRL footy in the next two years. Sitili Tupouniua featured for Sydney Roosters all season but didn't play in the Grand Final and he's racked up some international experience now, while Ben Murdoch-Masila made a hearty effort to ensure that he joined Lolohea and Konrad Hurrell in coming down from England.
The playing group ensured that potential players who have aligned with Tonga, either spent time around the group or got game time in the 9s. Someone like Niu then moved into a full international game against GB and that level of development/planning is perhaps the most slept on element of what the playing group have done during this drama.
Who knows how things pan out from here. What I do know is that the playing group haven't just grabbed wins over Great Britain and Australia, they have gone above and beyond playing footy. This playing group is setting an example, leading their people and showing what can be done when leveraging your own personal, then collective power.
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Peace and love 27.