Once again interesting times for Rugby league this week. Hot on the heals of this years Origin selection controversies, we seem to have a new one already for for next year. But in some ways I think this one could be more good news than bad. Also a small comment on the reaction to the Moroccan Rugby League affair.
Yesterday is was reported that David mead, a Papua New Guinea International has decided to turn his back on the Kumuls and want to play State of Origin for Queensland. You can read the story here.
Mead, of course as many would know, plays in the NRL for the Gold Coast Titans. Though his father is Aussie, his mother is from PNG and he has chosen to play for them. HIs decision has created controversy in some circles and his comments about representing State of Origin have certainly created a debate, is a NSWshman or a Queenslander? Seriously people are going on and on about this, but it has over shadowed two very, very important things in the article, and a quote of his which I think is the whole crux of the move and really needs to be applauded.
The first thing is this
“Mead lost his father, Stephen, last week and is expected to arrive in Port Moresby this week for his funeral. Mead Senior died in Brisbane, Australia, after a two-year battle with cancer. It was the second loss in the family for the flyer, after a cousin died the week before.”
My deepest sympathies and condolences go out to the mead family. This week I myself have had the 1st year anniversary of my mums passing and know the pain you have when loosing a parent. I hope that David and his family remember all the great times these are the things that will always keep them alive in your hearts.
But this has been totally lost on everyone in the forums and blogs, seriously people! The second thing is the reason why Mead quit. Origin selection in reality is just a secondary effect here.
“ … David Mead no longer wants to play for the Papua New Guinea Kumuls, saying he believes rugby league in the country is poorly run.
“My dad is Australian and my mum is Papua New Guinea. But PNG rugby league is all over the place. It is not really run professionally and that has put me off,”
Finally, all the problems in PNG Rugby League and the inability for anything to get sorted out there, to have no house in order is starting to get to the players. They are really loosing the plot. Remember that Adrian Lam quit two years ago right before the 4 Nations and a whole host of the NRL and ESL players walked as well for this reason. This severely affected the Kumuls ability to compete against the big 3, having to put out basically a 3rd string team.
This is a show of defiance by the players and finally, this move by Mead could be the catalyst for something to be finally done in Papua New Guinea. Forget Origin, that is not the story. The story is that players are starting to stand up for what they feel passion for. They are now starting to use Origin as the bribe to get things done in their country.
David Meade, I applaud you! And it seems other players and officials feel the same way.
Its been interesting times. Couple days ago I posted up a Moroccan Rugby League and RLEF press release that the Morocco v Lebanon game was not allowed to go ahead by the Moroccan sports ministry. There has been much speculation about what it was. The speculation that Rugby Union had a hand in it seems to be a popular one and may well be true through some indirect dealings. This will be an interesting topic to track over the next year I suspect and will be interesting to see what the actual truth is.
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