Four years ago, James Tamou sparked an overhaul of State of Origin selection guidelines.
Now, the Kiwi born and bred NSW prop reckons the rules should be bent again for Fijian flyer Semi Radradra so he can play for the Blues.
Not that Tamou knows what those rules are.
The North Queensland front-rower surprisingly admitted he still had no idea what the Origin eligibility guidelines were despite prompting a rule change in 2012 when he switched his allegiance to Australia.
But it did not stop him backing a campaign to let in-form Parramatta winger Radradra play this year for NSW.
“I am probably the last person to ask about that,” Tamou said.
“I honestly don’t know the rules too much.
“But I think so (Radradra to play for NSW).
“Origin is for the best players and he is one of them.”
Coincidentally, Tamou’s sensational switch in 2012 made it impossible for Radradra to play Origin footy.
As a direct result of Tamou’s shock allegiance shift, the Australian Rugby League Commission tightened Origin eligibility laws from 2013.
As a result, no player can represent NSW or Queensland unless he has lived in that state from the age of 13, or he is the son of an Origin player.
However, Radradra reiterated his desire to represent NSW after his two-try demolition of Canterbury last round.
It prompted the likes of Manly great Bob Fulton, who helped overhaul the Origin rules, to ask for the laws to be tweaked further because they didn’t take into account Radradra’s switch from rugby union or the fact he was an Australian resident.
The 23-year-old immigrated to Australia in 2012 after being scouted by Parramatta but did not fulfil any of the existing criteria which would make him available for NSW coach Laurie Daley.
Tamou admitted he had already started campaigning for Radradra’s NSW selection.
“I actually sent a message to my cousin Kenny Edwards at Parramatta. I just said ‘Semi NSW for sure’,” he said.
“He messaged back with ‘yeah absolutely, he is playing unreal’.
“From what I have seen, a guy like that is made for Origin.
“His power runs he does, it is scary.
“Origin is a big stage and it would suit him.”
Tamou believed Origin would help Radradra achieve his goal of becoming the world’s best winger.
“If he is consistent with it, definitely (he would be world’s best),” he said.
