The ARLC is close to finalising a proposal that could potentially solve the thorny issue of State of Origin eligibility by preventing players who’ve represented the junior Kiwis declaring allegiance to Australia.
Junior Test matches currently do not count towards full eligibility, and players such as James Tamou and Ben Te’o have both represented the Kiwis at under-20 level, before defecting to Australia to play Origin for NSW and Queensland respectively.
The pair, who are in the Kangaroos squad that plays New Zealand on Saturday in Townsville, will face a former junior Kangaroo in Gerard Beale, who’s been named in Stephen Kearney’s team.
The ARLC’s director of league integration and development Andrew Hill, has been tasked with trying to solve the problem, and under his plan, all three would have been unable to play on Saturday.
The idea has been mooted for some time, but a document outlining the proposal is now at an advanced stage and Hill hopes to present it to the ARLC this month.
It will then be submitted to the Rugby League International Federation (RLIF) who would need to give it full approval before it can be implemented.
The ARLC earlier this year changed domestic eligibility rules for Origin and City-Country, which would now prevent the likes of NSW-born Greg Inglis playing for Queensland.
However, Hill said the issue of dual nationality is less straightforward.
“We are looking at further amendments to the guidelines, particularly dual eligibility,” Hill told AAP on Wednesday.
“We have drafted a document which is being road tested by six people with huge experience of the international game and State of Origin and we’re confident of having something in place for the 2013 season.”
Hill said the cases, such as Kiwi-born Josh Papalii, who played for the Junior Kiwis but last week decided he wanted to represent Queensland and Australia, were difficult to adjudicate on as the young back-rower had moved across the Tasman as a six-year-old.
And this is why he wants the RLIF to give the green light to his plan and help make battles for players like Sam Kasiano, who rejected the Maroons to play for New Zealand, a thing of the past.
“In essence, every decision is different and not straightforward,” Hill said.
“Some players with dual nationality moved to this country at a young age.
“This clearly makes it difficult to say what makes you eligible to play for Australia and Origin or not.”
Hill, who is chairman of the rules committee on the RLIF, dismissed the notion of players not having to declare for Australia so they can play Origin which was suggested by the federation’s chief, New Zealander Scott Carter, this week.
“It’s highly unlikely that will happen,” he said.
“There are rules we have control over and there are things we have to work with the RLIF on.
“That’s what we hope to do and I am confident we’ll have something in place at the start of next year.”
AAP imc/g
