Cricket
Racing
Rugby
League
Motorsport
Football
Golf
Combat Sports
Basketball
Tennis
Other Sports
Sport Nation
"Open Slather": Origin eligibility rules are farcical
SEN • April 3rd, 2025 11:46 am
State of Origin cannot fall into a “free for all” when it comes to eligibility, according to Andrew Voss as a number of NRL stars contemplate switching their international allegiance to Samoa leading some to say they should be banned from Blues and Maroons selection.
Payne Haas and Tino Fa'asuamaleaui have both said they are considering defecting to Samoa, with the former insisting he would not make any moves until after Origin has finished.
Under the current rules they could both remain in contention to play for the Blues and Maroons repsectively, because Samoa is a tier two rugby league nation.
They would join Jarome Luai, Stephen Crichton, Brian To’o and Spencer Leniu as players across both representative sides.
But the news has reignited a debate around whether players not representing the Kangaroos should be eligible for State of Origin.
“It’s got a lot of people fire up with Haas saying he will consider it after Origin,” Voss said on SEN Breakfast.
“At the moment he can go there and still play. The broader question around State of Origin is going to continue to tick over and I don’t think we have an answer.
“It can’t be a free for all but you can’t shut the doors to everyone. It’s never been a straightforward proposal for how you play for which state.
“If we’re going to change the rules and make it open slather – which is not on the table at the moment – you’d have to get rid of the word State and that’s what State of Origin is all about.”
The issue of Origin eligibility is apparently at the centre of a potential NRL player “civil war”, according to the Daily Telegraph’s Phil Rothfield.
“520 players were asked (by the NRLPA) should Tier 1 players (NZ and England) be allowed to play Origin if they played their first footy in Australia under 13? 51% said yes and 49% said no.
“The qualification rules are farcical.
“Clint Newton has told me it is something they will bring up in the next CBA deal to find a solution that allows our premium product to have our best players playing the game.
“Clint Newton has told me it is something they will bring up in the next CBA deal to find a solution that allows our premium product to have our best players playing the game.
“The rules were done in 1980, there was never an issue, the game has changed. These fellas from Samoa, I want them playing Origin, they were born here. But Abdo and V’landys are slow on this one.”
