Did anybody explain this policy too poor Weller Hauraki before he came to Super League?

What a waste of a potential glittering international career.

I didn't know he had an alternative career with a potential international aspect? I say this because you can't surely mean in rugby league...

but you already knew this.

Allan Langer played SOO for QLD when he was at Warrington.

The NZ Maori selection policy is more lenient given the evidence of their selection of two Super League based players in the 18-18 draw against England last year... Weller Hauraki being one of them.

The quality issue generally kicks in once a Kiwi player joins a Super League club. Their level of performance is no longer as consistently good because it doesn't need to be in a less intense and less competitive environment. That's why it makes more sense to base selection policy on current NRL-based Kiwi players.

Kiwi players with representative ambitions are doing themselves no favours signing for a Super League club and are effectively ruling themselves out of selection contention... Thomas Leuluai being the exception, provided it's not an Anzac Test.

Indeed. Called back during his second season at Warrington amid a veil of secrecy to cover injury in the third and deciding game of the 2001 series having last played origin in 1998 also I believe the last year he gained rep honours.

As the origin selection rules state, (as you are no doubt aware) to be considered for origin, a player has to be elegible to represent Austrailia at international level. So while Alfie was technically available for selection by Austraillia, it was never going to happen.

So although he played 1 game of origin in 2001 whilst in super league this is obviously an exception rather than the norm (I believe this was reported by some in the Oz press at the time as a selection smacking of desperation by Qld coach Bennet although it did work out).

I cant think of an example where this has happenned since (although if there is (am sure you will let me know), so it would seem that the norm is, any Austrailian player playing in Super league will forfeit any chance of playing SOO or gaining rep honours.

If Buderus is to return to Oz then we should have some good headroom in the salary cap.

What with contract extentions (and I would expect savings) for the likes of Webb, Leuluai, Kirke etc and with Senior & Ali gone I would hope we would have sufficient in the war chest to make an important signing or two.

Would it be too much to expect GH to be negotiating with Sonny Bill Williams? With him and Chase you would start to regain some lost ground and bring the best out of our young threequarters.

I agree we have space under the salary cap for 1/2 quality signings and hopefully GH has already done the business.
You seem to be assuming that Kosi's source was right and the Rhinos have signed Chase. I'm not sure how reliable this information is. What about Buderus is he staying or returning to Newcastle?
SBW has stated he wants to go back to the NRL after his All Black contract is finished.

Much as I'd like to see SBW in a Rhinos shirt anybody who thinks that we can match his salary expectations is living in cloud cuckoo land.

But GH is supposed to be such a good negotiator! Tweet Tweet!

Are you confident that we will sign Chase? Kosi has not come back with any other information like fee, player exchange eyc. Great if true but....!

the men in White coats will be coming for you if you're not careful (quoting yourself and asking yourself a question)

Thanks for bringing the wrong quote to my attention! The one above from Juan Cornetto was the one I was referring to. It reads as though the Chase signing "is in the bag" but I'm waiting for more information. It's great if Chase does join the Rhinos. I agree that there is plenty of room under the cap for 1/2 quality signings and hopefully Chase is one of them! Can't GH keep us informed of any signings he's made!

Given Chase has recently signed a long term contract at Cas, and GH has recently stated that the Southstand redevelopment is on hold due to a lack of attractively priced funding, I don't see Chase coming to Leeds. If we signed him instead of putting the inevitable transfer fee towards redeveloping the Southstand that would be absolutely crazy...

It might depend on what shoite you try and push on us regarding unwanted players + money.

But keep your mitts off Darryl Clark

clarke is class. still not sure with the hype surrounding arundal yet though

Nope, no-one, nada.

Regards,

Darren Smith (formerly of the St Helens parish).

Me neither...Arundel has potential but seems to go through the motions in most games, needs to be a little more aggressive.

Clark will be an international if he says injury free.

Ouchy!

Further evidence that Remarkable_Rhinos needs to re-evaluate his earlier assertions and quit whilst he's behind

Would love to see Clarke at Leeds with McShane. Think he will be in the NRL before long though imo.

The Warrington forum board seem to think they have signed Chase. I suppose we will just have to wait and see. Have confidence in GH!

How recent?

Oh

At the end of his first English season Smith was unexpectedly called into the Third Test of the Ashes series (despite being 35 years old and outside the NRL) by national coach Chris Anderson, who felt the available 2003 Kangaroo centres were not experienced enough.

Smiths last game for St Helens was on 03/10/03 He was then released from his contract.

The test he appeared in was on 22/11/03. Using the criteria set by Keith earlier concerning Jamie Lyon, Smith was not a St Helens player at the time of the test and was indeed heading back to Oz for 2004 to 'Top up his retirement fund'.

I think Remarkable Rhinos may be on to something here

You miss quote me. I never said anything is "in the bag" In fact all this thread is pure speculation. All I said was with Chase and SBW we would solve a lot of problems as we need a quality half back and centre. This is the sort of quality that GH should be negotiating with.

I agree we need a quality half back and centre. Let's hope GH agrees as well!