Furious footy legend Brad Fittler reveals which players he wants to punish by having them BANNED from playing State of Origin

Daily Mail​

7 days ago

NRL legend and coach Brad Fittler has reacted to some of the game's biggest stars turning their bac on playing for Australia by campaigning to ban them from the State of Origin arena.
Australia will play England in a three-test Ashes series for the first time in 22 years at the end of the NRL season.
However, there are real fears of a talent drain with Queensland and Dolphins star Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow mulling over a decision on whether to play for the Kangaroos or Samoa.
The slashing fullback played a lone test for Samoa at the 2022 Rugby League World Cup before his career went into orbit.
He has now played 10 matches for the Queensland Maroons and has played six Tests for Australia.
However, Tabuai-Fidow could choose Samoa over Australia, with New South Wales enforcer Payne Haas and Queensland's Tino Fa'asuamaleaui also considering switching their allegiances.
All of them were born in Australia.
There is currently nothing in the rules stopping the stars from making the switch, as Samoa is still considered a Tier 2 nation despite reaching the final of the most recent World Cup.
Players cannot switch between Tier 1 countries under the regulatioons.
Fittler wants that changed, with Origin bans slapped on Tabuai-Fidow, Haas and Fa'asuamaleaui - along with any other Kangaroos who choose to play for their island nation instead.
'The fact is they can go and play for Samoa and still play State of Origin,' he told Radio 2GB.
'State of Origin is the one that everybody loves playing.
'So unless you take State of Origin away from those tier-two nations, then that won't change.
'There's a lot of lobbying going on behind the scenes, especially with a lot of the Polynesian players, trying to get them to go and play for Samoa, Tonga.'
2GB's Adam Hawse suggested that Australian officials should also be hitting the phones, but Fittler didn't agree.
'Yeah, but you know, who wants to be lobbying?' Fittler said.
'Half the time they don't ring you back anyway.
'Who wants to sit there and lobby and ask players do they want to play for the country that has nurtured and educated them, you know?'
In 2017, Jason Taumalolo and Andrew Fifita made headlines by choosing to represent Tonga over New Zealand and Australia for the Rugby League World Cup.
Their shock defections triggered a wave of support, with players like Sio Siua Taukeiaho, Manu Maʻu, and David Fusitu'a also pledging allegiance to Tonga.
The move redefined international rugby league, as Tonga reached the semi-finals and nearly upset England.
Inspired by Tonga's rise, several stars later chose Samoa for the 2022 Rugby League World Cup, including Joseph Suaalii, Brian To'o, Junior Paulo and Jarome Luai.
Samoa went on to reach the final that year, becoming the first tier-two nation to do so.