Pick of the Pacific Print Normal font Large font Rugby League historian, author and journalist Ian Heads has named his all-time Polynesian/Pacific team, made up of players who appeared in the NSW competition or NRL. Size, speed, skill, it's hard to imagine them being bested by many sides. Is there anyone better he's overlooked? Lote Tuqiri Noa Nadruku Israel Folau Nigel Vagana Jarryd Hayne Olsen Filipaina Stacey Jones Sonny Bill Williams Kurt Sorensen Stephen Kearney Petero Civoneciva Issac Luke Ruben Wiki (c) BENCH Dane Sorensen Willie Mason Apisai Toga Fred Ah Kuoi blogs.smh.com.au/sinbin/archives ... ge#4723856

Pick of the Pacific Print Normal font Large font Rugby League historian, author and journalist Ian Heads has named his all-time Polynesian/Pacific team, made up of players who appeared in the NSW competition or NRL. Size, speed, skill, it's hard to imagine them being bested by many sides. Is there anyone better he's overlooked? Lote Tuqiri Noa Nadruku Israel Folau Nigel Vagana Jarryd Hayne Olsen Filipaina Stacey Jones Sonny Bill Williams Kurt Sorensen Stephen Kearney Petero Civoneciva Issac Luke Ruben Wiki (c) BENCH Dane Sorensen Willie Mason Apisai Toga Fred Ah Kuoi blogs.smh.com.au/sinbin/archives ... ge#4723856

What about a Polynesian team picked from the English clubs?

Issac Luke? Jaraad Hayne? Geex he didn;t do much looking!

I'd have had Marcus Bai or Vainikolo over Nadruku

Swap SBW round with Wiki.
Kearney around with Cevoniceva
And Tuqiri with Hayne

I'd have Perilini before some of those on the bench and maybe Vainikolo or Inga Tuigamala on one of the wings.

Super League based one:

1. Tevita Vaikona
2. Lesley Vainikolo
3. Kevin Iro
4. Nigel Vagana
5. Marcus Bai
6. Stanley Gene
7. Stacey Jones
8. Appollo Perilini
9. Tevita Leo-Latu
10. Tony Puletua
11. Fereti Tuilagi
12. Ali Lauatiti
13. Willie Manu

14. Feka Paleaaesina (cant spell his name)
15. Maurie Fa'asavalu
16. Henry Fa'afili
17. Makali Aizue

That is actually pretty hard to do. Have probably missed out some good players. I have tried to just pick players from Samoa, Tonga, Cook Islands and Papau New Guinea or player who qualify to play for one of them, but not NZers as there have been loads of them.

He's listed the pack from loose forward through to prop, as they tend to do down under. Hence Isaac Luke being a hooker and not a second row.

Nice one Ashy, get those Saints players in there.

What you on about?

Surely Feleti Mateo should be in there.

Also Solomona Homono as a prop

Poss Tyrone Smith Centre Hmmm

Jimmy Dymock- 6

gotta have Stanley Gene and Adrian Lam in a polynesian/pacific select.


to be honest there's loads over the years just from our shores

You can't really include PNG players for this???

If you do you have to include Aussie players as well.

How can you leave out Mal Meninga?
(sorry - born in Queensland)

I'll give it a go based on players I can remember. These are the players I'd be looking to pick, although keep in mind today's athletes have a pretty big advantage as they would in any all time great side that was selected.

1. Ken Nagas (Pretty sure he has Fijian in him)
2. Noa Nadruku
3. Israel Folau
4. Nigel Vagana
5. Jarryd Hayne
6. Jim Dymock
7. Adrian Lam
8. Petero Civoneceva
9. Issac Luke
10. Rubin Wiki
11. Willie Mason
12. Frank Pritchard
13. Feleti Mateo


A few notes:

*As much as he wishes, a white kid from Auckland is not a proper Polynesian (You hear me Sonny?) in the same way I am not an African because of the whole chain of evolution thing.

*Stacey Jones achieved nothing. Adrian Lam played for a decade in the NRL and had a fairly long Origin career, even if he was not eligible to play in all those Origin games.

*A Polynesian who skips New Zealand comps, Australian lower grades, Australian top grades and only ever had a career in England does not qualify because, quite frankly, they are sh*t.

*Being a reserve grader in Australia and a super star in England means you don't qualify. See above.

most of these players mentioned are born in aus or nz, and all raised there with the exception of gene and aizue.