South Sydney star Junior Tatola grew up idolising Israel Folau but won’t be playing alongside him for Tonga until one of the biggest messes in international rugby league is resolved.
Revelations that Folau was planning a comeback to league after being sacked by Rugby Australia earlier this year is the talk of both codes.
But while the Rugby League International Federation was quick to claim it hadn’t even given cleared Folau to play, the deeper issue remains whether or not Tonga will even manage to cobble together a team to face Great Britain and Australia next month.
The Tongan National Rugby League (TNRL) are in the midst of a bitter dispute between their board and a number of NRL stars, led by Jason Taumalolo and Andrew Fifita.
Fifita last month said as many as 30 players were prepared to boycott the Tongan Tests unless TNRL chairman George Koloamatangi and secretary Williams Edwards stand down after coach Kristian Woolf was sacked.
And now it seems not even the potential lure of teaming up with Folau, a dual international and hero to Tongans, will be enough to save Koloamatangi, Edwards and the board.
“It is a bit exciting but at the moment it is just rumours and I’m not too sure what’s going on with Tongan rugby league at the moment,” Tatola said on Tuesday when asked about the prospect of lining up alongside Folau.
“Hopefully it all gets sorted out and hopefully all the boys get to play for their country.
“I think everyone would like to see it settled. Not just the players involved but the whole Tongan community, the fans. I think it’s just dragged on a little bit too much now.”
Tatola, 22, said he’d follow the lead of Tonga’s senior playing group before declaring himself available or not for a third Test for his country.
“The senior players are looking after it. I’ll back whatever they’re doing,” he said.
“My sole focus at the moment is the Rabbitohs and winning a premiership and whatever happens here and if I get a run in the Tongan team, I get a run.”
Tatola did concede that Folau would be a great asset for Tonga, if both the former Wallabies superstar was cleared for a return to league and the issues within the Tongan ranks were resolved.
“I used to watch him a lot, especially when he was at Melbourne and the Broncos. He was a great player. He did a lot of great stuff for rugby league, especially in the NRL,” Tatola said.
“So I used to watch him a lot. I mean, it would be good to have him but at the moment they’re just rumours “
A spokesman on Tuesday said the NRL was aware of the turmoil engulfing Tongan rugby league but that the Tests were going ahead at this stage.