KEY POINTS:
Allowing Kiwis to play in the State of Origin would dilute the importance of test football, National Rugby League (NRL) chief executive David Gallop said today.
The issue of whether the annual battle between New South Wales and Queensland should be open to Australian-based New Zealanders is one
that has cropped up at Origin time in recent years.
Last year, former NSW coach Phil Gould argued that it would be in the game's best interests if players could play in Origin even if they wanted to represent a country other than Australia.
But Gallop said at the New Zealand Warriors' season launch in Auckland today that he could not imagine that happening in the foreseeable future.
"I think test football is really important," he said.
"Over the last couple of years, we've got Australia-New Zealand up to where it should be. If you start fiddling around with that, you have the potential to dilute how important test football is."
He said the past two Tri-Nations series had shown how passionate players were about representing their country.
"I wouldn't think you want to tinker with that too much by allowing Sonny Bill Williams to play for New South Wales and New Zealand," he said.
"I think that might take something away from test football."
Gallop was among a number of special guests at the launch.
They included Prime Minister Helen Clark, Australian league legends Laurie Daley, Gorden Tallis and Mario Fenech, and former top referee Bill Harrigan.
Daley, Tallis, Fenech and Harrigan have been taking part in the week-long NRL community carnival in Auckland, which ends on Sunday.
The Warriors' launch was at a soldout luncheon and Gallop quipped that a similar size crowd would not have turned out if he had been present at a similar function last season.
"If you did this 12 months ago, we probably would have got about 10 people here, unless you put a box of rotten tomatoes out the front."
It was a year ago this week that news broke of an NRL investigation into alleged salary breaches by the Warriors' previous management.
The NRL went on to fine the club and dock it four competition points.
"I'm delighted with the way the Warriors are going after what were tough times 12 months ago," Gallop said.
Meanwhile, Vodafone announced it was signing up for another three years as the lead sponsor of the Warriors.
The Warriors begin their NRL campaign with a home match against Parramatta on March 17.
This year's NRL competition will see the introduction of a 16th team in the Gold Coast Titans.
Other features will be Monday night football and two matches on Friday night instead of one.
- NZPA AKL rl md
