Rugby League Coaching Manuals

Andrew Stevenson, SMH - 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

Apologies: Walter Mussing, the St George winger of the 1940s, was incorrectly named as Muffing in the Herald when this article "Polys put the mettle on" was published on February 28.

Also league historian David Middleton has thrown up two more Polynesian names from the dawn of the game.

"Peter Moko, a member of the 1908 Maoris, who played a couple of games for Glebe in 1909 (and later in Brisbane). I reckon he was almost certainly the first player of Polynesian background to play in the premiership. Punga (Glen) Pakere, another Maori tourist of 1908, turned out for Norths in 1910," writes Middleton.