Top N.Z. league player unlikely to return
PA Auckland, Olsen Filipaina leaves for’i Sydney next month to pursue a professional rugby league career and it is doubtful whether he will ever play for the Kiwis again. The 22-year-old centre, who has scored 303 points this season in international.’ representative and club football, will join the Balmain club. It would be a waste of time, he said yesterday, for the New Zealand League to try to change his mind. "They have had their [ chances and I have waited long enough,” Filipaina said. "As far as I’m concerned . I’m going. The only reason I'm not going before November is that I'm waiting for my brother’s twenty-first birthday.”
1 It is believed that Filipaina might be better off if he delayed his. departure until the New Zealand League has heard whether its suggested amendments to the international transfer clause have been approved. At present, Filipaina will' have to stand down a year before being allowed to play for Balmain. The N.Z. League has proposed that this stipulation be relaxed in the case of certain players. “We are looking for a system where every player who. played this year be available next year whether they play here or not,” said the N.Z. .League’s chairman, Ron McGregor, yesterday. The N.Z. League cabled the international board last ’ week and is expecting an answer shortly.
New Zealand officials • showed they were working towards keeping players in the country when they met. with the Kiwi captain, Fred Ah Kuoi, on Sunday. Ah Kuoi is interested in ■ playing either in England or’ ’in the United States where the game is expected to start next year. After Sunday's meeting, however, it seems that Ah Kuoi might Change his mind. Another member of this ; year's Kiwi team, Mark Graham is planning to shift to Brisbane next season and there have been reports he ; could be joined by another Kiwi forward. Filipaina first played for [New Zealand in 1977 and had an outstanding tour of Australia last year where he played in 15 of 18 games, ’scoring 10 tries.
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Press, 9 October 1979, Page 32
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347Top N.Z. league player unlikely to return Press, 9 October 1979, Page 32
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