Mate v Mate Ma'a Tonga: The new State of Origin

New Zealand captain Dallin Watene-Zelezniak was asked ahead of last Saturday's defeat of Australia about the support for Mate Ma'a Tonga in Auckland outstripping that afforded the Kiwis more than a week before the historic Test between Tonga and Kangaroos.

"I don't think it's too bad because I'm Tongan as well," Watene-Zelezniak said. "The Tongan people are prideful about their country and where they come from, and I feel it is a good thing for the game and it is just going to build and build."

With the support of Tongan church groups, who have been helping to organise their community in Auckland, the Mt Smart Stadium attendance record of 30,003 at last year's World Cup semi-final between Mate Ma'a Tonga and England is set to be exceeded on Saturday night.

Ticket sales have been so strong, there have been enquiries about adding another 5000 seats for the Test.

In contrast, the crowd for the Kiwis-Kangaroos Test at the same venue last Saturday night was just 12,763.

The attendance confirmed NZRL concerns about the impact of Mate Ma'a Tonga playing Australia in Auckland but the 26-24 win against the Kangaroos should also have convinced officials of the opportunity for a new State of Origin-type rivalry between the Kiwis and Tonga.

An annual clash between New Zealand and Tonga in Auckland would not only be a financial boost for the cash-strapped NZRL but also provide a way to pay Mate Ma'a Tonga players, who have had to play for virtually nothing until Saturday's Test against Australia.

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Origin was created because Queensland believed they could beat NSW if the Maroons had access to their players at Sydney clubs and almost 40 years later it remains the biggest event on the rugby league calendar.

Tonga versus New Zealand would be little brother taking on big brother and Pacific island nation would always be the underdogs - as Queensland are - but the interest would take the game to another level.

As part of the deal for Saturday's Test being played in Auckland, the NRL will provide support for the Kiwis to host Tonga next year on the stand-alone representative weekend, yet there still appears to be some reluctance to this being an annual event.     

While no one will publicly admit it, some within the New Zealand camp still harbour resentment about the way Jason Taumalolo, David Fusitu'a and others turned their backs on the Kiwis to play for Tonga at last year's World Cup.

One official even remarked that when he sees those players in the Mate Ma'a Tonga squad, he thinks how strong the Kiwis would be if they came back.

For the sake of the game in New Zealand and internationally, those type of thoughts should be put aside and the NZRL encouraged to take advantage of the passion of Tonga's supporters.

Ever since the arrival of the Tonga team in Auckland last Wednesday night, fans have been driving around with giant Tongan flags hanging out the windows of their cars, while there are rows of houses in streets around Mt Smart Stadium painted red and white.

There were similar scenes during last year's World Cup but if not for the efforts of Australian coach Mal Meninga, his Tonga counterpart Kristian Woolf and the willingness of Kangaroos players to take a 75 per cent pay cut, Mate Ma'a Tonga would have played just the mid-season Pacific Test this season.

Without regular Tests there would be little incentive for big name players like Taumalolo, Fusitu'a and the most recent defector, Addin Fonua-Blake, to choose Tonga over New Zealand, particularly if they are not being paid.

Saturday's Test will be the first time the Tongan players have received a match fee but an annual Origin-type fixture would generate enough revenue to enable them to be paid what they deserve.

If Samoa can galvanise support the way Tonga has and be competitive, the concept could be expanded to a tri-series and played in tandem with the three-match Origin series.

 With Polynesian players now making up more than 40 per cent of all NRL talent, a tri-series involving New Zealand, Samoa and Tonga has the potential to be the new State of Origin.