‘When do you draw the line?’: Andrew Johns dismisses NSW’s call to select Panthers star for Origin

Blues icon Andrew Johns has dismissed New South Wales’ push to include Moses Leota in the State of Origin selection, as the player does not meet the necessary eligibility requirements.

Leota made the move from New Zealand to New South Wales just after his 13th birthday, and the rules for State of Origin dictate that players must have resided in the state before turning 13 to be eligible.

According to The Sydney Morning Herald, the NRL may entertain an appeal from New South Wales, but Johns is firmly against it.

“I’m taking a hard stance on this, no way,” he stated on Nine’s Sunday Footy Show.

“At what point do you draw the line? Is it four months, six months, or nine months? The cut-off is firmly set at 13 years old, plain and simple.”

With Payne Haas facing injury concerns from the weekend, the Blues find themselves in need of a strong front-row option.

In response, Queensland Maroons coach Billy Slater asserted, “It simply won’t happen.”

“If you allow this, where do you draw the line?” he added.

“Ronaldo Mulitalo once missed out on an Origin selection due to this very circumstance.”

QRL chief executive Ben Ikin also expressed a firm view on Leota’s situation and New South Wales’ dilemma.

“I find it hard to sympathise with either the NSW Rugby League or Moses Leota,” he shared with The Herald.

“Moses does not meet the criteria to participate in State of Origin. The regulations are explicit. We must accept that some players may miss out by a week or a month, and that could just as easily be three years.”

“Creating arbitrary exceptions would be ridiculous. Allowing one would lead to requests for 13 years and four months, then 13 years and seven months, and so forth.”

“I get that rugby league thrives on excitement, but we don’t need to add this kind of controversy.”

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The ARLC recently revised the eligibility rules for Origin, allowing players to represent a Tier 1 nation other than Australia while still playing in the series.

This change has made several players, including Casey McLean, Addin Fonua-Blake, Victor Radley, and Briton Nikora, potential candidates.

Jason Taumololo was believed to be in line for Queensland selection but moved to Australia at 14. Herbie Farnworth also fell too late into the Queensland arrival window.

The opening match of this year’s Origin series is set for May 27 in Sydney.