TO: NZRL Staff, Districts and Affiliates and Board

FROM: Peter Cordtz

DATE: 17 November 2009

RE: Media Summary Tuesday 10 November to Tuesday 16 November

Inglis wins coveted Golden Boot: Superstar centre has created history by being named the 2009 Golden Boot winner…

Smith resigns as England league coach: England coach Tony Smith quit his post just hours after claiming the national side had taken some positive steps towards the future with their impressive Four Nations campaign…

Spare a few tears for those embattled England devotees: Poor old Eddie Hemmings, the long-suffering English league commentator. Yesterday's Four Nations final defeat by was almost more than he could take…

Kangaroos win Four Nations after deluge: Australia restored themselves to the pinnacle of world rugby league with a 46-16 result that was entirely predictable, but yet was in doubt for 54 minutes of this Four Nations final…

NZRL boss predicts exciting future: Buoyed by an on-budget Four Nations that means a handsome profit will return with him to New Zealand this week, NZRL chairman Scott Carter is promising a "veritable banquet" of test match league on these shores next season…

Stokes coaching 'universal language' of league: Ged Stokes doesn't yet know the Serbian for 'sliding defence', but as he says: ''The language of rugby league is pretty universal”. Two years ago, the former New Zealand 'A' coach was almost penniless, fighting a unlawful dismissal case against former club and living on handouts…

Kick-boxing ref tough enough for final: Leon Williamson used to strike his own legs with a two-litre Coke bottle filled with steel pins to strengthen his shin bones for the rigours of kickboxing. So the Harley-riding 40- year-old Auckland plumber is certainly tough enough to shrug off the claims of Australian coach that he ''jagged'' the appointment to referee Saturday's Four Nations final…

Sheens slams international politics: Kangaroos coach Tim Sheens has hit out at the international rugby league politics which could prevent Australian referee Shayne Hayne being appointed to control Sunday's Four Nations final against England at …

Captain Benji predicting victory in 2010: Kiwi skipper is already confidently predicting the Kiwis can win next year's Four Nations, saying this year's tournament was neither a setback nor a failure for the world champions…

Moimoi gets breakthrough despite Kiwis' failure: was this week named the rugby league world's best frontrower - then declared that he can still get better…

Kearney has NZRL backing: New Zealand league boss Scott Carter has staunchly backed Kiwi coach despite his side's early exit from the Four Nations…

Two-referee system vital, says Tamati: International rugby league needs to move quickly to introduce two referees to test matches, according to the convenor of the national selectors, Howie Tamati.

Early Kiwis exit boosts NZRL coffers: New Zealand Rugby League (NZRL) is set benefit financially from losing to England and missing out on this weekends' Four Nations final…

Inglis wins coveted Golden Boot (AAP, NZ Herald 16 November 2009)

Superstar centre Greg Inglis has created history by being named the 2009 Golden Boot winner - the third successive year a player has received the coveted international league award.

Inglis received the award, given to the world's best player, after being named Player of the Tournament in the Four Nations series won by Australia early Sunday morning.

The 22-year-old was lauded ahead of five of the best players in the world - including fellow Storm stars and previous winners, skipper (2007) and (2008).

No team has ever before had three Golden Boot recipients on its playing list.

The Golden Boot is the long-running international player of the year award presented by Rugby League World magazine, and was first presented in 1985.

It is voted on by some of the best players to have ever laced a boot, including , England's and New Zealand's Hugh McGahan

Smith resigns as England league coach (By Steve Jancetic, AAP 16 November 2009)

England rugby league coach Tony Smith quit his post just hours after claiming the national side had taken some positive steps towards the future with their impressive Four Nations campaign.

Smith spoke encouragingly about a future involving young halves and and rampaging forward after the hosts pushed Australia for 60 minutes before eventually going down 46-16 in the Four Nations final in on Saturday night.

Burgess was particularly impressive, his two tries showing an intriguing blend of size, footwork and speed to keep the hosts in the match.

But Smith won't be there to see his saplings bear fruit, instead preferring to concentrate on his new job at Warrington and spend more time with his family after three years in the role.

"After talking to (my family) it is clear that it is very difficult for me to cover the demands of both the club and international game," Smith said in a statement released by the RFL on Sunday.

"Next year the Four Nations is in the southern hemisphere and, after a long domestic season with Warrington, it would mean at least six weeks away from home with England.

"I must consider my family's needs as well as my own and therefore believe now is the right time to stand down.

"I will continue to support the national team in any way I can and wish my successor the very best of luck."

Late Saturday night Smith had said he would assess his options before deciding whether to re-apply for the position, but it seems his mind was already made up before the 30-point loss.

Smith claimed he was leaving the national side in a healthy position, after a disastrous World Cup in Australia last year.

"They're building a belief that they can (beat Australia)," Smith said.

"I think the Kiwis went through it not so long ago where they found a belief that they could beat the Australians.

"It's not far off for us - we're not there yet but it's not far off."

Smith admitted the final scoreline didn't do his men any justice with the game in the balance until Billy Slater's flick back for Cameron Smith to score to give the Australians a 28-16 lead to begin a try-scoring frenzy late in the game.

"It probably reflects some of the special individuals that Australia have," Smith said.

"They have got the ability to come up with a couple of special tries and they did that at the end and it blew the scoreline out.

"For 60 minutes of that game it looked like it could have gone either way.

"In that respect it's probably an advancement for us from what we've done in the past against Australia.

"Better, but not good enough."

Spare a few tears for those embattled England devotees (By Steve Deane, NZ Herald 16 November 2009)

Poor old Eddie Hemmings, the long-suffering English league commentator. Yesterday's Four Nations final defeat by Australia was almost more than he could take.

As the Kangaroos finally subdued the brave but overmatched English to extend Britain's barren streak to 37 years, you sensed Hemmings was close to unplugging his mike, kicking over his chair and heading off in search of a nice quiet corner in which to have a nervous breakdown.

Former GB and Wigan winger 's cheerful suggestion that there was little to be done in the last 15 minutes other that sit back and "enjoy" the Kangaroos' brilliance was just too much for Hemmings.

"I'm just sick of it," said Hemmings as he endured a serious Groundhog Day/2-year-old's tantrum moment.

"This happens year after year and I'm sick of it," he blubbed.

Although understandable, Hemmings' tanty lacked a bit of perspective. Australia's pre-eminence is not what it once was.

This year was essentially a development year for both the English and the Kiwis, and both did some serious developing.

Exciting young English and Kiwi players came of age in the Four Nations, while many of the Australians simply aged.

One of the all-time greats, , is either nearing the end or has already reached it. The same is probably true of old stagers and , who held together a decidedly average pack.

Australia's brilliant outside back division and appalling overabundance of superstar fullbacks remains a source of great strength, but elsewhere there are growing pains to come.

By blooding promising young halfbacks Kyle Eastmond and Sam Tomkins, England have taken a major step forward. And in Souths-bound forward Sam Burgess - who was likely to have pipped Greg Inglis for player of the tournament had England won yesterday - they have a world-class pack leader who should be around for the next decade.

So chin up, Eddie. It's not all that bad.

As for the Kiwis, many of the same positives apply. It is hard, though, not to think the game in this country missed a trick or two following last year's World Cup victory and a so-far encouraging NZRL restructure after the Sparc review.

It is a shame, although perhaps an unavoidable one, that the Kiwis played just once on home soil in a year when their world champion status should have been a highly marketable commodity.

Kangaroos win Four Nations after try deluge (By Steve Kilgallon www.stuff.co.nz 15 November 2009)

Australia restored themselves to the pinnacle of world rugby league with a 46-16 result that was entirely predictable, but yet was in doubt for 54 minutes of this Four Nations final.

England went into a 16-14 lead shortly after halftime when lock Sam Burgess scored his second try, but Billy Slater then shoved his way over from dummy-half to launch a deluge of six Australian tries in the last 26 minutes - three of which fell to the Kangaroo fullback.

"We were in with a shot of winning it with 20 minutes to go, but they pulled away in the end there - they were a bit clinical, weren't they?'' said England captain . "Australia are always going to kill you when you give them that much ball and they took their chances.''

The final quarter from the Australians was as good as you would see, three of their tries scored from precision kicks and the rest from subtle inter-passing led by halfbacks Johnathon Thurston and Darren Lockyer, thought likely to announce his retirement from test football after this game.

Four years ago, the Kiwis were at this same atmospheric football stadium and beat the Australians 24-0 in the Tri-Nations final, a night which marked the end of automatic Kangaroo victory in any big international occasion.

But the Australians looked just as good as the Kiwis did in winning last year's world cup and will hold their no1 ranking after this performance.

A near-capacity 31,042 crowd were enthused by England's energetic approach to the opening spell, and while Australia had the real first opportunity - wing denied a try by the video referee and opposite 's crash tackle - it was the home side who led first. Sam Burgess strode clear through the middle of the Kangaroo defence, rather audaciously dummied Billy Slater and scored.

It was too ambitious when he tried the same move again shortly after, ignoring the unmarked Sam Tomkins as the line opened, and when James Graham threw an intercept pass to Johnathon Thurston it became a 12-point error, with Morris scoring one play later at the other end.

England led again when the impressive halfback Kyle Eastmond kicked high for wing Peter Fox in the corner, but it was Australia who had a halftime lead when video referee Phil Bentham watched multiple replays before ruling Greg Inglis had touched down 's kick through and Thurston's penalty nine minutes before halftime gave the Kangaroos a 14-10 advantage.

Burgess scored again quickly after halftime but England crumbled thereafter and the final scoreline showed how badly it all fell apart.

Australia coach Tim Sheens described the game as a "real slug'' in the first hour, before his best men clicked into gear. "That's when the class player like a Thurston, Lockyer, Slater or Inglis have something to come back at you with,'' he said.

NZRL boss predicts exciting future (By Steve Kilgallon, Sunday News 15 November 2009)

Buoyed by an on-budget Four Nations that means a handsome profit will return with him to New Zealand this week, NZRL chairman Scott Carter is promising a "veritable banquet" of test match league on these shores next season. The Kiwis will have four home tests – a rare deluge of international football – spread around the country next year. And the NZRL is also ready to create a national under-20 side and perhaps resurrect the national "A" team.

Carter is now just weeks from confirming a planned Kiwis v Kangaroos, England v PNG double-header at next November as part of the Four Nations hosted by Australia and New Zealand.

And the chairman is so confident league tests have become financially viable in New Zealand, he is considering trying to prise the May Anzac test away from Australia and play it here in 2011 – the first time since 1998.

"Our priority is regular international fixtures at home for the Kiwis," Carter told Sunday News this week. "2010 will be a veritable banquet of Kiwis tests for home fans."

New Zealand will play a warm-up against a Pacific Island nation, then three Four Nations tests against England, Australia and PNG at home.

They will play at least one home test in 2011 against an island side and possibly host the Anzac test.

For the first time, the NZRL is asking for tenders from stadiums to host the games and Carter says demand has been high, particularly from stadiums wanting to test themselves before the 2011 Rugby World Cup.

In another development, Carter says developing test football for the under-20 Toyota Cup grade is a "must- achieve" for New Zealand and he expects a New Zealand v Australia game next year and even an under-20 Tri Nations.

The NZRL now appears headed for a positive balance sheet in January, with Carter saying this year's Four Nations would hit budget.

"It's fair to say England, Australia and New Zealand took a conservative view: we didn't want a repeat of 2007," he said, referring to the Kiwis' disastrous trip to England two years ago. "All three nations wanted to see a stable tournament – we literally couldn't afford to lose money."

Carter said the four-team format had worked and would be retained.

"The consensus is that France has stepped up: that was always the worry. But we are really pleased with how France shaped up, especially considering the challenges of injury, suspension and swine flu."

Stokes coaching 'universal language' of league (By Steve Kilgallon www.stuff.co.nz 14 November 2009)

Ged Stokes doesn't yet know the Serbian for 'sliding defence', but as he says: ''The language of rugby league is pretty universal''. Two years ago, the former New Zealand 'A' coach was almost penniless, fighting a unlawful dismissal case against former club Workington Town and living on handouts.

Now he has tales to tell of trips to Beirut, Belgrade and Moscow with Serbia, the world's 16th-ranked rugby league nation (and a much better day job with Town's west Cumbrian rivals Whitehaven).

Stokes, who played 11 times for the Kiwis before a coaching career with both Canterbury and Wellington, endured a year of enforced unemployment, having been advised by his lawyer that he couldn't work while he pursued his claim - settled for stg14,000 - against Workington.

His only involvement in league was coaching the local amateur side in his home village, Cockermouth, until he fielded a surprise phone call from European development officer Kevin Rudd, who eventually asked him to travel to Serbia and prepare the national side to play Lebanon in Beirut a fortnight later.

''It sounded pretty exciting to me - I'd never been to Serbia, I'd never been to Lebanon, I'd definitely not been to Beirut,'' says Stokes. ''The first thing that comes into your mind isn't rugby league, it's that they were both pretty major warzones in their time.'' When he arrived, he was ''happily surprised'' by the history, culture and beauty of the Serbian capital Belgrade and the hospitality of the locals. Most had some English, although when he was invited to a board meeting, it was conducted in Serbian. Stokes admits he had no idea what was going on, but he was kept well lubricated by the local liquor, rakia.

''Like Russians are to vodka, the Serbs are to rakia, and over three hours, they made sure my glass was never empty and being a good guest, I kept drinking. And quite a lot of rakia later - which I must stress didn't influence my decision one bit - they asked me to consider becoming their head coach.''

Stokes also found Beirut a ''beautiful place'', although he recalls seeing soldiers every 50 metres and sub- machine towers every kilometre. ''When we played, we could hear rifle shots and machine guns going off, and people were saying it was Hezbollah training up in the hills,'' he says.

League died in the old Yugoslavia in 1969, but in the seven years since it was reborn, the Serbs have established 13 senior teams in two divisions, six student teams and under-16 and under-18 championships. Stokes has already signed their best player, prop Soni Radovanic for Whitehaven.

But unlike other developing European nations, who can prop up their national side with second and third- generation Brits and Aussies, Serbia rely almost entirely on domestic players, and have as a result suffered some horrible canings.

In this month's European Cup _ a second-tier event run alongside the Four Nations _ they were unsurprisingly thumped by Wales and Scotland, results Stokes expected. But when it came to the relegation match against the novice Italians, they were excited. Until the Italians flew in ten Aussie ringers, including one from the Parramatta under-20 side. The Serbs lost, and Stokes admits his big task now is raising their spirits.

But he will. He loves it. Teaching these enthusiastic amateurs reminds him why he got into coaching. And after the Workington experience he needed reminding. Convinced he was at a dead-end in New Zealand, Stokes emigrated to Britain in 2003 to join Workington, revived a flagging club, but was sacked in 2007 after being accused of harassing an away fan.

''People put their hands in their pockets for us, we had absolutely no income whatsoever, and we still had the same expenses,'' he says now of the tough times that followed. ''It was a fantastic time in terms of people really helping us and you do find out who your friends are.''

Stokes stayed in Cumbria only because his teenage son Ben's nascent cricket career. Ben has just signed his first senior contract with Durham, has qualified for a British passport and is likely to be in the England team for next year's under-19 world cup in New Zealand.

''I probably had all the reason to come home after being sacked by Workington ... but as you do for your kids, we decided we couldn't be selfish,'' says Stokes, who sees most of his son's games, but missed his first-class debut where his first wicket was that of former England batsman Mark Ramprakash.

Fortunately, the job at Whitehaven came along at just the right time. The club were a day away from going into administration when he arrived, his first task was to sell three players to pay the wage bill, but after two years of rebuilding, he's about to sign a new two-year contract.

And he's making a similar commitment to Serbia.

''Next year we play Russia and Germany. I've seen a lot of places you ordinarily wouldn't. In rugby league, you used to travel to England, France, Australia and Papua New Guinea. I've done all that, so it's nice to be able to go to all these other places.

''It's been an interesting career.

''Don't get me wrong, it's not all a bed of roses,'' he says. ''But it is a nice way to earn your money.''

Kick-boxing ref tough enough for final (By Steve Kilgallon www.stuff.co.nz 13 November 2009)

Leon Williamson used to strike his own legs with a two-litre Coke bottle filled with steel pins to strengthen his shin bones for the rigours of kickboxing.

So the Harley-riding 40-year-old Auckland plumber is certainly tough enough to shrug off the claims of Australian coach Tim Sheens that he ''jagged'' the appointment to referee Saturday's Four Nations final between England and Australia.

Sheen is probably stunned that a Kiwi will hold the whistle: this is a rare appointment for a New Zealander, especially when none are full-time officials.

Williamson, who has owned his own plumbing company for five years, was only appointed after two days of intense political manoeuvrings between league's three biggest nations.

England, Australia and New Zealand all nominated their own referees for the game and it seems likely Williamson won through because England didn't want Australia's Shayne Hayne, the Kangaroos didn't want local Steve Ganson, and both accepted Williamson as second choice. It also helped that key NZRL officials stayed staunch behind their man.

Age and geography explain why he doesn't referee in either the English or the NRL - but as he's as experienced as you can get outside the two major competitions.

After 15 seasons of refereeing, Williamson has had two exchange trips to England, several to Australia, and this will be his 17th test appointment - he has been a frequent visitor to the island nations, including a trip to Samoa last year where a player laid out his in-goal judge after disagreeing with a decision to award a try.

Among a handful of Kiwis allowed to officiate in Australian professional league, Williamson referees in the NRL reserve grade - the NSW Cup - or in Auckland's local Fox Premiership, where whistlers earn $60 a game.

Before he took up refereeing in 1996, Williamson spent two years training full-time as a Thai kickboxer at the famous Lee Gar gym in Balmoral, Auckland, under the legendary trainer Lolo Heimuli - now the coach of heavyweight boxer Shane Cameron - and alongside world-class kickboxers Jason 'Psycho' Suttie and Ray Sefo.

He was, at one stage, ranked 19th in the world in the 61kg super-lightweight division.

He quit kickboxing to take up league refereeing, having been spotted refereeing touch, where he refereed at the 1997 world cup.

With a confident, no-nonsense style, he won't be perturbed by the wranglings that preceded his appointment - although tournament officials have attempted to shield him from it, instructing him not to talk to media before the game.

While he won backing from tournament referees director England's Stuart Cummings, Cummings says the appointment process must now be reviewed and called for a worldwide refereeing boss: a similar role to that held by rugby's Paddy O'Brien.

Cummings said he'd swopped emails with his predecessor, Greg McCallum, who said his record for such delayed appointments was 1pm on a Thursday. ''Clearly, we've not moved on, and not learned anything. That's pretty sad.

''I'm not convinced we're doing it correctly at the moment. It's time we looked at it.''

He was equivocal about suggestions it was wrong to appoint a referee from outside the two big competitions, and said: ''It's going to be a big game for him. But it's a massive opportunity.''

Like countless Kangaroo coaches before him, Sheens kicked off the mindgames by declaring it illogical that the ''biggest game in the tournament is refereed by the most inexperienced referee''. ''I only say this hypothetically, but if it's an ordinary game, and the referee has a major bungle, then there's going to be an issue, isn't there? Let's hope he has a good game, and that the game is sorted out by the two teams.

''In saying that, I hope he has a good game, obviously. We don't want to be talking about the referee after the game, we want to be talking about the best team winning the game. Now it's done it's done. We've got to get on with our own preparation.''

Such chatter will not ruffle the kickboxing Kiwi plumber.

Sheens slams international politics (AAP NZ Herald 10 November 2009)

Kangaroos coach Tim Sheens has hit out at the international rugby league politics which could prevent Australian referee Shayne Hayne being appointed to control Sunday's Four Nations final against England at Elland Road.

Despite being a front-runner for the international referee of the year award - to be presented RLIF dinner in Leeds today - Hayne has been largely snubbed so far this tournament with his only game in charge being New Zealand's massive win over France in Toulouse ten days ago.

Sheens claimed Hayne's nationality should not be a factor in deciding the official for the tournament final, just as it wasn't when English referee Steve Ganson was handed the Australia-England preliminary game in Wigan.

"There's obviously some politics being involved here, and in my opinion a lot of it's designed about a much slower game which suits sides when you start to talk about playing Australia," Sheens said.

"The decision about who's going to referee has got nothing to do with me - there's not much we can do about it really.

“There's a panel and obviously the Australians are going to want the best referee, that's all.”

"If the best referee happens to be the international referee of the year and he's an Australian, well so be it. We just want the best referee.

"It would be disappointing for Shayne and disappointing for the tournament if technically what I would argue is the best refereeing system in rugby league and the referee nominated by us who has been nominated for the referee of the year can't get a game, then something's wrong.

"It's politics, there's no doubt."

All four countries competing in the tournament nominated referees to officiate in games, though it was assumed the two best credentialed figures - Hayne and Ganson - would be handed the marquee matches.

Ganson was awarded the earlier match between Australia and England - which the Kangaroos won 26-16 - due to the fact Australian officials were concerned the two neutral refereeing options, Kiwi Leon Williamson and Frenchman Thierry Alibert, were not up to the task.

Alibert was then surprisingly handed the England-New Zealand game last Sunday ahead of Hayne, a match which was a virtual semifinal.

Despite questioning several of Alibert's decisions and interpretations, the Kiwis refused to blame the referee for the 20-12 loss, but it is assumed his inconsistent display cost him any chance of securing a final berth.

Australian hooker Cameron Smith did his best to sidestep the referee issue, saying it was up to the tournament favourites to adapt to whatever conditions and interpretations they were presented with.

"The refereeing situation is out of our control as players," Smith said. "If it's Ganson or if it's Shayne Hayne or whoever it is, we've got to adapt to whoever it is and the style of refereeing they have.

"We've had two games with Ganson now so I think we've got to learn what we cane get away with and what we can't."

Captain Benji predicting victory in 2010 (By Steve Kilgallon www.stuff.co.nz 13 November 2009)

Kiwi skipper Benji Marshall is already confidently predicting the Kiwis can win next year's Four Nations, saying this year's tournament was neither a setback nor a failure for the world champions.

And New Zealand coach Stephen Kearney's first act after last week's defeat by England was to gather his six test rookies and warn them he expects them to come back in the 2010 NRL season better than ever.

With such a youthful team, both believe New Zealand will only learn from their disappointments in 2009.

''We can, mate, we absolutely can,'' said Marshall when asked if New Zealand would win next year's tournament. ''If the first game against Australia is anything to go by, the passion and the way we played and considering the inexperience we had - we will be better for it. There are names there [missing] that would make any first grade team and walk into the Kiwi starting side and we're in a position now where people are fighting for positions.

''I don't think this is a setback at all. It is disappointing we lost, but does that mean the tour is a failure? No.

''If we had all the boys who were injured, playing, we wouldn't have seen [debutants] Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, and come in and get a game and perform the way they did ... now we've given them a start and we know how good they are.

''We've brought along 12 to 14 players who are under 22 in a squad of 24, and that's a pretty big ask for a group of young guys, but our future is looking tremendous.

''It is hard to be upbeat after losing, but it is a learning curve and if anything, we will be better for it.''

A reflective Kearney said he would ''mull over'' the reasons why New zealand didn't reach the final, but said the biggest positive was the rapid development of his new recruits.

But he hinted that the England game had perhaps been a match too far for some of the younger rookies, saying: ''I thought that probably showed towards the back end: you look at their side and when it really mattered [Jamie] Peacock, [Adrian] Morley, [Gareth] Ellis and [Kevin] Sinfield really stepped up to the plate and that's something we will take into account.''

After the game, Kearney called the debutants up to his hotel room for a debrief, and told them: ''I can tell, through actions, whether you have worked hard or not during the pre-season and I can tell whether you think you have made it, and don't have to work as hard.''

Moimoi gets breakthrough despite Kiwis' failure (By Steve Kilgallon www.stuff.co.nz 12 November 2009)

Fuifui Moimoi was this week named the rugby league world's best frontrower - then declared that he can still get better.

Finally getting used to the attention, the once-shy prop fronted at a formal awards dinner to collect his title after proving himself as an international player during an otherwise-disappointing Four Nations tour.

Moimoi endured an awful 2007 tour to England and was dropped from the Kiwis' successful World Cup team. But the transformation of the 30-year-old prop is now complete after skipper Benji Marshall declared him one of the Kiwis' hardest trainers: not bad for a bloke who once told South coach Paul Langmack that if he only played for ten minutes, he only trained for ten.

''He's playing way more game-time than he ever has _ when the coaches took him off on the weekend [against England] he was saying he wanted to stay on,'' says Marshall. ''I think it is a fit Fui, for a change. I think in the past, he has struggled a bit fitness-wise. But when a player with the speed he has in his legs is at peak fitness, he's hard to stop.''

Moimoi may be the oldest in this tour party, but he's still relatively inexperienced at the top level, having debuted for the Eels in 2003.

''You learn from different coaches and I think this is the first time he has been involved with Steve [Kearney], so he will have learned a lot,'' says Marshall.

''He was awesome on this tour. He doesn't say the most, that's just Fui, and what he does say, he says through his actions on the field and at training. But at training, he leads in his position all the time.''

Kearney too said Moimoi was a changed man.

''From 2007,to what he has contributed on this trip, has been a fabulous development for him,'' he said.

The big man himself, whose plans for the next six weeks are to visit his children in Auckland and take his mum home to for Christmas, was typically reticent, but offered: ''I've worked pretty hard so hopefully I get another chance next year. I feel I will play better [after this experience].

''But there are a few young players such as Frank Paul Nuuausala that stepped up _ he was really good _ so I am lucky if I make the squad again. I've just enjoyed my time.''

It was a quiet night for big Fui: the New Zealand delegation slipped away during the desert course, and missed the controversy of the evening, an after-dinner incident involving the France coach Bobbie Goulding which is now under investigation by the Rugby League International Federation.

Goulding, who appeared heavily intoxicated, abused several senior officials and journalists in the bar after the formal dinner at a city casino, and had to be restrained by the French captain, Olivier Elima, and Goulding's own 'minder' after lunging unprovoked at an Australian journalist.

Goulding was also seen loudly abusing and roughhousing senior officials and journalists.

Several senior British RFL employees witnessed the scenes, and last night (UK time) an RFL spokesman confirmed an investigation had begun into Goulding's behaviour.

The former Great Britain halfback was a controversial choice to succeed John Monie after last year's world cup, and has a three-year contract to coach the Chanticleers.

He had a chequered disciplinary record in his long playing career, including an incident where police became involved at an Auckland fast food restaurant on the 1993 Lions tour.

Kearney has NZRL backing (By Steve Kilgallon www.stuff.co.nz 11 November 2009)

New Zealand league boss Scott Carter has staunchly backed Kiwi coach Stephen Kearney despite his side's early exit from the Four Nations – and revealed that not making the tournament final means the NZRL will make more money.

NZRL chairman Carter agreed to an extended deal with Kearney to 2013 before the tournament began, and, despite the Kiwis missing their agreed performance goal of an appearance in the final after losing 20-12 to England last Saturday, he said Kearney had now proved himself as a coach. "He's got our full confidence: I think the Kiwis-Australia test dispelled any doubt that some people might have had that the World Cup success was somehow totally down to Wayne Bennett. Stephen has shown he can deliver very well indeed."

Carter said that the prospect of an England-Australia final in Leeds on Saturday would actually benefit the still cash-strapped NZRL. An agreement that promoted the Kiwis to tournament "partners" alongside the British and Australians, instead of mere participants, means they receive an equal cut of profits.

So, with the home side reaching the final, the likely increase in ticket sales and merchandise will earn the NZRL more money than the relatively small prizemoney available for first and second place.

Two-referee system vital, says Tamati (By GLENN McLEAN, Taranaki Daily News 10 November 2009)

International rugby league needs to move quickly to introduce two referees to test matches, according to the convenor of the national selectors, Howie Tamati.

International rugby league needs to move quickly to introduce two referees to test matches, according to the convenor of the national selectors, Howie Tamati.

Tamati was disappointed at the number of infringements missed by the officials during the Kiwis' 20-12 loss to England on Sunday, a defeat that ended the side's chance of playing Australia in the final of the Four Nations tournament this weekend.

"This competition has shown just how good the two referee system is in the NRL, in terms of the game and the speed it is played," he said. "With one referee, there are so many things going on, that it is glaringly obvious the international game has to change."

Despite the team missing out on the final, Tamati said there were still a number of positives coach Stephen Kearney could take from the tour.

While disappointed the side could not maintain the form it showed in its draw against Australia, Tamati was pleased with the maturity shown by new captain Benji Marshall.

"I think he is handling the captaincy role well, although there is still a long way to go with Benji," he said. "He's an amazing player but maybe, with the captaincy, he's thinking he has to do everything (himself) to win the game."

Although the world champion Kiwis finished third in the month-long tournament, Tamati said it was important to remember Kearney had to deal with a large number of players pulling out with injury before the tour. They included South Sydney prop , winger Taniela Tuiaki and , Sam Rapira, and .

"From the perspective that we were able to introduce players into the test arena, it all bodes well for the future," Tamati said. "It does create depth within the squad and no one can sit back and expect to be in the side. That's the beauty of the Australian side, they never know if they are going to be in the side."

Looking ahead, Tamati said the selectors were mindful of having consistency in their squads as the Kiwis approach the 2013 World Cup in the United Kingdom. "We all agree that we also need to progress youth into the side because of the enthusiasm and great attitude they bring into the team. It's just trying to get the mix right, so that as we go forward to the World Cup, we are building up a squad that have all experienced test football and all understand the culture that Stephen (Kearney) is trying to build."

Early Kiwis exit boosts NZRL coffers (NZPA www.stuff.co.nz 10 November 2009)

New Zealand Rugby League (NZRL) is set benefit financially from losing to England and missing out on this weekends' Four Nations final.

NZRL financial controller Alex Hayton told NZPA that while the Kiwis would walk away with just £25,000 ($NZ57,696) in prizemoney -- compared with £100,000 that goes to the winners -- an England-Australia decider would mean a bonanza for the three tournament partners.

The Kiwis will also save travel and accommodation costs by heading home today instead of next week.

"In the end, the prizemoney is a very small component of the overall financial picture," Hayton said in Leeds.

"Australia, New Zealand and England are the tournament partners with France invited to take part and given an appearance fee.

"The partners split the overall profits. England qualifying for the final makes it more likely that there is a full house, whereas Australia-New Zealand would have been a harder sell.

"So from that point of view, the financial return will probably be healthier because England are in the final."

It is expected this weekend's gate will more than compensate the NZRL, which suffered a poor financial return the last time the Kiwis visited Europe in 2007.

Meanwhile, Kiwis Benji Marshall and Fuifui Moimoi have won positional awards from the Rugby League International Federation.

Despite spending much of the year at halfback with the Wests Tigers, Marshall was named stand-off of 2009 and Moimoi the year's best prop.

Australian Jarryd Hayne was named International Player of the Year but was not among the nominees for the rival and more established Golden Boot award.

Moimoi was shortlisted for that award, as was , Greg Inglis, , Billy Slater and Cameron Smith.