And, chances are, they wouldn't want to play for Australia in that case - which helps the international game. If Origin is the first senior football after the age of 16 and that's it, it's more fair dinkum. But if someone qualifies under that stringent criteria and still qualifies under the (different) international rules for another country, let 'em play! I want to clarify what I was saying last week - I am not proposing Sam Burgess play Origin. What I am proposing is a situation under which Nathan Cayless could have played his entire career for NSW and New Zealand - because he qualified for both. He is a fair dinkum New South Welshman, having played his junior football in western Sydney, and a bonafide Kiwi under international rules, through parentage. So let him play for both! That's what's great about the internet and social media. A column like this is just the first big tweet and by throwing the conversation open and reading everything, answers present themselves.

I hope the ARLC is reading. The team that Facebook built Speaking of social media, I'm currently in Manila with the team that Facebook built - the Philippines Tamaraws. There was a Facebook page for the Philippines Rugby League before there was a Philippines Rugby League. People just got on board with the idea and it has turned into a fully kitted out team including NRL stars on tour in two countries. I'm going to shoot a hole in my own logic before someone else does. On one hand, I say you need to maximise the number of people who see and play rugby league as a prime directive.

On the other hand, I am defending a game last Sunday in Bangkok that attracted 150 people, as a worthwhile exercise. Having mounted a damning argument against myself, I am now about to launch a spirited defence, also of myself. Yes, the game itself on Sunday may not have had the impact we hoped for on possible spectators. And if the team representing Thailand had been made up of foreign-based players, any positive impact would have been negligible. But, as the score would suggest, the team consisted of local rugby union players who can be relied on to spread the word. Next year there is talk of a nines tournament and tri-series against the Philippines and Japan. From the Thai point of view, whether the game was "a waste of time" (that came from Facebook too), will come down to whether those things happen.

The Philippines is a different kettle of (sour, in a thick sauce) fish. The main impact of their tour was this week, in Manila, where they met a general, sponsors, shoppers and - yesterday - orphans. The visit to the orphanage affected everyone profoundly. It was hard not to smile among all the kids and it was hard not to ruminate deeply afterwards - particularly for the members of the squad whose parents left the Philippines to give them a better life. Elsewhere, I have commented that those trying to spread our game internationally are good at the nuts and bolts but need help with the spit and polish. But by calling the team the Tamaraws, after the Philippine buffalo, the PNFL have a pretty potent and sophisticated marketing tool. In local parlance, "rugby" means sniffing glue and "league" means trade unions, but Filipino kids love holding their fingers up near their heads and pretending to be buffaloes. I defy anyone to look at the photos of the orphanage visit and dismiss all this as "a waste of time".

Let's go to the comments ... Feedback now, and international eligibility continues to fascinate and enrage. Greg A of Brisbane wants New Zealand added to Origin. It's been tried - in 1997. It was not considered a success. Origin is the goose that laid the golden egg. It won't be tampered with to that extent again. Gareth is right, it is heresy to suggest Origin be expanded. See above for my clarification of what I said last week. Realist, the Pacific Allstars are a homeless team. Their combined territories can't pay for TV rights, provide few sponsors and would not economically support an Origin team through ticket sales either.

Stayso makes a very good point about Queensland righting historical wrongs with their selections, but where does that leave Uate and Tamou? You can't legislate revenge. Patricki, TV for Thailand-Philippines? The video crew only showed up 10 minutes before kick-off and the crowd was 150! Stephen, Channels Nine up to 249 are not interested in international football. That's because it gets no coverage and most people don't know it's on. Changing attitudes will take decades not years. The challenge for those of us who believe in it is to make it a part of our daily discourse the way fans of other sports talk about international competition. If we carry on like fanatical missionaries or raving apologists, we'll be easily dismissed. But if we give it exactly the importance it deserves, according to our world view and not those of others who artificially subjugate it, we can gradually change attitudes. We've got it right, everyone else just needs a little bit of educating to bring them up to speed!

For now, you couldn't pay TV to show Vanuatu v Greece - and let's not forget Australian crews have started doing commentary of Warriors games off the screen, let alone going to Bangkok! Deano, posting on my website, said "who are these foreigners"? Hopefully I've explained that above. Here's the forum link or login and comment below.