Given that NSW and Queensland were the biggest obstacles to belated changes to international eligibility rules announced this week, it's surprising to hear Blues coach Laurie Daley speak such sense on the issue.

The states worked hard behind the scenes to prevent Origin players being cleared to represent other nations without changing their country of election, fearing in a Pauline Hanson-like way that the interstate series would be "over-run by Islanders".

That's despite the fact you can't play Origin unless you lived in NSW or Queensland before the age of 13 and there are no players we know of who currently chose a Pacific nation over Origin anyway.

However, speaking on NRL 360, Daley on Wednesday night hit the nail on the head. The current changes, while welcome, are a cheap alternative to what the NRL really needs to do if it is serious about international rugby league.