The noise around international allegiance and heritage has arguably never been as loud in rugby league as it has been in 2025, with NRL and NRLW stars copping a mountain of criticism from both the media and fans around whether players should be allowed to represent multiple nations throughout their career.
In a league that has seen immense multicultural growth in recent years, the Australian media has been somewhat hypocritical in the way it chooses to address each player's cultural diversity, sparking plenty of frustration from both former and current stars of the game.
Players like Payne Haas and Sienna Lofipo have been slammed by the media and fans alike for "rejecting" their respective Australia squads, opting to represent their heritage instead.
St George Illawarra Dragons great and current Fetu Samoa coach Jamie Soward is one of those who are fed up, seeing first-hand the impact these headlines and criticisms have on the game's biggest stars.
Speaking with Zero Tackle, the former premiership-winner spoke on how disappointed he is with the current consensus around international eligibility, calling for a shift in mindset with the hopes of expanding rugby league even further.
"In an age where mental health is such a crucial thing, not only in sport but in life, jumping online to judge people on their decisions based [on] information that we don't know [is not right]," Soward said.
He spoke about the difficult decision that players face when deciding who to pledge allegiance to on the international stage, noting that fans and critics don't see the struggle that occurs behind the scenes.
"There are a lot of people struggling with a lot of things at the moment, and it's a terrifying choice for young females and especially males to pledge allegiance to [just one side] of their family when they've got dual heritage," he said.
"I'm sick of people jumping online who don't have access to the information, or they just throw their thoughts out there [with no regard for the player's well-being].
Soward, who will lead the women's Samoan team in this year's Pacific Championships, admitted the recent backlash on Gold Coast Titans star Sienna Lofipo's decision to remain with Samoa over joining the Jillaroos has been uncalled for.
"My job as a coach is to protect the players and put the players first," Soward said of his role.
"When I saw [the backlash against Lofipo], I was actually quite embarrassed at some of the stuff that was being said online.
"It's really hard to listen to people who have no idea about what's gone into that decision [to represent a certain country], the stuff behind the scenes, why that person has made the decision, what part of their family that they're going to represent."
He pointed out the lack of support coming from the rugby league community towards Pacific Nations, despite the NRL's hopes of growing the game.
"Instead of building up Pacific Nations," Soward said, "we tend to want to run them down."
Lofipo, who has starred for Fetu Samoa in four Tests since 2023 but was also selected for Australia, opted to remain under Soward after the coach implored her to follow her heart; a decision the Titans lock caught flak for online.
"I said to Sienna, 'Congratulations... we really want you to play for Samoa, [but] I understand the dilemma you must be in, but at the end of the day, it has to be a choice [made by] you," Soward said of his conversation with Lofipo.
"The terrifying choice comes from being available."
He argued that the rules and regulations around international eligibility heavily favour Australia, further highlighting the difficulty that comes with committing to a second-tier nation.
"Australia gets to pick anyone, but [players who wish to represent their heritage] need to put [their] eligibility in for a background check," he said.
"Australia doesn't do that."
When asked why fans and media personalities feel the need to criticise players for their international decision, he responded with his own question: "Do they love rugby league?"
"[Do they understand] the change within the Pacific Nations and the pride that comes with representing your country, or do they just want everyone to play for Australia?" Soward asked.
"If you go and read some of the things [people have said] online, it was just plain out racist.
"I just [think], 'if that was my daughter, how would I react?'"
Referencing comments made online earlier in the week, slamming Lofipo for her decision to play for Samoa, Soward admitted his job was to "protect the players" and speak out.
"I know culturally what Sienna and what [the Samoan] girls have been through over the last two years and what we've built behind the scenes, and wasn't going to have anyone trash it by saying 'She's lived in Australia, she should play for Australia,'" he said.
"If everyone has to play for Australia because they've lived here and they've played here, then Australia would play Australia every year."
He went on to note the double standard that has infected the international rugby league stage, with some of the league's greatest coaches getting a pass despite coaching different countries.
"I'm not Samoan, should I not be able to coach Samoa?" he asked.
"Michael Maguire wasn't [from] New Zealand, was he not allowed to coach the Kiwis?
"Wayne Bennett coached New Zealand to a World Cup in '08, as part of the coaching staff, in the prime of his coaching career... no one said a thing."
When asked if the sheer level of hate and criticism towards players has been consistent since he was a player or if this is a recent trend, he admitted, "It's social media."
"You can go online and [say whatever you want], whether it's true or not doesn't matter," he said of the current media landscape.
"No one knows the information or stories that go behind selection... what we've built [over the last two years].
"It's all hearsay.
"You can say anything, anytime, anywhere, with no consequence."
Soward revealed that his passion for players representing their countries stems from "understanding the pride" that comes with it, admitting he "never got to do that."
His love and respect for the stars of the game, especially those who choose to represent their family's heritage, is unwavering, and the former NRL star has encouraged fans and media to take a similar stance, with the hope of expanding rugby league into a global powerhouse.
I don’t HATE anyone, for choosing to play for one national side rather than another.
Having said that, I believe that players should be allowed to change allegiance only once.
i recon they should just stay in the same nation to keep it fair cause some day were gonna be like im choosing england because my family left it in 1201 like i am sick of it payne haas doing it is annoying they are gonna get booed for doing it anyway i get that he might not like kevin walters but still get over it