This year, it became known that the NRL would eliminate the tiered nation system for State of Origin eligibility.
Essentially, players are now free to represent any international team while still being eligible to play Origin, provided they meet the already established criteria.
While many supporters in Queensland and New South Wales embraced the notion of enhanced talent, there were those who quickly raised concerns about the ethics of national allegiance.
Indeed, some firmly contend that it is ethically wrong to play Origin while representing countries like England or New Zealand rather than Australia on the world stage.
Notably, several voices that championed this sense of national loyalty were not particularly invested in watching the Kangaroos achieve an Ashes clean sweep, yet quickly rallied to defend the integrity of allegiance when the regulations changed.
You might wonder why this topic is being revisited now.
The newly appointed head coach of England, Brian McDermott, has expressed his intention to leverage this change in anticipation of the World Cup, stating he will be "proactive" in recruiting Origin players.
"Blayke Brailey and Jayden Brailey's mother is English, and if they decide they want to represent their nation, it's their nation as much as it's the. It's not for anybody else to make a judgment on that," McDermott said.
"If the rules internationally suggest they can play, they can play legally."