What's new
The Front Row Forums

Register a free account today to become a member of the world's largest Rugby League discussion forum! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

PNG Digicel Cups expands in 2019

yakstorm

First Grade
Messages
5,293
Do we ever get crowd figures from this comp? Or estimates?

It's not something that is published and honestly I don't think theydt be anything to write home about.

The games at the National Football Stadium in Port Moresby are sparsely attended, and it seems most of the city's fans save their money for Hunters matches.

Outside of the capital there are plenty of capacity matches, but some of those other venues only have official capacities of 3K-5K.
 

mikail-eagle

Bench
Messages
2,751
The crowd numbers in Port Moresby depend very much on which teams are coming into play.

Even-though the Vipers represent the City and the Port Moresby Rugby Football League, most city residents will first and foremost support the Team that is flying in from their home Provinces.

Teams like the Rabaul Gurias, Goroka Lahanis and the Mt Hagen Eagles attract more fans when they come to play in Port Moresby. Last weekend there was a double header in Port Moresby involving the Gurias and the Mioks who had flown in to play against the City based Vipers and Isou respectively. I can't remember the crowd now but it was just below 4000.

Back in the Provinces the numbers will vary. The Gurias get between 5K-7K every home game in Kokopo and the same for Lae Tigers at their home ground in Lae.

The Highlands Provinces probably 3K-5K and this depends on capacity and also the visiting Team.
 

mikail-eagle

Bench
Messages
2,751
I think the NSW and QLD Cup are probably just a bit higher in standard but the Digicel Cup is slowly catching up. There is now a lot more coaching work being done by the NRL directly towards the local Digicel Cup coaches, match referees and other administrators.

The competition here though is not for the faint-hearted. Some games are still so brutal with alot of niggle and rough play. You have to be very physically fit to play and be ready to cop it from time to time but it is slowly getting cleaned up now that they video match reviews.
 

adamkungl

Immortal
Messages
42,955
There's some real quality in those highlights

I think we're really not far off PNG sticking it to the big 3.
Numbers, passion, talent, and growing professional opportunities. The gap is closing
 

sportas

Juniors
Messages
306
There is no NZ Cup anywhere near NSW or QLD quality, and probably not even French or PNG quality.
NZRL is struggling outside of Auckland, Wellington rugby league only has 8 teams in the prem grade and and only 3 of the 8 clubs can field a second. My old club Randwick couldn't even field enough players for last weeks games and that was for the prem grade.
 

T-Boon

Coach
Messages
15,146
Maybe the winner of the PNG league should play the winner of the NZ league as a preliminary to the NRL GF as sort of a Pacific champions thing.
 

Dakink

Bench
Messages
3,135
Matbe a silly question...How would the hunters go if they played in the Digicell?
 

deluded pom?

Coach
Messages
10,897
I see from those highlights that the PNG players have this awful habit of playing the ball properly with their foot. It’ll never catch on.
 

mikail-eagle

Bench
Messages
2,751
Man of Match from last Sundays Vipers vs Gurias match.
MOM is K1000 probably about AUD$300


56365827_426111607960550_7859982561919893504_n.jpg
 
Top