PNG Discussion, when will they be ready?

[Perth Tiger]

I don't think the club would struggle to support itself at all. Sure the country is not a rich as Aus or NZ but running a RL club is not that expensive. If the NRL said that PNG are guaranteed a team they would come up with the funding (through gov, companies like mining or other means) fairly quickly. I actually think a PNG team would be a tremendous driver for PNG through health and safety messaging, aspirational goals for the general public, increase awareness and tourism etc.

However, at the moment the other issues mentioned, safety issues for players and fans, attracting players etc are too big a barrier at the moment and for the short to medium term. But if the NRL bothered with lng term playing they must have a goal of one day including a PNG team.

 

[Perth Tiger]

PNG adds nothing to the TV deal. Its never going to happen.

They only really need to add what the NRL grant is to each club to make it worthwhile.

But it is not happening anytime soon.

 

[betcats]

They only really need to add what the NRL grant is to each club to make it worthwhile.

But it is not happening anytime soon.

Yeah they have a lot of development to go before they are able to do that I think.

The majority of the PNG population live in rural farming villages in tribal and family groups. They aren't consumers, they live a subsistence lifestyle. Those who do live western lifestyles have very serious social problems.

 

[Perth Tiger]

Yeah they have a lot of development to go before they are able to do that I think.

The majority of the PNG population live in rural farming villages in tribal and family groups. They aren't consumers, they live a subsistence lifestyle. Those who do live western lifestyles have very serious social problems.

That is true but things do change, most of Asia was like that 50-60 years ago and look at the changes on that continent since.

 

[adamkungl]

Never
Cross-national comps are one thing, but those nations need to be on a similar financial and social playing field.
There are numerous hurdles and hoops to jump through which don't exist for other expansion options.
There's limited further benefit that isn't already achieved by the QLD Cup team and pushing for more test matches for the national team.

 

[titoelcolombiano]

I can't see it happening.
They simply would not be able to attract any top-line playing or coaching talent so they would have to develop absolutely everything themselves.
They would constantly be contending with a yearly exodus of players and staff who would jump at any offer to move to Australia or NZ for a better future outside of a 3rd World country.
Eventually the NRL clubs would start cutting out the middleman and cherry pick the best young talent before they even come close to grade.
The result would be a club perpetually at the foot of the ladder with little hope of ascending and, no matter how passionate the PNG faithful are, I can't see that sort of caper being sustainable.
Probably a better prospect is to continue strengthening the Digicel Cup and bring it up to near NSW/Qld Cup level, giving PNG-developed players, staff, coaches and referees more opportunities to be noticed and signed by NRL clubs.

For these reasons PNG Hunters playing out of the QLD Cup providing a pathway to the best Digicel Cup talent and an NRL shop window for PNG talent is the perfect setup for PNG.

The peak for PNGRL (which is not a bad thing) will be the Kumuls at the World Cup and the Oceania Cup. With the recently setup international calendar, the Kumuls will be playing a major tournament three out of every four years and with the aforementioned pathways will get stronger and stronger as time goes on.

 

[Perth Red]

Again it depends what the primary role of the NRL comp is. If it is to grow the game then you'd want to try and find a way. If its to grow central revenue PNG would not be looked at.

 

[T-Boon]

PNG adds nothing to the TV deal. Its never going to happen.

yuck but true

 

[T-Boon]

I think Penrith is more dangerous than Port Moresby

 

[MugaB]

I think Penrith is more dangerous than Port Moresby

This is true!!!

 

[flippikat]

View attachment 41997
This is true!!!

If this thread was a cricket game, that would be a textbook covers-drive.

Well played.

 

[The Great Dane]

the main benefit would be in attracting australian and nz players, especially in first few years If based in Oz and playing in png. I’m sue some marketing guru could come up with a name relevant to the north, TSI and png. Ten games in png and two in Darwin, three if parra continue to shift home game there. They could even connect with the far northern WA RL scene.

No matter what marketing spin you try to put on it the vast majority of people will see it for exactly what it is, and all the spin in the world doesn't change the fact that the club almost certainly wouldn't be commercially viable at all.

You also don't need a club to directly represent a market to draw juniors from that market, in other words the NRL could draw all the talent it wants out of PNG, the NT, and Northern WA right now if they had the will to do it.

Putting questions of if there is enough talent to support new teams aside for the moment, juniors really shouldn't come into the discussion about expansion of the professional league at all unless it's with the intention to grow juniors in a top down approach, which wouldn't be the case in PNG.

 

[jim_57]

Spitballing here, I think everyone knows PNG is pretty unlikely but here I go anyway. Regarding a potential team being based in Cairns and playing out of PNG would it be easier for them to be based in Brisbane instead? If they have to travel for every game anyway it would cut down on travel a lot being based somewhere central like Brisbane with direct flights to all areas with an NRL team. That would at least mean 2-3 games a year they wouldn't have to travel for.

They could build a dedicated 'NRL village/resort' in Port Moresby for when then NRL teams fly in for a safer environment.

On that note Sydney could even be easier logistically if they can get 7-8 'away' games against Sydney sides a year then travel to PNG for their home games, essentially the reverse of what other clubs do but a similar travel schedule overall to teams like Cowboys & Warriors.

 

[MugaB]

Spitballing here, I think everyone knows PNG is pretty unlikely but here I go anyway. Regarding a potential team being based in Cairns and playing out of PNG would it be easier for them to be based in Brisbane instead? If they have to travel for every game anyway it would cut down on travel a lot being based somewhere central like Brisbane with direct flights to all areas with an NRL team. That would at least mean 2-3 games a year they wouldn't have to travel for.

They could build a dedicated 'NRL village/resort' in Port Moresby for when then NRL teams fly in for a safer environment.

On that note Sydney could even be easier logistically if they can get 7-8 'away' games against Sydney sides a year then travel to PNG for their home games, essentially the reverse of what other clubs do but a similar travel schedule overall to teams like Cowboys & Warriors.

Then whats the point, just call them Central Coast Warriors or Hunters

 

[jim_57]

Then whats the point, just call them Central Coast Warriors or Hunters

They would still play their games in PNG. The point is if they went with a PNG team based in Australia for safety & lifestyle reasons being based in Brisbane would probably make more sense logistically than being based in Cairns.

Cairns eats in to Cowboys territory anyway.

 

[betcats]

I think some are underestimating the challenges of sending rugby league games to Port Moresby every second week. Infrastructure obviously would be a concern but also security would be a massive issue, Port Moresby is a dangerous place, armed guards for non locals is common. I honestly think the nrl would struggle to get the players to agree to go there regularly.

Also they are already RL mad over there, you aren’t really creating more fans by putting a team there. And what happens if we do get them in and they just can’t compete ever? Having them in QLD cup I think at this stage is the best thing. The issues preventing an nrl png team are not footy related, it’s social and economic issues and RL is not going to change that.

 

[jim_57]

I think some are underestimating the challenges of sending rugby league games to Port Moresby every second week. Infrastructure obviously would be a concern but also security would be a massive issue, Port Moresby is a dangerous place, armed guards for non locals is common. I honestly think the nrl would struggle to get the players to agree to go there regularly.

Also they are already RL mad over there, you aren’t really creating more fans by putting a team there. And what happens if we do get them in and they just can’t compete ever? Having them in QLD cup I think at this stage is the best thing. The issues preventing an nrl png team are not footy related, it’s social and economic issues and RL is not going to change that.

Yeh at the end of the day there are only so many NRL spots so some places will have to settle for a QLD/NSW Cup side which isn't a bad thing at all.

To be honest I think the best way to go with PNG for the foreseeable future would be the Hunters as is but also running a junior team or teams in the QLD junior system. I'd bet that a Hunters/PNG under 18's team would see far more PNG players signing for Australian clubs because those extra few years are vital in tbe development of players.

Try and build strong pathways to make the PNG national team competitive in 10-15 years. Make the Kumuls the big ticket item in PNG instead of an NRL team who would probably never be regularly competitive because other clubs keep picking off their best talent year after year.

 

[Get Rid of The Donkeys]

I think some are underestimating the challenges of sending rugby league games to Port Moresby every second week. Infrastructure obviously would be a concern but also security would be a massive issue, Port Moresby is a dangerous place, armed guards for non locals is common. I honestly think the nrl would struggle to get the players to agree to go there regularly.

Also they are already RL mad over there, you aren’t really creating more fans by putting a team there. And what happens if we do get them in and they just can’t compete ever? Having them in QLD cup I think at this stage is the best thing. The issues preventing an nrl png team are not footy related, it’s social and economic issues and RL is not going to change that.

You're right about security. When the Hunters played the Seagulls at Kougari Oval a few years back they brought in extra security from PNG because they knew there would be a large crowd made up of Papuans who flew into Brisbane and nationals who lived here.