18th club, whose next?

[Canard]

That was before I realised how much support PNG has from Albo and V'landys. Now I'm really excited about the bid because it provides us with our best ever opportunity to convert PNG's enthusiasm for the game into goldmine of talent. We'll never get a better opportunity to turn PNG into a powerhouse.

The growing support for the Warriors is the reason I'm becoming more interested in seeing NZ2 get the 19th licence.

PNG and NZ2 have so much more potential than Perth.

Over the long-term I'd like to see a month in the middle of the season reserved for Origin and Pacific Test matches.

Queensland vs NSW
Samoa vs Tonga
PNG vs Fiji.
New Zealand vs England.

More content for the broadcasters. The potential to convert Pacific Tests into a source of income and increase the game's profile.

Do you really think a Perth-based team can match the upside of growing the game in PNG, New Zealand, Samoa, Tonga and Fiji?

The broadcasters cracked the shits when we had a 1 week break, you got f**k all chance of this happening

 

[Centy Coast]

At least you didn’t mention the country smelling as a problem the png nrl team should fix lmao

It f**king stinks lol

 

[Centy Coast]

At least you didn’t mention the country smelling as a problem the png nrl team should fix lmao

Can you imagine the players taking their wives and girlfriends there, not a chance.
They’ll want out of there in less than a month.

 

[Wb1234]

Can you imagine the players taking their wives and girlfriends there, not a chance.
They’ll want out of there in less than a month.

I’d rather be living in cairns than Canterbury or Campbelltown

and when they do stay in png it will be in five star resort on the water

I can’t believe you don’t see the value in this from a junior pathway perspective

 

[Bukowski]

Can you imagine the players taking their wives and girlfriends there, not a chance.
They’ll want out of there in less than a month.

Apparently they'll be living in resorts. Just like they did during covid, I'm sure lots of players will be lining up to do that again.
Id like to hear what the players association thinks of it all.

 

[ayatollah_murdoch]

Population isn't the issue. It is the changing demographics.

Sydney for example

St George Area was a RL strong hold up until even the 90's, Is now becoming more Chinese background.

Western Sydney particularly Parramatta is South Asian. indians/Pakistanis etc

I live in Penrith we have had similar here. The majority of the 1m extra people will migrate from similar countries.

These countries haven't pushed towards either Rugby code or AFL in the past.

I haven't looked but Melbourne would be changing similarly,

That is why the South Pacific goal from NRL and smart and why going to a new market is better long term. Even if short term isn't the best return.

Or we follow Shane Richardson's ramblings and Brisbane Easts are next in to combat the myth that AFL is taking over the Northern States

The Sudanese / Africans have taken to the AFL more than NRL. Regarding new migrant groups and recent history, both codes did well to attract and integrate Lebanese, Greek and Italian migrants in the last 60 years or so. It will be more challenging with Chinese, Indian and Afghan / Pakistani communities. There has been a similar influx in the UK for a number of years but none of those have really made it in rugby, league or football in the UK. Perhaps they aren't genetically gifted towards team contact / running sports to the same ability and Europeans and Africans?

 

[Wb1234]

The Sudanese / Africans have taken to the AFL more than NRL. Regarding new migrant groups and recent history, both codes did well to attract and integrate Lebanese, Greek and Italian migrants in the last 60 years or so. It will be more challenging with Chinese, Indian and Afghan / Pakistani communities. There has been a similar influx in the UK for a number of years but none of those have really made it in rugby, league or football in the UK. Perhaps they aren't genetically gifted towards team contact / running sports to the same ability and Europeans and Africans?

Indians don’t want to know about any sport that isn’t cricket

you do see Asians as rugby league fans that’s not really true

 

[Iamback]

The Sudanese / Africans have taken to the AFL more than NRL. Regarding new migrant groups and recent history, both codes did well to attract and integrate Lebanese, Greek and Italian migrants in the last 60 years or so. It will be more challenging with Chinese, Indian and Afghan / Pakistani communities. There has been a similar influx in the UK for a number of years but none of those have really made it in rugby, league or football in the UK. Perhaps they aren't genetically gifted towards team contact / running sports to the same ability and Europeans and Africans?

Sudanese are better suited to AFL or Basketball body type wise. It is a bigger challenge than any sport is

 

[Iamback]

Can you imagine the players taking their wives and girlfriends there, not a chance.
They’ll want out of there in less than a month.

Again though to be fair any interstate side has that issue.

Warriors have had Walsh and now AFB want out due to family reasons

 

[ayatollah_murdoch]

Indians don’t want to know about any sport that isn’t cricket

you do see Asians as rugby league fans that’s not really true

Football and field hockey are huge in East and North India respectively. Arguably more popular than cricket. Basketball is huge in China. The appetite is there.

Agree with fans, as Indians and Chinese integrate in society pretty well, they will be fans of the popular codes provided the general population follows them at uni / school

 

[Maximus]

T

his is my main issue with a PNG side, yes they are getting handouts from the Aust Govt, but where do most clubs get their $$$ revenue from ?.

1). TV viewers, most houses in PNG don’t even have electricity.

2).Memberships, seriously these guys are on the poverty threshold, how many of them will buy club memberships and will they be at discounted prices ?.

3).Merchandise, can you honestly see a PNG household which is lucky to earn $100 a week spend that on NRL merchandise, four different club jerseys a year, training gear, flags, cups etc, etc.

4).Admission prices, How much will it cost to watch a NRL game in PNG ?, if they are the same as in Aust then PNG will have no crowds, will locals be heavily discounted ?, can you see PNG supporters travelling to away games ?.

These are things that need to be looked at seriously if PNG get the 18th license, otherwise NRL merchandise shops will need bars on all of its windows and doors because any will get ripped down just in the vicinity of Port Moresby.
Sure rugby league has a huge following in PNG but the Countries economics just don’t support a team there.
If I am proven wrong, great, but I honestly can’t see it.
That 600 million will be gone before you can blink.

The moment the govt money runs out or is canned by the next LNP govt, it's dead and buried.

 

[Centy Coast]

I’d rather be living in cairns than Canterbury or Campbelltown

and when they do stay in png it will be in five star resort on the water

I can’t believe you don’t see the value in this from a junior pathway perspective

Again billions have been spent in/on that region, and what do you see, the same, nothing has improved, why do you think this money will go directly to rugby league grassroots in PNG, hell we can’t even get it to our grassroots in our own Country.
The rich get richer and the poor get poorer, it is the way of life over there.

 

[Wb1234]

Again billions have been spent in/on that region, and what do you see, the same, nothing has improved, why do you think this money will go directly to rugby league grassroots in PNG, hell we can’t even get it to our grassroots in our own Country.
The rich get richer and the poor get poorer, it is the way of life over there.

Not on rugby league it hasn’t

they literally have appointed people to put in place pathways for the game

and vlandys would have a huge say on how it gets spent

Greeks are tight asses they don’t waste ten cents

 

[Centy Coast]

Again though to be fair any interstate side has that issue.

Warriors have had Walsh and now AFB want out due to family reasons

Everybody thought all of the New Zealand players would flock to play for the Warriors, that never happened, most NZ players are set up in Aust, most were born over here.
2023 was the Warriors most successful year, especially off the field, and they didn’t even make the Grand Final, I really hope that they can keep this momentum going.

 

[Centy Coast]

Not on rugby league it hasn’t

they literally have appointed people to put in place pathways for the game

and vlandys would have a huge say on how it gets spent

Greeks are tight asses they don’t waste ten cents

Again I’m just relaying my fears on a PNG NRL team, having been involved with many junior/senior clubs we were always asked if we could send over old boots, playing gear and equipment to Fiji or PNG as they play barefoot and on paddocks locally.
In the end what we say on here doesn’t matter, it is up to the NRL and it will be interesting which way they sway.
I’m just against a PNG bid because it is only an excuse for the Aust Govt to slow Chinas progression in that region, it is a political agenda using Aust tax payers money to propel it.
That is what I hate about it.

 

[Wb1234]

Again I’m just relaying my fears on a PNG NRL team, having been involved with many junior/senior clubs we were always asked if we could send over old boots, playing gear and equipment to Fiji or PNG as they play barefoot and on paddocks locally.
In the end what we say on here doesn’t matter, it is up to the NRL and it will be interesting which way they sway.
I’m just against a PNG bid because it is only an excuse for the Aust Govt to slow Chinas progression in that region, it is a political agenda using Aust tax payers money to propel it.
That is what I hate about it.

The by product of politics is a huge win for rugby league

The politics is the bs bit

albo is a league fan I’m sure one of his reasons is to help the game grow

with proper coaching and pathways it will be a goldmine for rugby league

if both png and Perth are In the nrl for ten years and we were judging how many players each had produced that has played over 50 nrl games

png will be 50 plus
Perth will be zilch

 

[Centy Coast]

The by product of politics is a huge win for rugby league

The politics is the bs bit

albo is a league fan I’m sure one of his reasons is to help the game grow

with proper coaching and pathways it will be a goldmine for rugby league

if both png and Perth are In the nrl for ten years and we were judging how many players each had produced that has played over 50 nrl games

png will be 50 plus
Perth will be zilch

That’s because PNG will be all local players and nobody wants to play for them.
Everybody from fullback to prop will have the same stature short and stocky, will run into brick walls if they have to.
PNG will develop players, I just don’t think it will be the player goldmine people are tending to think it will be, pathways or not.

 

[Wb1234]

That’s because PNG will be all local players and nobody wants to play for them.
Everybody from fullback to prop will have the same stature short and stocky, will run into walls if they have to.
PNG will develop players, I just don’t think it will be the player goldmine people are tending to think it will be, pathways or not.

Being based In cairns so nah
Esp if bennett coaches

 

[Iamback]

Everybody thought all of the New Zealand players would flock to play for the Warriors, that never happened, most NZ players are set up in Aust, most were born over here.
2023 was the Warriors most successful year, especially off the field, and they didn’t even make the Grand Final, I really hope that they can keep this momentum going.

They are adding more Junior rep teams should help.

Even if somewhere like PNG is next in it requires 2 or 3 catchment areas feeding into the club. That is how the game is these days.

The advantages is it makes it easier to keep players and not have the worries about attracting players. Even moving across the country is a hard sell.

 

[Centy Coast]

Being based In cairns so nah
Esp if bennett coaches

Bennett will sack them all, he will go through 2,000 PNG players because nobody will understand what he wants them to do lol