PNG bid for NRL

[DC_fan]

With all the boat people being shipped to PNG it opens up the opportunity for some new fans to the game in PNG.

 

[beave]

Not sure if pulling the piss or serious???

 

[El Diablo]

Christ, even the PNG guy doesnt want to be associated with the blues.

last time Rudd made a blue http://www.news.com.au/breaking-new...-off-colour-blue/story-e6frfkp9-1111115730668

 

[smithie]

Papua New Guinea takes first step towards an NRL team with Queensland Cup entrant

A PAPUA New Guinea team is set to join the Intrust Super Cup as a bold step in the rugby league-mad nation’s pursuit of an NRL franchise.

Security concerns for travelling teams remain a stumbling block for the entry of the ISC’s 13th club, especially in the wake of last week’s deadly attack on the Black Cat trail.

It is understood the PNG government will cover costs for private security teams to accompany Queensland-based players into Port Morseby, the club’s home.

A handful of ISC clubs are not in favour of PNG gaining admission, with Norths chief executive Mark Murray wanting financial stability for the established clubs to come first.

ISC general manager Jamie O’Connor said in-principle agreement had been given to the PNG group, headed by veteran league administration Brad Tassell, for a start next year.

"They have applied for entry and been given conditional support by the board, subject to some clauses that need to be agreed to,” O’Connor said.

"We are working through those conditions at the moment. Security is a major issue, as are details of travel and medical care.

"We are hoping to have things locked away by grand final week but nothing is in stone.

"One of the conditions is that this does not cost us, because quite simply we cannot afford to expand right now. PNG will pay their own way.

"There is a great opportunity over there to expand our brand through broadcasting in PNG."

The PNG team could even play curtainraisers to NRL matches, with the ARL Commission considering a dramatic revamp of the code’s second tier and relegating the under-20s competition to midweek.

The team, whose home ground will be Port Morseby’s Lloyd Robson Oval, will be able to recruit players from Australia but it is expected to be largely made up of local players.

Maroons coach and PNG Kumuls assistant Mal Meninga is a supporter of the club’s entry to the ISC.

"Having a PNG team playing in the ISC would just do wonders for the programs that they have in place up there," Meninga wrote in his Sunday Mail column earlier this year.

"It creates another pathway. They can play footy, earn money, and get recognised and go on to bigger and better things."

The Port Morseby Vipers played in the Queensland Cup in 1996 and 1997, but pulled out due to financial issues.

Murray said his club was not against the PNG team, but ensuring current clubs stayed afloat should be the priority.

"The club group want stability around the competition and the current clubs before any expansion takes place,” he said.

"We want to make sure the current clubs are looked after before we look at a PNG team. We aren’t against PNG at all, but our first priority is to stabilise the clubs and ensure their sustainability.”

The ISC will expand to 14 teams in 2015, with a Townsville Brothers team set to be included.

http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport...land-cup-entrant/story-fniabjcr-1226722324462

 

[earleyedition]

I had no idea there used to be a PNG team.

The Port Morseby Vipers played in the Queensland Cup in 1996 and 1997, but pulled out due to financial issues.

 

[CQ Italia]

Would be great for the game. Yes the club needs its own sponsors and government funding, which it probably has, but those Brisbane clubs should realise the PNG team for qld based club games will boost their crowds easily!

 

[Perth Red]

Sounds very familiar!

Murray said his club was not against the PNG team, but ensuring current clubs stayed afloat should be the priority.

"The club group want stability around the competition and the current clubs before any expansion takes place,” he said.

"We want to make sure the current clubs are looked after before we look at a PNG team. We aren’t against PNG at all, but our first priority is to stabilise the clubs and ensure their

 

[The Great Dane]

Bump for T-Boon.

 

[Perth Red]

Answering tboons question on the other thread, sadly no. They see a relatively safe bet like brisbane2 and Perth too risky for expansion so the odds of a high risk venture like PNG is no chance. Shame because a more international NRL could really set it apart from afl.

On th plus side they now have a semi decent stadium with further development plans, hopefully for next years World Cup.

 

[T-Boon]

Thanks I'll read this at some point over the weekend with a bottle of bourbon.

 

[davi]

I think it can't hurt to have as a aspirational goal for PNG to get a team in the NRL. I think it would be good for players in the PNG to have it as a goal in their heads to play NRL. But realistically PNG local talent at the moment doesn't have the talent to support a NRL team like the Warriors do in New Zealand. Also attracting NRL players in the region would be difficult considering the country has it problems. It won't happen for 50 years in my opinion. I also think English Super league getting Toronto in the competition is not really comparable to the situation in PNG.


"Departing Canterbury captain James Graham says Papua New Guinea should be seriously considered for inclusion in the NRL.

Impressed with the country's passion and performance, the English forward is adamant that any expansion plans should include the country where rugby league is the national sport.

The PNG Hunters qualified for their first Queensland Cup final on the weekend, in the club's fourth campaign since entering the competition.


Boasting a massive fan base in Queensland, the Hunters' grand final at Suncorp Stadium is tipped to be the best attended in the competition's history.

They pack a punch on the field too, English forward Graham was left impressed after the two Tests he played against the Kumuls.

Graham, who will play for St George next season, said any talk of competition expansion had to include Australia's northern neighbour.

"You talk about adding a second Brisbane team or a team on the Central Coast ... I think we have to get a team there," Graham said on Fox Sports' NRL 360.
"They really do epitomise what it means to lift (when playing) for your country."

Canadian side Toronto Wolfpack are on track to one day play in the English Super League after earning promotion to the second tier Kingstone Press Championship on the weekend.

Graham said if that could work, then there was no reason an NRL side could not be based in PNG.

"If England can get a Toronto-based team playing in the Super League ... there's so much potential there and it's something that, if expansion is on the table, you've got to talk about a team from PNG," he said.

The Prime Minister's XIII will play PNG in Port Moresby on September 23, while the country will also host three World Cup games later this year.


NSW prop Aaron Woods will lead the Prime Minister's contingent and is expecting another tough clash against the men "built like granite".

"We beat them 50-0 and it was one of the hardest games I've ever played," he said."

https://wwos.nine.com.au/2017/09/13/03/35/graham-backs-png-in-nrl-expansion

 

[Perth Red]

There two biggest issues are a $20million+ a year revenue generation target and a playing strength that doesn't rely on imports (cant see many Kiwis, aussies or poms wanting to live in PNG). In theory they could base themselves in Darwin with all home games at Port Moresby and two "away games" in Darwin to overcome this but not sure how PNG would feel about that.

Anyway far too radical for NRL so lets leave this pipedream there.

 

[siv]

PNG wont need to rely on imports

They will adapt and learn

Just as they did when they entered the Qld Cup

 

[The Great Dane]

PNG is simply a non-starter for one reason, money.

They simply don't add much in the way of money, they add basically nothing in broadcasting dollars, even less for streaming rights I'd imagine, the club would be heavily reliant on government money, money that the PNG government can't really afford but would spend on the NRL anyway, a government that has serious corruption problems and can be unstable, etc, etc.

They'd probably go alright with sponsors, but that's about it.

Look don't get me wrong I'd love to see PNG in the NRL one day, it'd be great for PNG and great for the game, but this is a third world country with an endless amount of issues that it needs to take care of, maybe in 20-50 years once a lot of financial growth has happened and 40% of the population isn't sitting under the poverty line.

 

[paulmac]

There two biggest issues are a $20million+ a year revenue generation target and a playing strength that doesn't rely on imports (cant see many Kiwis, aussies or poms wanting to live in PNG). In theory they could base themselves in Darwin with all home games at Port Moresby and two "away games" in Darwin to overcome this but not sure how PNG would feel about that.

Anyway far too radical for NRL so lets leave this pipedream there.

Cairns would be a more natural base.1 hour direct flights plus RL territory so could easily attract local North Queenslanders to play for them.

 

[Perth Red]

Cairns would be a more natural base.1 hour direct flights plus RL territory so could easily attract local North Queenslanders to play for them.

I suspect NT govt would be best strong supporters in basing a club there and you are reaching a new area for NRL in Darwin. New stadium, centre of excellence etc.

 

[Hello, I'm The Doctor]

PNG in the NRL wont happen for decades, at best...

Better off focussing on new teams in QLD Cup (player pathways) and internationals (they can be scheduled irregularly and players dont need to live there to represent them)

 

[Hello, I'm The Doctor]

Honestly, a team in Jakata/Bali, Guangzhou or some other major South asian city seems far more likely than PNG.

Id love to see ambisious expansion (as SL have seen with the Wolfpack), but PNG just doesnt have the political stability, money or the quality of life to sustain a full time team.

 

[Stormwarrior82]

I agree on some points with you Doc but disagree overall. Yes png has been corrupt and not sure if that has lately been addressed or still happens. Png doesn't need players from Australia they have there own, heard of the kumuls/hunters?. Png has a population of 8 mil. That's a lot of people watching nrl. Tv broadcasts deals are dieing, online viewing is the future and that's all about eyes on the screen. There has already been meetings between png and Aus about how rl can improve the lives of png people and funding that could come from that. Having a potential png team is more than getting rl getting money it's about helping/changing png people's lives for the better and australia gov along with the png gov will help fund it. We would be silly not to at least consider the potential.

 

[adamkungl]

PNG or the Pacific Islands won't see NRL teams in our lifetime.