PNG pathways news and developments

[mikail-eagle]

Since pathways and development is also getting a big chunk of the funding from the Australian Government, I thought maybe it needs a thread of its own to track the work that is taking place.

Alot of the work started 2 years ago but I'll probably just share the developments from this year from January to now.

 

[mikail-eagle]

Actually, starting off in November 2024.
Most of these stories are from the PNG NRL Bid Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/PNGNRLBidOfficial


MEDIA RELEASE (19 November 2024):
Papua New Guinea NRL Bid Academy to deliver a bigger and better program in 2025

Another major step in the development of rugby league in Papua New Guinea has taken place with the 2025 NRL Bid Academy having started with an enhanced program in all areas.
Last year’s Academy program saw some extremely positive results as part of an overall strengthening of the pathways structure in preparation for entering the National Rugby League competition.
That improvement was highlighted to a world audience in October when the Junior Kumuls took on the Australian Schoolboys team and came within minutes of a famous victory, before a last minute try to the visitors resulted in a 22-22 draw.
The program has already achieved some amazing results in many areas that have included:
- 720 male and female players receiving coaching through an 18-week program that makes it the amongst the largest club Academy programs in the NRL
- Staff delivering high level coaching across six regions throughout the country (Central, Goroka, Lae, Mt Hagen, NCD and NGI)
- The creation of a new data analysis system that allows players’ skills and fitness to be compared to equivalent players in Australia
- A vital link with schools created that has seen the delivery of the first ever NRL Bid Academy tournament that was broadcast live by Digicel PNG for the first time, with 16 matches being shown live on TVWAN3 over two days
- A new focus on creating a more strategic approach to the importance of education with Academy players being required to meet strict attendance levels at schools to be eligible to take part in Academy programs
The 2025 Academy will see the introduction of a program that will create a number of exciting new initiatives that will include:
- U15 male, U17 male and U18 female players taking part in a bigger NRL Bid Academy tournament with the U19 boys to play in a new PNGRFL tournament
- Twice the number of staff employed compared to last season, including an increase in the number of female staff from 8 per cent to 25 per cent
- Women now represented in the major Academy roles of Head Coach, Assistant Coach, Team Manager and Trainer for the first time
- The introduction of a new player welfare program that will deliver player education sessions in finance, wellbeing and diet and nutrition
- The creation of the first ever three-day Coaches’ Conference that saw coaches from throughout the country brought together to build a national coaching program that would create a consistent approach throughout the regions
PNG NRL Bid Chief Executive, Andrew Hill, saw the major developments at Academy level as another vital step towards creating a pathways system that would prepare the next generation of PNG players for the NRL.
“We have said from the start that the key part of developing our players into the future would be the establishment of a pathways system that would be as good as any in the world.
“There is an incredible amount of young talent in the country at both a male and female level and we have looked to adopt a strategy that would create a consistent national approach to coaching and player development.
“The most crucial part of that approach was to link our schools and Academy together.
“With the introduction of an even bigger NRL Bid Academy Schools tournament this season and major upgrades within our Academy program, we believe that we can look to the future with confidence.
“You only have to look at the way our Junior Kumuls were able to match it with the Australian Schoolboys to see the effect the pathways program has already had, and we are incredibly excited about what the future holds.”
The PNG NRL Bid Academy is supported by the Australian Government through the #PNGAusPartnership

 

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3RD March 2025

Papua New Guinea Rugby Football League | Port Moresby

Papua New Guinea Rugby Football League, Port Moresby. 13,730 likes · 611 talking about this. The Official Facebook page for the Papua New Guinea Rugby Football League.

www.facebook.com

MEDIA RELEASE: STANLEY GENE TO HEAD COACHING DEVELOPMENT AT PNGRFL

The Papua New Guinea Rugby Football League (PNGRFL) are proud to announce that they have secured the services of PNG Kumul #166, Stanley Gene to continue the development of rugby league in PNG. Gene joins the team as the Coach Development Manager.
Gene's outstanding playing career includes playing for Goroka Lahanis in 1993-94 and the former Lae Bombers the following year. He then played over 350 games in the English Super League and First Division competition in a career spanning over 17 years at top level Rugby League. He represented the PNG Kumuls in 16 Test Matches including 3 World Cups.
Following his retirement, he moved into coaching and was the head coach of Gateshead Thunder and Assistant Coach at Hull KR to the Super League team. He was also the Head Coach of Hull KR Academy team.
Gene’s immediate focus in the new role will be to support all Digicel ExxonMobil Cup coaches in the 2025 season. He will create a Talent Identification Program for coaches across the country. This program will focus on coaches who are identified and want to progress into our club pathways programs and beyond.
PNGRFL Chief Executive Officer Stanley Hondina said:
“Stanley returning from England to help grow and develop the game is another wonderful step forward for PNG. As a player who had such a distinguished playing career and represented our country with pride, having him back in the country and available to serve at the PNGRFL is a great opportunity.”
“His recent experience in coaching in the Super League and Academy programs will be of great benefit to our clubs. As we continue to drive to improve the game, the importance of coaching at Youth, Santos Cup and Digicel ExxonMobil Cup level is critical.”
Stanley Gene spoke on the opportunity saying:
“I would like to thank the PNGRFL for giving me the opportunity to come and work with the team who have done so much in bringing the game to the next level. I am very passionate about rugby league as this game gave me the opportunity to fulfil my dreams in playing and now coaching.”
“To be given the opportunity of helping and giving back to our local coaches is something I am very excited about, and I cannot wait to get out to the clubs and start.”

 

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7TH MARCH 2025

Media Release: KUMUL BLO TUMORO CAMP

The Papua New Guinea Rugby Football League (PNGRFL) continues to support the development of young players with the staging of its first Kumuls Blo Tumoro camp being held in Port Moresby this week.
The camp includes twenty-four (24) players predominantly drawn from the 2024 Junior Kumuls and the National School Boys team. Under the guidance and leadership of Joe Grima who was Head Coach of the 2023 -2024 Junior Kumuls and current Coaching and Pathways Manager for the PNG NRL Bid, the three-day camp will include educational sessions from former players, subject matter experts as well as on-field training, testing and strength sessions.
The Chief Executive Officer, PNGRFL Stanley Hondina speaking on the importance of the camp:
“The PNGRFL continues to focus and invest in these opportunities for our young players. This being the first of its kind to be held, it is a wonderful chance to come together and to develop as rugby league players. More importantly we want to see our players become better young men through their involvement with the sport. We continue to strengthen our partnerships with PacificAus Sports and the Australian Defence Force Sports in delivering camps like this."
“It is only through continuous development with camps like this that these young players will be able to achieve their dreams. Just as important, a similar program will be rolled out for our female players over the next month.’
Bradley Orosambo, 2024 National School Boys and Junior Kumuls halfback who is part of the PNGRFL Elite Youth Program spent four weeks training with the SP PNG Hunters pre-Christmas. Following that, he has returned to training with the Lae Snax Tigers. Bradley has joined the camp.
Orosambo said of the opportunity:
“I feel very excited and happy, and my family is also happy and proud that I got selected for the camp. It is a great opportunity for me to make progress in my rugby league career. This makes us focus on our skills, talents and our bond with each other as a team with little distraction from the outside. his is a stepping stone to help us reach our goals of eventually becoming a Kumul and part of our very own NRL team.”
Grima explained the benefits of the camp saying:
“The Kumuls Blo Tumoro camp is a groundbreaking opportunity to work with the best junior and local rugby league talent across Papua New Guinea. It serves as an investment in the players who could be considered for the country’s entry into the NRL in 2028, highlighting the serious direction rugby league is taking in PNG.”
He added “This is the first time a camp of this nature has been held in PNG, reinforcing the nation's commitment to structured player development. Combined with a strengthening school competition, national school aged championship, the Santos Cup and Digicel ExxonMobil Cup and the SP PNG Hunters, the pathways from grassroots to elite level are being developed to match these NRL Clubs.”
“By the end of the three-day camp, we will have a clear understanding of where these players stand and the areas that need improvement, ensuring we continue to drive development at the highest level.”
“The success of the PNGRFL Elite Youth Program is illustrated with the selection of the last two Junior Kumuls Captains’, Finley Glare and Gairo Voro, as part of the original starting line-up for the SP PNG Hunters opening round match which has now been postponed due the pending cyclone in Queensland.

 

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9TH MARCH 2025

It was great to have Kumuls legend and now PNGRFL Coaching Development Manager, Stanely Gene, speak to our young crop of boys during the inaugural Kumuls Blo Tomorrow camp.
It will no doubt be beneficial for our young group to hear about Stanley's story - from here to the Super League, and the important personal lessons learnt along the way.
Finally, we would like thank the Australian Defence Force for their massive logistical contribution flying in players on the Spartan Planes, arranging accommodation at Green Hills and providing gear to the players. We continue to strengthen our partnerships with PacificAus Sports and the Australian Defence Force Sports in delivering camps like this.

 

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10TH MARCH 2025

Our coaching and pathways manager Joe Grima was recently involved in a fantastic day of stakeholder engagement with 29 teachers and representatives from schools throughout East New Britain, including being in attendence during the opens female and Year 7 and 8 male Academy training programs.
Representatives included staff from PNGRFL and new general manager of the Agmatk Gurias, Paul Joseph, was on hand as well.
A wonderful opportunity to discuss where rugby league in East New Britain is heading.
The future is looking bright!

 

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10TH MARCH 2025

Shots from the last day of our inaugural Kumul Blo Tomorrow camp.

Over the course of 4 days our young group, led through by Coaching and Pathways manager Joe Grima and his staff, partook in various activities including educational sessions from former players, subject matter experts as well as on-field training, testing and strength sessions.
Thank you to PacificAus Sports , Australian Defence Force Sports , Papua New Guinea Rugby Football League and Greenhill's Accomodation for helping our staff bring this program to fruition.
Also a big thank you to our inaugural group who participated. As the first batch in, your involvement and enthusiasm will help us build and improve this camp for future groups in the years to come.

 

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12TH MARCH 2025

It was great for our Central female and NCD male programs to be visited by Stephen Deklin and Lachlan Cameron from PacificAus Sports and their design team represented by Design Advisor: Michael Asensio, Pacific Rugby League Expert: Dr David Lakisa, M&E Advisor: Jo Oddie, GEDSI and Safeguarding Adviser: Mariella Schweichart.
Australia’s Department of Foreign Affair’s and Trade (DFAT) is partnering with the Australian Rugby League Commission (ARLC), the Administrator of rugby league in Australia to deliver a $250 million 10 year rugby league development program in Papua New Guinea (PNG), Fiji, Samoa and Tonga, 2025 – 2034. Design of the rugby league program is being lead by the ARLC in partnership with DFAT and supported by a design team with expertise in sport-for-development programming and rugby league.
The program will be based on the ARLC’s Pacific Strategy, which aims to grow the rugby league ecosystem in the Pacific by building elite pathways, infrastructure, and grassroots competitions and by supporting social change.

 

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13 MARCH 2025

NEW YOUTH COMPETITION TO HELP PREPARE ‘STARS OF THE FUTURE’ FOR THE NATIONAL RUGBY LEAGUE

Preparations for Papua New Guinea’s entry into the National Rugby League in 2028 have taken another step forward with the announcement of a new, improved youth competition that will see the best young players in the country compete against each other over an intense 7-week period.
The new competition, which is a joint partnership between the Papua New Guinea RFL and the PNG NRL Bid, will be an upgraded version of the hugely successful inaugural weekend of matches that took place in Goroka last year and was attended by Prime Minister James Marape.
The idea behind last year’s competition was to bring the best school players from throughout the country together for a series of matches that would provide the intense competition that can be expected on a week-to-week basis in the NRL.
This year’s exciting new seven-week competition builds on the work of Joe Grima and his coaching staff at NRL Bid Academy level and will see the best under 19 players in the country representing their pathway clubs in the Digicel ExxonMobil Cup.
This important initiative will allow the players to get a taste of what it will be like to prepare for the demands of an NRL season with factors such as travel, playing away from home, sleep, diet and welfare all becoming an important part of your daily experience.
PNGRL CEO, Stanley Hondina, acknowledged how important this new competition would be for the game in this country:
“Building on the success of last year’s competition in Goroka, we believed that it was vital for us to begin preparing our best youth players for the rigours of the NRL by creating an intense weekly competition where they would be required to reach the levels of professionalism that they will need in the future.
“The competition will provide tough matches each week where the best will play against the best and that will be a great learning curve for our young players and will also allow our coaches to support them in a high-pressure environment.
“We have an incredible depth of young talent in this country and this competition will provide a great way for our players to develop the right professional habits that will sustain them throughout their careers.”
PNG NRL Bid CEO, Andrew Hill, also highlighted the importance of the new competition:
“Part of creating a world-leading pathways system is to challenge the players at all levels and to ingrain good habits from an early age.
“We have made some important strides already with the great work being done by Joe Grima and his staff at Academy level and this new competition will allow those players to experience tough, weekly football against the best players at their age level.
“Producing consistent performances on the field is one thing, but just as important is how you look after yourself off the field and develop the professional habits around diet, recovery, and wellbeing that will allow you to continue to perform at your best.
“We believe that this new competition will be a great early taste of what is to come once we join the NRL in 2028 and will be incredibly important to the development of our best young players.
“The competition also highlights the strong partnership that exists between the Australian and Papua New Guinea Governments as we continue to prepare for entry into the National Rugby League in 2028.”
NRL Bid Chairman and Managing Director of Kumul Petroleum, Wapu Sonk, offered full support for this new initiative:
“Kumul Petroleum are proud to sponsor this exciting new competition and we believe that it will be of tremendous benefit to the young players taking part.
“We have always been great supporters of the game at all levels, and to be able to support a brand-new 7 week competition that will provide a superb showcase for our best young talent is extremely gratifying.”
“This is another important step for the game at junior level and will provide a great platform for years to come.”

 

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17TH MARCH 2025

A great day spent at Wabag Primary School to discuss Enga province's future, not only in our growing academy pathways, but also in the future of PNG rugby league on the road to season 2028.

Led by their esteemed head master Mr Undip, Wabag Primary School is home to 4,658 students, making it one of, if not the largest primary school in the nation. Also involved in our visit was Mr Kawi - Registrar & Team Manager of Wabag Primary Schools RL team and Jonah Mckay - Provincial Sports coordinator & president Enga schools Rugby league, both of which will play equally important roles in the future of rugby league in Enga.

The day was topped off with a visit to one of the Bid's great supporters, Chairman of the PNGRFL, Asia-Pacific Rugby League and Enga Provincial Administrator - Mr Sandis Tsaka.
A special thanks to our Mt Hagen Academy Head Coach - Bobby Koke and Mt Hagen Academy TM - Tucker Saki for their company during the visit.
The future of Engan rugby league is very bright.

 

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18TH MARCH

Joe Grimer checking in on our Hagen Academy today.
It was great getting on the ground with the students, teachers, school coordinators and stakeholders from the Western Highlands Province to see how far they have come in the past two years and also share where we see them going in another two years.
Special thanks to Head Coach - Bobby Koke and his staff namely Tucker Saki, Benedict Witi, David Kawage, Raymond Kerenga Dep and Ragila Wilfred.

 

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20th MARCH
Thankyou PNG Rugby League Great and recently appointed PNGRFL Coach Development Manager at PNG Rugby Football League Stanley Gene graced Lae PNG-NRL Academy at Lae Secondary School.
Stanley spoke about how rugby league changed his life completely and brought him out of settlements in Goroka to the rest of the world. He touched on two key areas in life - being resilient and disciplined (patience) always in what you do in life.
He also took time to demonstrate new skills used in the modern game of rugby league to the players.

 

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23rd MARCH

Shout out to our PNG NRL Bid NGI Academy head coach George Tobata and team manager Nicole Kamara distributing over 100 rugby league balls, more than 10 School coordinator T-shirts, over 20 USB files containing important PNG NRL coaching material and over 500 colour markers.
Also a major thank you to the Rabaul International School for hosting the dispatch of coaching resources to the schools located all over East New Britain.
Helping unlock the very real and exciting potential of rugby league in East New Britain.

 

[Jonty]

How are the young kumuls doing at hull kr?

 

[mikail-eagle]

How are the young kumuls doing at hull kr?

Not sure. Haven't kept up to date with him. There must be some stories on the Hull KR socials.