PNG's back.

[titoelcolombiano]

Even though I am skeptical the NRL team will do much to get kids to show up at school … even if they do … this does nothing to stop China‘s ambitions …

The China thing is a pretty flimsy pretext in my view and I doubt it’s going to stand up to the inevitable questioning that is going to come …

I completely agree about it having a minimal impact with regardsto China.

However, if that's the excuse to get that sort of money flowing into RL from three different federal Governments then hi-fives all around.

 

[Wb1234]

I completely agree about it having a minimal impact with regardsto China.

However, if that's the excuse to get that sort of money flowing into RL from three different federal Governments then hi-fives all around.

I suspect it’s also because albo also wants to grow rugby league and help out png. It mentions he’s a south’s fan

 

[AlwaysGreen]

Despite all the promises of money this is still a mistake.

Kids won't go to school just because rugby league is part of the program. Ffs, didn't that dimwit Albo just tour the NT supporting the voice? Every enticement you can think of is in place to get Aboriginal kids to get to school and they still won't go.

Politicians have f**k all idea how the real world works, V'landys following Albo is foolishness.

 

[Canard]

The journo has made a hell of a leap from V'landys attending a white house dinner with thousands of others meaning the US is now supporting this.

 

[titoelcolombiano]

I suspect it’s also because albo also wants to grow rugby league and help out png. It mentions he’s a south’s fan

Yep doesn't hurt to have a RL man in charge that's for sure. Great to see our game is starting to have more and more people of influence and serious money involved. Can only be good for the future ambitions.

 

[BuffaloRules]

I completely agree about it having a minimal impact with regardsto China.

However, if that's the excuse to get that sort of money flowing into RL from three different federal Governments then hi-fives all around.

If it works and the Govt pays all the promised money over 10 years then sure…might even leave a meaningful pathways legacy benefit to PNG and the game as a whole.

Lot of water to go under the bridge though during the most uncertain times we have seen in the past 80 years …

Albo has got an election to get through next year first … before the team plays its first game …. This issue could turn into a political football ( pardon the pun) that he will need to navigate …

 

[Wb1234]

If it works and the Govt pays all the promised money over 10 years then sure…might even leave a meaningful pathways legacy benefit to PNG and the game as a whole.

Lot of water to go under the bridge though during the most uncertain times we have seen in the past 80 years …

Albo has got an election to get through next year first … before the team plays its first game …. This issue could turn into a political football ( pardon the pun) that he will need to navigate …

Whose going to vote for Dutton

 

[BuffaloRules]

Whose going to vote for Dutton

Im sure this will be a Vote winner with the Greens and Teals …not really

 

[titoelcolombiano]

I think one thing is being underestimated here. Sport is pretty powerful when it comes to national pride and identity. And the NRL and Aus Govt showing the PNG the kind of respect of giving them a spot in the NRL could really 'put them on the map', give them an identity which has a flow on effect with the people of PNG in raising confidence and impact in all areas of the country.

Think what the All Blacks have done for NZ, Don Bradman for Australia in the past, Soccer and Pele for Brazil, soccer and Maradona for Argentina...many other examples in many other countries

 

[titoelcolombiano]

If it works and the Govt pays all the promised money over 10 years then sure…might even leave a meaningful pathways legacy benefit to PNG and the game as a whole.

Lot of water to go under the bridge though during the most uncertain times we have seen in the past 80 years …

Albo has got an election to get through next year first … before the team plays its first game …. This issue could turn into a political football ( pardon the pun) that he will need to navigate …

Yep good points

 

[Wb1234]

Yep good points

The number of people death riding this bid is hilarious

 

[mikail-eagle]

It did say Political and financial support of the Aus Govt and now US following the whitehouse dinner. I could have interpreted that incorrectly but I think the US might be tipping in. $10M or so is nothing to them to help keep China in check

PNG and the USA signed a controversial security pact a few Months ago in Port Moresby.
There were a lot of protests against it.

PM Marape and PNG Government would not have been moved and signed if there was no sweetener somewhere.

US and Papua New Guinea sign pact amid Pacific militarisation concerns

Concerns security deal could leave Papua New Guinea stuck between increasingly hostile US and China

www.theguardian.com

 

[titoelcolombiano]

The number of people death riding this bid is hilarious

Yeah, I share some of their concerns but if Vlandy's can secure expansion fully paid for by Albo, Sleepy Joe and PNG Govt and have the pathways in PNG fully paid for also then its an awesome result for the game and shits all over the expansion strategy that other codes have had of sticking teams where they aren't wanted and indefinitely propping them up to the tune of tens of millions of dollars annually.

 

[Wb1234]

Yeah, I share some of their concerns but if Vlandy's can secure expansion fully paid for by Albo, Sleepy Joe and PNG Govt and have the pathways in PNG fully paid for also then its an awesome result for the game and shits all over the expansion strategy that other codes have had of sticking teams where they aren't wanted and indefinitely propping them up to the tune of tens of millions of dollars annually.

This forum is full of drongos who ignore articles because it doesn’t suit their narrative

it was funny seeing them deathriding the dolphins too

 

[The Great Dane]

Despite all the promises of money this is still a mistake.

Kids won't go to school just because rugby league is part of the program. Ffs, didn't that dimwit Albo just tour the NT supporting the voice? Every enticement you can think of is in place to get Aboriginal kids to get to school and they still won't go.

Politicians have f**k all idea how the real world works, V'landys following Albo is foolishness.

I guarantee that the vast majority of that money would bypass the NRL to be given directly to organisations and programs on the ground anyway. Once it gets there the majority of it will promptly disappear down a corruption hole as well.

 

[titoelcolombiano]

I guarantee that the vast majority of that money would bypass the NRL to be given directly to organisations and programs on the ground anyway. Once it gets there the majority of it will promptly disappear down a corruption hole as well.

That's definitely a concern. Really interested to see the details of this deal if / when it gets announced. I think there will be a lot to unpack

 

[The Great Dane]

Yeah, I share some of their concerns but if Vlandy's can secure expansion fully paid for by Albo, Sleepy Joe and PNG Govt and have the pathways in PNG fully paid for also then its an awesome result for the game and shits all over the expansion strategy that other codes have had of sticking teams where they aren't wanted and indefinitely propping them up to the tune of tens of millions of dollars annually.

Sure, but that's a totally unrealistic goal that would require PNG to somehow sort through all it's cultural and societal problems and basically evolve into a functional liberal democracy with modern infrastructure and accessible basic services within a generation or so.

It ain't happening, and only ideologues whom are completely disconnected from reality would think it could.

A PNG NRL side will live and die at the whim of the Australian and US governments, and getting that embedded in geopolitics simply isn't in the NRL's interest.

 

[The Great Dane]

That's definitely a concern. Really interested to see the details of this deal if / when it gets announced. I think there will be a lot to unpack

They'll never announce the actual details of the deal publicly.

Sure there'll be a publicity package, but you'd have to make a bunch of FOI requests and jump through a ton of hoops to suss out all the details of actual agreements themselves, and a good portion of it will probably be protected by national security as well given the circumstances.

I just hope that the NRL is smart enough to use this situation to push for heavy Federal investment into the sport locally as well, as that's the only way they could benefit from this long term. Investment into grassroots programs nationally and stadium upgrades and replacements for half the sides in the NRL should have been in their first proposal.

 

[Get Rid of The Donkeys]

V'landys found another way to give Perth Red the shits. Priceless.

 

[Perth Red]

V'landys found another way to give Perth Red the shits. Priceless.

It’s not another brisbane club so all good by me.


I’ve been critical of the game lacking courage when it comes to growing. of the 4 possible expansion options this is by far the riskiest so good on them for at least having some balls. If it’ll end in tears time will tell, hopefully they can find a way to make it work for the long term.