When will PNG players get a chance?

[East Coast Tiger]

There were only four NRL players in the PNG side and one SL player. Two if you count Lo, although he has never played a SL game so not really.

I don't know how someone like Ottio hasn't been given a run at Canberra considering how shit their starting side was this year. And based on how Wellington Albert went you'd think he could have played NRL if he'd been given a chance at Penrith. There is clearly a cultural issue preventing NRL clubs giving these guys a run. Only players who have come through the Australian system seem to get a start. The fact only two Hunters have been signed by NRL clubs despite their dominance of a competition with 13 NRL feeder teams speaks volumes.

Even SL clubs don't seem to want to touch them. Lo has had to make it via Sheffield. The best PNG players to go to England after previous WCs have also only gone to lower tier clubs.

I can only assume the modern paradigm of RL players as 6 foot tall 110kg monsters is partly to blame. Polynesians fit the body type. PNG players usually don't. Although Ottio and Albert contradict that.

But even if that's part of the issue, there must be more to it. NRL club coaches and recruitment types obviously have some kind of prejudice against PNG players. Why? And is a PNG NRL team the only solution? The argument (or one of) is that the players can go to NRL teams so there's no need for their own team, but that's not happening despite the obvious quality of these players.

 

[Evil Homer]

Super League clubs struggle with immigration issues because PNG barely play any international matches outside of the World Cup. You usually see a handful come over after the WC because that's the only time they can get visas, but prior to this year the quality hasn't really been there for them to go straight to SL clubs either.

 

[East Coast Tiger]

We'll see a heap sign to SL after the WC then if that's the case.

 

[Rory]

From the wales game, only a couple players really stood out for me that don't play NRL. Lo, wellington albert, maki, ase boas, martin. And to be completely honest PNG have probably got one of the easiest draws in the RLWC based on squads, i see Ireland challenging, but cant say they'll win for sure. If they versed wales full strength and had that scoreline, then i think that would make clubs want to pick up some of those players.

edit: what am i talking about, the whole f**king PNG team was electric, my point remains though.

 

[JamesBrandy]

The Hunters might have won the Q Cup, but then they got pumped by the Panthers in the state championship by a team of players who aren't good enough to play in the NRL.

 

[East Coast Tiger]

The Hunters might have won the Q Cup, but then they got pumped by the Panthers in the state championship by a team of players who aren't good enough to play in the NRL.

Except there were 200 something games of NRL experience in that team compared to 0 in the Hunters. So clearly it wasn't a team of players not good enough for the NRL, because several of them have played many games. The Hunters also beat teams with scores of NRL experience in the Q Cup all year. Still none of them get a chance.

 

[Pedge1971]

There are clearly some rough diamonds there who with a bit if polish are nrl standard. The 2 wingers for starters....

 

[JamesBrandy]

Except there were 200 something games of NRL experience in that team compared to 0 in the Hunters. So clearly it wasn't a team of players not good enough for the NRL, because several of them have played many games. The Hunters also beat teams with scores of NRL experience in the Q Cup all year. Still none of them get a chance.

I get your point, but if they were playing in first grade, there would be a lot more than 200 games experience coming up against them.
Don't get me wrong, I think they have a lot of potential and with the right groundroots programs in place they could be a force down the line.
Like somebody said above - rough diamonds that need polish.

 

[SBD82]

I'd take a kumul at our club to play on the right wing.

Only problem is that he would be replacing a kumul.

 

[jim_57]

Super League clubs could get a lot more out of some commited Hunters players than most of the NRL fringe rejects they currently sign. Probably at a lot less money too.

As we saw when Fiji juniors toured Australia this year, there is a lot of potential in getting players in pro club's line of sight in their teens.

 

[grouch]

the Toronto Wolfpack seem to love their cult hero types. Wellington Albert would look great next to Fuifui and Dave Taylor

 

[Caped Crusader]

The Hunters might have won the Q Cup, but then they got pumped by the Panthers in the state championship by a team of players who aren't good enough to play in the NRL.

And the Hunters got though on probably what was the worst performance of the Falcons short history

As a bloke who has watched the QCup a lot, the Hunters play a very tight game at home and won a lot of those early in the season. The other Qcup teams worked out that they were very ill disciplined when contained early and they suffered quite a few losses by decent margins in the latter half of the season, especially away from home.

Dont get me wrong, they have some good talent and deserved to be at the top of Qcup in 2017, however they do have some glaring short comings in their game. I expect better RL minds than myself can see that too and are not convinced they are ready for the big leagues

 

[T-Boon]

This is a great topic.
Of all the RL playing pacific Islands (including Australia), PNG sit head, shoulders and torso on top in terms of their love of the code. I couldn't see PNG players using RL (NRL) as a stepping stone to big European rugby contracts.
It is not a possibility, but I will be rooting for PNG to win the world cup.
The game should be doing everything it can to get PNG RL rolling.

 

[T-Boon]

I would like to see players granted eligibility to represent PNG at the world cup if they have played 2 seasons with a PNG side including the PNG Hunters. The idea would be to get a bunch of older, experienced NRL players into the PNG system to help them out.
If a PNG NRL side is not going to happen I'd like to see a second PNG team representing PNG in the NSW Cup.

 

[Irish-bulldog]

I would like to see players granted eligibility to represent PNG at the world cup if they have played 2 seasons with a PNG side including the PNG Hunters. The idea would be to get a bunch of older, experienced NRL players into the PNG system to help them out.
If a PNG NRL side is not going to happen I'd like to see a second PNG team representing PNG in the NSW Cup.

I'd put another png team into the QLD Cup, then you have the derby and a game in moresby every week. Then aim for a nrl side and then other team becomes the feeder.

 

[mikail-eagle]

nrl.com list 5 players whom NRL Clubs might be interested in.

1. Ase Boas
2. Moses Meninga
3. Enock Maki
4. Wartovo Puara jnr
5. Wellington Albert

 

[Pommy]

I would like to see players granted eligibility to represent PNG at the world cup if they have played 2 seasons with a PNG side including the PNG Hunters. The idea would be to get a bunch of older, experienced NRL players into the PNG system to help them out.
If a PNG NRL side is not going to happen I'd like to see a second PNG team representing PNG in the NSW Cup.

So Aussies sign for hunters then turn out for PNG two years later?

 

[T-Boon]

yes. Like the english cricket team except 2 yrs not 4.

 

[Pommy]

It’s funny you have mentioned cricket and England specifically as if it’s supposed to be some revelation to me. One thing I will say is there’s a good number of those foreigners who have played cricket for England would be eligable under heritage rules.
You can find heaps of posts of mine saying professional athletes shouldn’t be eligible to move another country and then play for that nation.
Hunters can already sign aussies and have them run out for PNG just like Semi did for oz.

Why did you decide on to years? Why not two months? Why do you only propose this for PNG?

 

[Coastbloke]

nrl.com list 5 players whom NRL Clubs might be interested in.

1. Ase Boas
2. Moses Meninga
3. Enock Maki
4. Wartovo Puara jnr
5. Wellington Albert

Why did they leave the other Boas brother out?
I thought he was a pretty handy player as well?