Expansion PNG wants in the NRL by 2014

[Cap]

PNG wants to pack down with NRL by 2014

April 7, 2008

Papua New Guinean rugby league officials have launched a campaign to have a team in Australia's National Rugby League competition by 2014.

The PNG Rugby Football League (PNGRFL) will start lobbying NRL officials in Sydney next month while attending the International Rugby League Board meeting.

PNG chairman Albert Veratau said they are talking with the Penrith Panthers to develop a serious proposal for the NRL.

Along with the NRL aspirations, PNGRFL will adopt NSW's junior rugby league development program.

"It's time for PNG in the NRL," he said.

"We want to make the numbers right and will be speaking to the NRL about the PNG club by 2014," he said.

Former Newcastle Knights winger (1989/90) and PNG chairman of selectors Arnold Kerwanty said a PNG club should first enter the Queensland Cup to prepare for the NRL challenge.

"We will need players who have the week-in week-out NRL game experience, or Queensland Cup experience, so they can become the backbone of a future competitive NRL club," he said.

Kerwanty added PNG rugby league was hurt by Australia's immigration laws.

"Laws need to be relaxed so PNG players don't require huge contracts to play for Aussie footy clubs," he said.

"If there are more players in NRL feeder clubs or just playing amateur footy at Australia's higher standard it will lift our game too, but immigration laws are preventing this," he said.

NRL spokesman John Brady said PNG's push was encouraging news but there was no immediate plan to expand.

"It's a case of watch this space.

"If they aim high, work hard and make a compelling case then it doesn't mean it's out of the question.

"The passion exists, everybody is aware how fanatical PNG is for rugby league and they are on our doorstep, so of course we want to support that,' he said.

Rugby league is considered PNG's national game with a strong following of the NRL and local SP Cup.

Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, during his State visit to PNG last month, gave $250,000 to develop sport, in particular rugby league.

Marcus Bei, Adrian Lam, the current national coach, are PNG's most famous players while Paul Aiton and Keith Peters, playing for Penrith club, are other notable PNG footy heroes.

***

PNG would be an excellent addition to the NRL, particularly if a new PNG footy team in the Australasian NRL can grow on the back of succesful period of strong economic growth in PNG.

While Super Rugby is a southern hemisphere competition embracing teams from NZ SAf and Aust, and perhaps South America (ie, Argentina) in the not too distant future,
and NRL embraces teams from Aust and NZ, and perhaps PNG in the not too distant future,
and A-League embraces teams from Aust and NZ, and perhaps south-east Asia in the not too distant future,
and other domestic sports embrace both Aust and NZ teams and often Australasia more generally, such as golf and basketball,
AFL remains a one-country domestic competition whose major/only real expansion focus at the elite professional level are the 1st and 3rd most populous states in Aust.

AFL is one of the few sports declining to embrace the globalisation of sport and business by broadening its exposure beyond our shores to other Australasian nations.

that is the funniest piece of shit i have read in a long time

hey do you want me to get an article on how the artic circle want a soccer team by 2020 - you know with the decline in ice sheets they are going to have grass so on the back of that we should get a team ready

hahahahahahaha

Littleduck you out did yourself this time

 

[1908]

It won't happen, so settle down kiddies.

More to the point, where is AFL going to expand in the next 20-50 years so as to get bigger TV deals? No where to go really. Maybe Colombia in Sth America, would suit the AFL culture, hey RUNVS

Wouldn't have problems with incentives for players.

 

[1908]

PNG's population is forecast to grow to 10 million by 2029.

 

[Azzballz Deluxe]

PNG's population is forecast to grow to 10 million by 2029.

I dare say they thier economy will be up to $10 million by then aswell.

Milk and honey!

 

[Ice-Wolf]

PNG's population is forecast to grow to 10 million by 2029.

and how many of those 10 million have TV's? Not going to do much for NRL TV money if there is no audience to watch it.

 

[RUNVS]

It won't happen, so settle down kiddies.

More to the point, where is AFL going to expand in the next 20-50 years so as to get bigger TV deals? No where to go really. Maybe Colombia in Sth America, would suit the AFL culture, hey RUNVS

Wouldn't have problems with incentives for players.

The AFL's long term expansion plans are a secret which only those in the war room are privy too though i would imagine it would be something like

- Take the rest of Australia - Kill all who oppose
- Launch a preemitve strike on New Zealand
- Use South Africa as a Launching pad into Africa
- Once Africa is taken we move through the Middle East and keep going until we reach Russia (yes we will have to cross water)
- Once we have taken over New Zealand, Africa, the Middle East and Russia we will have the miltary force capable of sweeping through Europe and once we reach England we will behead Christinao Ronaldo.

I expect all 5 of those steps to be completed within 10 years and then we will take on Canada, the USA and then go down through South America.

This world conquest plan should take around 20 years (tops).

 

[Azzballz Deluxe]

The AFL's long term expansion plans are a secret which only those in the war room are privy too though i would imagine it would be something like

- Take the rest of Australia - Kill all who oppose
- Launch a preemitve strike on New Zealand
- Use South Africa as a Launching pad into Africa
- Once Africa is taken we move through the Middle East and keep going until we reach Russia (yes we will have to cross water)
- Once we have taken over New Zealand, Africa, the Middle East and Russia we will have the miltary force capable of sweeping through Europe and once we reach England we will behead Christinao Ronaldo.

I expect all 5 of those steps to be completed within 10 years and then we will take on Canada, the USA and then go down through South America.

This world conquest plan should take around 20 years (tops).

They be havin yer head fer this, ye mutinous dog!

 

[Ice-Wolf]

The AFL's long term expansion plans are a secret which only those in the war room are privy too though i would imagine it would be something like

- Take the rest of Australia - Kill all who oppose
- Launch a preemitve strike on New Zealand
- Use South Africa as a Launching pad into Africa
- Once Africa is taken we move through the Middle East and keep going until we reach Russia (yes we will have to cross water)
- Once we have taken over New Zealand, Africa, the Middle East and Russia we will have the miltary force capable of sweeping through Europe and once we reach England we will behead Christinao Ronaldo.

I expect all 5 of those steps to be completed within 10 years and then we will take on Canada, the USA and then go down through South America.

This world conquest plan should take around 20 years (tops).

No no no ...
- After taking europe and the pacific, we take over southern and central america.
- Whilst simultaneously takeing Canada (we will be quite strong at this time).
- After the conquest of Canada and Mexico inc. the Caribbean. We launch and all out attack on Asia.
- Whilst simultaneous targeting the NFL by slowly purchaseing all the franchises and then incrementally changing the rules over many years so that the Americans don't notice what is happening.

 

[Funkalicous]

I dare say they thier economy will be up to $10 million by then aswell.

Milk and honey!

At least they won't have to worry about salary cap breaches.

 

[fishmonger]

Watch some PNG kids start to change their minds and swing the way of Australian Rules once the Mozzies steal the International Cup from New Zealand this August. Even better if the AFL decides to include PNG and/or NZ along with South Africa in a future junior AFL tri-series.

Clearly these leaguers are worried about the growth of AFL football in PNG, where it has gone from 1,000 to 40,000 players in less than half a decade.

Meanwhile guys are dying playing in rugby league competitions over there.

 

[littleduck]

Ever thought that this intense specialisation/localisation is one of the factors contributing to the success of the AFL?

I agree that AFL is probably the exception because AFL has plenty of room within Australia to preach to the unconverted and grow broadcast revenue, but the point remains that all other brands of football and many other sports are embracing globalisation and becoming more Australasian than Australian competitions, including golf, motor racing, Rugby, Rugby League, A-League, etc. Make of it what you will.

 

[littleduck]

You are all overlooking my qualification in the original post in relation to a professional football team growing off the back of sustained economic growth in PNG.

With some good solid economic growth in PNG, RL is best placed of all codes/sports to go along for the economic ride.

Without some good solid economic growth in PNG, all your posts above ridiculing the idea are justified.

 

[Homer Jnr]

Meanwhile guys are dying playing in rugby league competitions over there.

????

 

[Ant_]

PNG is going nowhere it's corrupt to the bone.

I know quite a few people who *used* to live there and moved here because of the state of that basketcase of a nation.

 

[ParraEelsNRL]

Watch some PNG kids start to change their minds and swing the way of Australian Rules once the Mozzies steal the International Cup from New Zealand this August. Even better if the AFL decides to include PNG and/or NZ along with South Africa in a future junior AFL tri-series.

Clearly these leaguers are worried about the growth of AFL football in PNG, where it has gone from 1,000 to 40,000 players in less than half a decade.

Meanwhile guys are dying playing in rugby league competitions over there.

And you wondered why I had a go at you the other day

 

[ParraEelsNRL]

As I said, put them in the QLD cup and leave them there, if the place ever turns the corner, then look at it again.

Oh and fishman, if you think PNG playing AFL in August is going to help AFL take over up there, what happens a few months later when the PNG National team kicks off in Townsville against the poms in the RLWC?

 

[genghiskhan]

PNG is going nowhere it's corrupt to the bone.

I know quite a few people who *used* to live there and moved here because of the state of that basketcase of a nation.

Would AFL supporters be so negative towards PNG as a country if they were talking about entering the AFL instead of NRL?

South Africa is a basketcase, yet the talk of drafting South Africans seems to excite people.

 

[fishmonger]

????

Last year ...

League player dies after a heavy tackle
A RUGBY league player died during a match in the Western Highlands Province.
The match was played between Kumsek Cowboys and Epri Pareks on July 15 at Kudjip/Baning rugby league.
The player identified as Frank Huk, 20, from the Kaipemb tribe, was a Grade eight student attending Kudjip Primary School. He died in the early hours of Monday morning and his body was brought to Mt Hagen General Hospital for post mortem.
At his funeral service on Wednesday his colleagues paid their last respects carrying his casket at the field and handing it over to his family.
President Jim Waki said Huk was on the bench and later went in to play.
Waki said Huk ran into Cowboys territory adding when he was tackled to the ground he sustained an injury and was rushed to the nearby Kudjip Hospital where he was admitted and later died.

 

[fishmonger]

As I said, put them in the QLD cup and leave them there, if the place ever turns the corner, then look at it again.

Oh and fishman, if you think PNG playing AFL in August is going to help AFL take over up there, what happens a few months later when the PNG National team kicks off in Townsville against the poms in the RLWC?

they will get defeated.

Let's face it, PNG might be rugby league crazy, but they are no powerhouse internationally.

On the other hand, their national AFL team has twice narrowly missed being the top nation outside of Australia. If they take it out, definately expect people to get excited over there about it.

The win by the NZ Falcons has helped them enormously. Because of the increased exposure, their player numbers have increased, they are getting a steady flow of junior participants, the number of people watching AFL on TV has increased and senior players are making their way to play semi-professionally in Australia.

When I was at the IC Grand Final back in 2005, there a couple of thousand PNG and Kiwi supporters who had travelled to Melbourne to watch the game. Many of them will be hoping that this IC is a chance for the next Mal Michael or Trent Croad to be recruited from their ranks to the AFL.

 

[fishmonger]

Would AFL supporters be so negative towards PNG as a country if they were talking about entering the AFL instead of NRL?

South Africa is a basketcase, yet the talk of drafting South Africans seems to excite people.

PNG has huge potential for Aussie Rules.

I am not against the idea of a PNG NRL team, they definately deserve one.

But not everyone there is built for rugby football and the rest shouldn't have to play soccer. They are big boned, but many live in poverty, making them unable to build their bodies up enough to play full contact sports at professional level. Footy is a great alternative for them.

But a PNG NRL team would spell doom for AFL in PNG and undo much of the great and unacknowledged work that has been done there in the last decade.

 

[Mingo]

I'm happy for all you rugby fans This is great news. Only PNG can rescue the NRL from the two giants that are the AFL and A League.

Incredible news really. Just gonna head over to NBC and read it on the front page of their news site I'm that excited.

All hail Papua New Guinnea! Saviour of rugby!

 

[ParraEelsNRL]

Fishman, they got defeated in all their games at the last RLWC, didn't stop thousands and thousands of people waiting for their team at the airport did it, they came home as heros.

If you think PNG will not give the poms a good game in Townsville, you have rocks in your head, even the poms themselves are worried about this game because they never play in any place like North QLD.

The heat and humidity is something the PNG guys are used to, the poms on the other hand would rather play in Antarctica.

 

[Ant_]

Would AFL supporters be so negative towards PNG as a country if they were talking about entering the AFL instead of NRL?

South Africa is a basketcase, yet the talk of drafting South Africans seems to excite people.

I am closer to the ground with PNG, know people who have sold up and moved here. Heard first hand evidence of what is going on there.

South Africa too may be in shambles, but has alot more potential for growth then PNG.

 

[fishmonger]

the point remains that all other brands of football and many other sports are embracing globalisation and becoming more Australasian than Australian competitions, including golf, motor racing, Rugby, Rugby League, A-League, etc. Make of it what you will.

Just love your cheekiness LD.

On one hand you go around spouting how Aussie Rules will never succeed outside of Australia.

On the other hand you turn around and poke fun at the AFL for not trying to globalise its brand.

You really take the cake.

 

[genghiskhan]

I am closer to the ground with PNG, know people who have sold up and moved here. Heard first hand evidence of what is going on there.

South Africa too may be in shambles, but has alot more potential for growth then PNG.

It may be a shambles and it has little chance of hosting a team, but is it really necessary to sink the boot in. If an Aboriginal kid is drafted from the Northern Territory, is it necessary to refer to all this problems in Northern Territory Aboriginal communities, or talk about the lack of TV sets out bush?