PNG: World Cup could be Gateway to NRL Team

By RLP 15/4/2008

With the World Cup fast approaching the Papua New Guinea Rugby Football League (PNGRFL) have made their NRL ambitions public. This has come on the back of a recent visit to PNG by the Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and the expansion aspirations of the other Australian based football codes. Is 2014 the right time for a PNG based rugby league team to enter the NRL?

If you believe the hype, by 2014 Australia could have more professional football clubs from all codes then the Milky Way has stars. Over the last 4 months the professional sporting bodies for Aussie Rules (AFL), Rugby League (NRL/ARL), Football (FFA) and Rugby Union (ARU) have all jumped on the expansion bandwagon. The AFL is going to Southwest Sydney and the Gold Coast. The A-League to Townsville and the Gold Coast. The Rugby Union has mentioned several options for an expanded Super 14 competition with another team possibly located somewhere on the east coast of Australia or even in Asia. David Gallop from the NRL has mentioned that Perth, Central Coast, South West or Central Queensland and Wellington as possible locations for another NRL team. In Rugby League's case this could all be dependent on the Sydney based teams with the crippling effects of the Poker machine tax hitting home. The other major driver for expansion will be the renewal of the TV rights when they expire in 2012.

It's not the first time the idea of having a PNG based team in the NRL has been floated. PNG are very passionate about rugby league. You cannot travel anywhere in PNG without seeing someone with an NRL jersey on. Such is the status of Rugby League in PNG, touring Australian players have recently been involved in relaying health messages to the PNG public. Having a Rugby League team in the NRL would help PNG establish its own national identity and could assist with addressing social issues currently affecting the country. With the PNG National Rugby League team the Kumuls set to get massive media exposure in the World Cup now might be the time to test the water.

Papua New Guinea have been grouped with Australia, New Zealand and England in the upcoming Rugby League World Cup. When the World Cup schedule was originally announced PNG threatened to boycott the World Cup, as they believed they were unfairly grouped in the Super Pool. Since then their tune has changed and they might have seen the positive side of their grouping. PNG will be playing against three of the biggest Rugby League nations in the World which will give their team unprecedented exposure. With this exposure comes opportunity. Sponsors may see the PNG national team as a way to get products exposed around the World at a cost effective price, as the games in the Super Pool will easily account for much of the viewing audience.

The PNGRFL can leverage this exposure to further push their case for a team in the NRL. PNG can test the water in regards to sponsorship interest. Sponsorship will be key for the NRL in regards to excepting a PNG team. The other key will be having a suitable stadium capable of holding NRL games. At present PNG does not have a stadium that's up to NRL standard. The PNGRFL need to engage with the PNG government and businesses to get a suitable stadium built. With the World Cup around the corner the time might be right for PNG to put their NRL claims forward but they will need to back it up with a blueprint for the future.

The most logical way forward would be to enter a team into the Queensland Cup. This will give PNG players exposure to the week in week out travelling and intensity of an Australian competition. It would also be a step up in intensity from the current PNG based SP Cup. The Queensland Cup would be a good testing ground for the PNGRFL in the way they manage the day to day operations of a football team. If the PNGRFL can pass these tests the NRL would have more confidence in looking at PNG as a future expansion option.

2014 might be a little optimistic for PNG to establish a team in the NRL. The NRL would more then likely go with a team in Perth or Wellington before considering PNG. But just like anything in life, if you keep on knocking on the door eventually someone will let you in. PNG just need to be ready when the door is finally opened.