NRL 2024: Peter V’landys says players could be offered incentives to join Papua New Guinea expansion side

Peter V’landys is mindful of offshore security challenges that come with the potential Papua New Guinea NRL expansion, revealing rugby league’s top stars could be offered extra incentives to play for the new 18th side.

Rugby league’s top stars are set to be offered ‘danger money’ to play in Papua New Guinea as NRL clubs learned the Pacific nation is the preferred candidate for an 18th team.

NRL boss Andrew Abdo presided over a club CEO conference on Thursday ahead of Magic Round in Brisbane where clubs were informed Papua New Guinea was the frontrunner to win the next expansion licence for 2027 or 2028.

As revealed by this masthead, a PNG task-force has been created, with ARL Commission boss Peter V’landys ramping up negotiations with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese as part of a $600 million incursion into the Pacific.

There are fears the introduction of a Papua New Guinea team could be a financial and security disaster for the NRL, which is exploring avenues to reward Australian-based players for representing an 18th team in the Pacific.

V’landys is mindful of the security challenges offshore and says NRL players could be offered extra incentives to play for an 18th PNG franchise, including major tax breaks.

“It (expansion to PNG) is a few years away but we are certainly looking at this with the Federal government,” V’landys said.

Peter V'landys says there could be extra incentives for players who choose to play for the expansion side. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

“If you play over there you might get tax-free dollars, so you will get a lot more money than you are now because you aren’t paying the same level of tax.

“It might not be completely tax-free but, yes, there might be a tax benefit to encourage players to play in PNG.

“That’s one initiative we are looking at.”

Papua New Guinea currently has the second highest crime rate of any country in the world.

In 2009, Australia’s touring Prime Minister’s XIII team feared for their safety after a crowd riot prompted PNG armed forces to fire tear gas and rubber bullets after furious fans were locked out of a sold-out stadium.

Police confiscated a number of machetes hidden in supporters’ bags, evoking images of Australia’s tour of PNG in 1991, when Kangaroos players hid their faces under green-and-gold jerseys after tear gas was fired at halftime.

Super coach Wayne Bennett, who has helped new franchise the Dolphins become a force, has suggested the code finance the construction of an NRL ‘mini city’ in Port Moresby.

That could see players and their families live in a state-of-the-art, high-security NRL compound with services such as schooling, medical, child care and shopping facilities.

Papua New Guinea is the frontrunner to win the next expansion. Picture: NRL Photos

There were fears the ARLC could face a backlash from the existing 17 clubs amid a sentiment they were being kept in the dark on key elements of the sport’s plans for further growth.

But it is understood Abdo allayed many of the clubs’ concerns on Thursday, indicating an 18th team in PNG was the preferred option, with the 17 franchises to be included on the expansion journey.

“Peter V’landys’ vision on expanding the competition and initiatives like Las Vegas has put the sport in a very strong position, on and off the field,” Souths CEO Blake Solly said.

“We’re looking forward to receiving more information about the potential expansion teams in PNG and Perth at our club meetings over the Magic weekend.”

The NRL’s 17 premiership licences expire at the end of this season and the clubs are hoping for long-term participation extensions ahead of the code’s next broadcast cycle from 2028-32.

Abdo confirmed expansion is on the NRL’s agenda and said Papua New Guinea is firmly in the mix to become the 18th team.

Jack de Belin is a Papua New Guinea rep. Could he be tempted by the expansion project? Picture: NRL Photos

“We are in significant talks with what that (an expanded league) would look like and having a PNG team playing in the competition, absolutely,” Abdo said.

“But we are also looking at expansion much more broadly than just 18 teams.

“There are multiple factors there (with a PNG team).

“Obviously we need to consider the overall benefit for the game of rugby league. It is multifaceted, it’s not just about a licence for an 18th team, but it’s also about investment into participation and pathways and growing rugby league internationally.

“There’s a lot of considerations but it’s an exciting opportunity.

“We are hard at work looking at the business case and thinking about expansion strategically and carefully.

“Once that analysis is complete, the commission will make a decision and provide clarity.

“We are in a position where we are thinking about growth, growth of both the men’s and women’s game, and that’s a really healthy position to be in.

Abdo said the four teams for the NRL’s second trip to Las Vegas in 2025 could be announced within a month.

It is understood Penrith and the Warriors will be two of the quartet for Las Vegas 2.0.

“We are thinking about Las Vegas 2.0 and like Magic Round we want the second edition to be even bigger and better,” Abdo said.

“We are thinking of different ways in which we can create an even bigger atmosphere for rugby league in Las Vegas and that includes who the teams will be and what the fixtures will look like.

“I think you can expect to see an announcement sometime in June, we would like that finalised.”

Originally published as NRL 2024: Peter V’landys says players could be offered incentives to join Papua New Guinea expansion side