NRL Expansion: Rugby league’s role in soothing simmering geopolitical tensions

The whispers have grown louder about rugby league’s push to help ease China’s influence in the Pacific. Now a senior federal minister outlines his plans.

PNG crowd at PMXIII game. Picture: NRL Images

Rugby league has been touted as the saviour in geopolitical tensions in the Pacific with an expanded NRL competition predicted to help minimise the growing influence of China in the region.

What seemed like an unbelievable thought bubble just months ago is now a stark reality. The Federal Government is planning to tip in millions of dollars to help fund the NRL’s expansion bid as they throw support behind PNG.

Pat Conroy, the Minister for Defence Industry, Minister for International Development and the Pacific, is playing a key part in bringing the team to life.

“We’ve made no secret of the fact of the intense geopolitical competition in the region,” Conroy said. “Rugby league is critical in deepening our relationships in the Pacific. Some would find it unusual for sport to feature that essentially. I think it’s a great opportunity.

“There is a lot of work to do with the NRL. What’s worse than PNG getting a franchise is getting one and falling over. We need a model that is sustainable.”

PNG crowd at PMXIII game. Picture: NRL Images

Conroy is in PNG and watched the PM’s XIII matches. He has trumpeted a host of government-led initiates already including a $5.5 million grant in July to help with the PNG’s NRL bid. A month later he announced alongside Prime Minister Anthony Albanese $7 million for the end of season Pacific Championships which feature men and women teams from Australia, New Zealand, PNG, Samoa, Cook Islands and Fiji.

More staggering though have been the suggestions that the government is prepared to give a $200 million, 10-year commitment to directly fund an 18th team.

“Those figures have not come from us,” Conroy said. “We can sell it (to the Australian people) and whenever I am on the street people see it as a no-brainer. Our security is linked with our region and us being the partner of choice for our region. Nothing can bring our two countries closer together than a rugby league team. This is a really good investment from a national point of view.”

The government is in deep discussions with the NRL. PNG is now the frontrunner to be part of an expanded competition with hopes a can be playing before 2027. PNG have a bid consortium led by former Bulldogs boss Andrew Hill and independent funding from companies in PNG which would match the richest sponsorship deals of any NRL club.

“(PNG) Prime Minister James Marape has a Nelson Mandela vision,” Conroy said. “He wants to use rugby league in the same way rugby union was used at the 1995 World Cup to unite post- apartheid in South Africa. He sees rugby league as a way of uniting a nation.”

Originally published as NRL Expansion: Rugby league’s role in soothing simmering geopolitical tensions