NRL Expansion: Papua New Guinea’s successful bid set for formal announcement

Papua New Guinea will finally and formally be announced as the venue to host an NRL club. See the timeline for the new team to join the competition here.

In a historic decision, Papua New Guinea will finally and formally be announced as the venue to host an NRL club after Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and PNG counterpart James Marape intensified negotiations about rugby league expansion in recent weeks.

Multiple PNG ministers were briefed about the successful NRL bid in Brisbane on Wednesday night before State of Origin III.

This masthead also understands Australia’s Deputy PM Richard Marles and Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong, along with six other ministers, heavily discussed a Papua New Guinea NRL side during a PNG-Australia ministerial forum in Port Moresby last month.

Papua New Guinea bid chairman Wapu Sonk and chief executive Andrew Hill have revealed what has been mooted for two years – PNG will be granted entry in the NRL in what will be a milestone and landmark moment for rugby league.

And is an astonishing admission, Sonk predicted the PNG team could attract up to one million members.

A new PNG team would bring millions of fresh fans to the NRL. Picture: Getty Images

PNG will target entry for the 2028 season but insist the country would be ready for 2027. That decision will be made by the NRL.

“It’s imminent. We are tying up the loose ends now to formalise it. It’s getting near, it’s becoming a reality,” said Sonk, who is also managing director of Kumul Petroleum. “There is corporate support and infrastructure.

“As we enter the final stages we will commence more formal discussions with the corporate sponsors.

“There have been several meetings between the Australian and PNG Governments and the NRL. We won’t be like other NRL clubs in Australia, who have their own regions. We are a country with a population of more than ten million people. Companies are queuing up to support the bid and team.

“At a minimum, we could get a million members. We will break every criteria the NRL uses, it’s crazy. Everything will be five, ten-fold. The NRL will realise it will be a very good investment.”

The Minister for International Development and the Pacific, Pat Conroy presents the Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea with a signed rugby league jersey. Picture: Martin Ollma

The Federal Government and NRL have all but completed a deal which could be worth $600m in federal funding over ten years.

Subject to any last-minute issues, a decision will be officially announced after final approval is secured from the Federal cabinets, and treasury, from both countries, probably next month.

One source close to the PNG bid said: “It’s not if, but when.”

Hill said the franchise’s official name, nickname, logo, colours, jersey design and team song were still being discussed and would be part of a community engagement strategy.

“We truly want to make this the people’s team of PNG,” Hill said.

The NRL’s 20-team plan is poised to include PNG, Perth Bears and possibly a second New Zealand side.

Either PNG or the Bears - but not both - could become an official expansion club by 2027. The other bid may have to wait a further two years.

“Rugby league in PNG is a national sport and has always dominated. There’s no doubt rugby league is the one thing that unifies PNG. It not only connects the villages, communities and people but also the corporates and businesses,” Hill said.

“Everyone wants to be part of rugby league and when we are in the NRL that will only increase ten-fold. We have been working and planning for a number of years now and have implemented a number of player pathways programs along with tremendous corporate support.”

Pressed on whether his bid team would be ready for NRL inclusion by 2027, Hill said: “Absolutely. We have a long history of playing in the Queensland Cup and we won the competition within the first ten years. We have teams coming and going to PNG every second week.”

The $600m will be injected into the PNG side and also community outreach programs.

Australia’s support of PNG is seen as a strategic foreign move to ward-off possible Chinese intrusion around the Pacific region.

The PNG Hunters were formed to play in the second-tier Queensland Cup during December, 2013.

Originally published as NRL Expansion: Papua New Guinea’s successful bid set for formal announcement