it is so frustrating seeing that club surviving and clubs like perth, 2 clubs in queensland, 4 foundation RL clubs and central coast all being killled off

if RL wasnt such a good sport all the BS of our SL war shouldve killed it

once we get our finances right, well go back to full expansion mode, and places like perth, PNG and NZ x 2 will all get teams

More to this, Big Mal is that scared he has made private trips to PNG. The only problem he has is fighting off the well wishers.

Unfortunately some companies take their cue from the so called "smart traveler" website put out by a bunch of cowards hiding in their fortress that is the Aussie High Comm. Everyone else carries on operating successful businesses and amazingly staying alive.

Anyway some food for thought.

1 Security - yes there is a problem but an NRL footballer is super safe - they are treated like gods and nobody would dare harm them.

2 Money - PNG is indeed 3rd world but that doesn't mean money isn't there - it is just very unequally distributed. For example property prices in Port Moresby would put Sydney to shame but they get paid. There is also a considerable resources boom going on so contrary to some "experts" the cash is there.

3 Stadium. This is what will stop any bid as there isn't a suitable one. The government has promised one but they have a less than stellar record for delivering the goods. It isn't a total pipe dream though as the govrnment found no problems in buying an executive jet for themselves so if there is a will there's a way.

4 PNG is the one country where RL is the undoubted number one sport. However we can't be afford to be complacent as more money goes into soccer simply because spare change for FIFA dwarfs any other sports budget. Fortunately soccer there is extremely corruptly and inefficiently run preventing it gaining a stronger foothold but there is no guarantee that this will always be so. Do we really want to be rueing missed opportunity's 15 year's on with nancyball taking over?

There are ways around any problem. This needs to be done for world rugby and the NRL should help them out big time. They are trying to fund the stadium but that will be the biggest hurdle. The safety issue is mainly for supporters, but part of sustaining a stadium is having the staff to run it, with the right staff there would be no security issues. The stadium is currently the same standard as a sunday league team in this country where anyone could take weapons in and there is no security at all, it is an issue that needs sorting. The benefits this could have by far outweigh the negatives.

I met a kid working at Leeds Fest this summer whos doing medicine, he went to work in PNG last summer as part of his course. He said the standard of medical treatment isn't so bad at the main hospital in the capital (can't comment on elsewhere, but where do you think they'd play...), but they do have a lot of general health problems.

The NRL would be great for PNG as a country and I'm sure it would do the countrys tourism trade no harm at all. Don't think they'd have any shortage in talent given a year or so.

The bid is for a team im the capital. 250,000 people who all love RL. If they could get the money the team would be bigger than our top clubs in no time at all. This could change a country, we are not just talking about rugby here, we must not forget that.

if the nrl with all its money and resources ignore a place like PNG then its a dead set disgrace, especially after their WC performances

The NRL has no money! They are skint. If someone decided to move to Gosfrod they'd be fricked as they don't have the money in teh bank they promised!

The new commision should however be looking at how it supports PNG and helps their players develop as a playing resource for current NRL clubs.

please JB this is a serious thread.

theres a time and a place for your anti NRL comments ie the nrl forum but some people here are actually interesed in hearing about how the nrl will expand

Not any real problems there I guess.

Police in Papua New Guinea have revealed that three people were killed during widespread fighting after this week's State of Origin rugby league match.

The city's public hospital was also filled with people injured in post-match fights between Queensland and New South Wales supporters.


Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Michael Somare blames corruption in the police force and immigration department for a recent wave of anti-Asian rioting and looting. During a recent week of violence, local media reported PNG police shot four looters in the Highlands region while in Lae, PNG's second biggest city, two looters were killed.

Google Crime + PNG.


The average person earns what about $2,300 per year?
The NRL is a business where is the media or advertising income?
Its a fantasy.
Move on.

youve saved david gallop a lot of work

but watch out for big mal, hes after you

as usual a post lacking in substance

i like the way ken acker uses actual facts rather than bias to make his conclusions

Keep Dreaming Mate.
Why people can not accept what they have instead of always wanting more is one of the problems with this game.
Look at the Crusaders.
There is not a bottomless pit of money and perhaps some consolidation may be called for.

why cant you accept that an average income figure is useless because that will include most of the rural areas, and that a team in Port moresby will draw from a much larger income base?

if RL cant work in PNG, its got zero chance in melbourne

next time you go to port moresby, visit more than a few streets, go with an open mind and you might become more informed

might ...


and your comparison with CC and SL is dumb. we are a dominant sport with saturation media coverage. how can we ignore a RL nation on our doorstep?

lets just wait till afl puts a team there first then realize we are missing the boat.

Might come back with an open head too.

they are discerning canibals.

why put all that effort in for an empty brain cavity?