NRL’s PNG team expected to be confirmed next week

The NRL is expected to confirm as early as next week a team from Papua New Guinea will enter the competition later this decade. The PNG bid, propped up by $600 million (US$386 million) of Australian government

Read More

K100 million allocated for PNG NRL bid support programme

The Papua New Guinea Government has allocated K100 million (US$25 million) in the 2025 National Budget to rugby league. The budget was handed down last Friday in the National Parliament. Under Volume 3A document of the

Read More

Different agendas at play, NRL researcher says

Different agendas are at play with Australia’s support of Papua New Guinea’s push to have a team in the National Rugby

Read More

NRL fans blast Anthony Albanese after AU$600 million PNG plan gets the green light: ‘Waste of tax payer dollars’

Australian footy fans fear Anthony Albanese is making a ‘horrible decision’ amid reports the Australian Prime Minister has given the greenlight to AUD$600million (K1.6billion) in funding to launch a new NRL team in

Read More

Tahnee Norris appointed as PNG Orchids head coach

Women’s rugby league in Papua New Guinea has received an enormous boost ahead of the upcoming Pacific Championships with the groundbreaking appointment of Tahnee Norris as Orchids coach.  Norris, who last month

Read More

NRL wants me to stay out of PNG discussions: Olam

Justin Olam feels rugby league powerbrokers have not consulted him about the Papua New Guinea expansion bid for fear he will warn against fast-tracking the team’s entry into the NRL.  The premiership-winning PNG

Read More

NRL insists competitiveness part of PNG criteria

Andrew Abdo has emphasised the NRL must believe a Papua New Guinea team can be genuinely competitive before it is given the green light to enter an expanded competition. The league will take the next step towards

Read More

PNG eyes Coates for NRL bid

State of Origin star Xavier Coates has been earmarked as the face of the franchise if Papua New Guinea’s bid for an NRL club is approved.  Papua New Guinea is in a battle to become one of the newest teams, with Perth

Read More

NRL and Australian federal government dosing in on $600m deal to launch PNG rugby league team

The Australian federal government and the NRL are closing in on a deal worth up to $600 million (US$400 million) to secure a new NRL side based in Papua New Guinea. NRL chairman Peter V’landys met with Minister

Read More

Fiji Business Briefs: NRL trophy, Vatuvara Foundation, VIL director resigns, FMF results

The NRL trophy visits Fiji Fiji Airways Premium Lounge at Nadi International Airport hosted the prestigious NRL Provan-Summons Trophy last week, the first time it had travelled outside Australia. Fiji Airways CEO Andre

Read More

Samoa name powerful World Cup squad

Toa Samoa‘s World Cup credentials have been underlined by the inclusion of eight players from the Penrith and Parramatta grand final teams in a powerful squad announced on Tuesday. Samoa are the first Pacific

Read More

PNG to likely join NRL by 2025: Hill

Australia’s Foreign Ministry is working with PNG Sports executives to get the NRL bid up and running. Australia’s Foreign Minister Senator Penny Wong said this when appearing at NBC National Radio. She said

Read More

Opinion: Don’t blame Pacific Island cultures for queer fear, blame colonisation

Six of the seven players who refused to wear the Manly Sea Eagles rainbow jersey in their match on Thursday night are from a Pasifika heritage.  I’ve been working alongside wellbeing and education with the NRL since

Read More

Cairns offer support for PNG NRL bid

Cairns Regional Council Mayor Bob Manning believes far north Queensland can greatly assist Papua New Guinea’s (PNG) bid to become the NRL’s 18th side. Mayor Bob Manning, who has touted the prospect of a joint

Read More