Rugby league is the nation’s biggest reality TV show, and its latest drama is the introduction of new teams into the NRL. But leaving aside the prospect of clubs in Perth or Newtown, the most high-profile contender for a new side is Papua New Guinea.
Rugby league is the national sport of PNG. The prospect of a PNG side in the NRL has been bubbling away since February, when PNG Prime Minister James Marape became the first PNG leader to address Federal Parliament.
Since February, a rumoured $600m investment in PNG rugby league from the federal government over ten years has been reported.
In late May, 2GB’s Ben Fordham claimed in respect of the NRL expansion to PNG, “The deal has been done.”
In June, Richard Marles, the defence minister, told media they are hoping to have a PNG NRL side underway by 2027. “It’s been a long-held ambition to have a PNG team in the NRL, and we as a government are really committed to that,” Marles said.
In July, Pat Conroy, Minister for International Development and the Pacific, was promoting the plan at the Lowy Institute. “Sports diplomacy is why we’re all here,” said Conroy. “People understand the power of it.”
On a trip to Fiji, Conroy commented, “the most common question I was asked by Fijian journalists was would Australian continue to support Pacific rugby league teams.”
So there is enthusiasm all round. In fact, the main opposition to the plan comes from One Nation, who stated, “The allocation of $600 million to a foreign country for a sports team is deeply concerning.”
It all sounds great, but will it actually happen? Last weekend, Prime Minister Marape said his office has yet to be fully briefed on the NRL’s proposal.
There are bigger challenges than just the paperwork. In January, 22 people died in protesting and riots in Port Moresby. Former Canterbury Bulldogs CEO said the initial plan is to host the team at a facility in Cairns, with players making the 90-min flight into Port Moresby for matches on game day.
Yet the political instability may be seen as just another reason to push forward. In the wake of the rioting, China offered “security and policing assistance”, according to PNG’s foreign minister. PNG signed a $200m security deal with Australia in December 2023.
For now, the Lowy Institute ranks Australia the sixth most influential power among the Pacific Island nations.
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