Cairns in play for NRL
Mayor believes PNG bid could deliver stadium improvements in FNQ
CAIRNS’ role in the expansion of the NRL is all but set in stone with “a lot of work” ahead as Papua New Guinea launched its bid to become the code’s 18th team.
On Wednesday, Papua New Guinea’s rugby league and national leaders announced the footy-mad country’s bid to become the NRL’s 18th team by 2030 was ready, at an event launch at Port Moresby.
With rugby league as its national sport, PNG’s top tier franchise side – the Hunters – currently feature in the Queensland Cup, while its international team is ranked fifth in the world.
On face value, PNG’s bid
would seem a major boost for its rugby league neighbour – Cairns – a city currently campaigning for major upgrades to Barlow Park, or a whole new rugby league purposebuilt rectangular stadium.
The good news for the Far North is that political leaders from Cairns and PNG, which have long held a dream of joining the NRL, have built a rapport around the sport and how the two regions could leverage off each other.
However, for PNG’s bid to “be ready” by the NRL’s standards, it means the country has everything it needs from infrastructure to organisational governance, financial strength and the relevant football operation markers such as competitiveness and pathways.
So why would PNG need any assistance from Cairns?
While Cairns Mayor Bob Manning said preparation for this bid didn’t involve him, and he wasn’t sure “what it looked like”, he said he would be surprised if there wasn’t a conversation on how the city would assist PNG’s push into the NRL.
Asked who would need to initiate the conversation for Cairns to have a seat at the table, Cr Manning said “we’ve had no discussions with them of late”, but “I just can’t imagine there won’t be one”.
“We spend quite some time talking to each other, I’d be surprised if there isn’t an opportunity offered (to Cairns). We very much could have a part to play,” he said.
Cr Manning said that role could include offering Cairns’ sports service industry to not only PNG’s prospective NRL team but its wider sporting ambitions.
“If this idea of theirs was to come off, they’re talking about the NRL, that’s going to be a big ask. Why would it only involve the NRL, why wouldn’t it involve the NBL too and netball?” he said.
“With eight million people there, they’re limited in development there. There are so many young people that get passed over because they don’t have an academy or league to get into.
“Then we’d be looking at CQUniversity, JCU and TAFE to get involved in sports science, conditioning, physios and medicine. And the business opportunities would grow from there.”
In Sydney, the NRL has played a role in lobbying for clubs’ new stadiums and upgrades, and if PNG was to be successful, Cr Manning said it wouldn’t detract attention away from Cairns’ stadium hopes, although the Hunters would continue to play home games at Port Moresby.
“It’s too early at this stage of the game, but it doesn’t hurt our chances of a stadium. If someone is going to put an NRL team into the place of one of our trading partners, then that’s good for us,” he said. “We have a lot to offer PNG, we’ve done a lot of work on that. But if there is to be a relationship with PNG, and that is to involve the NRL, then I think it’s almost an absolute certainty that somewhere in all that something will happen that involves improvements of major infrastructure in Cairns.”