The Australian Government-supported PNG NRL Academy program supplied a record number of players to the Papua New Guinea representative teams that participated in the weekend’s Prime Minister’s XIII rugby league matches against Australia, highlighting the success of the pathway in preparing young players for elite level competition.
The Junior Orchids team, which recorded its narrowest margin to date against the Australian Schoolgirls (a 20-12 loss) featured 11 players from the Academy.
The highest number of representatives were from the New Guinea Islands region.
The Junior Kumuls, who also experienced a tight 22-14 loss to the Australian Schoolboys, featured seven Academy representatives from three provinces of NCD, Mt Hagen and Goroka.
Junior Kumuls captain and NCD Academy product Joseph Kora said: “It was a great moment for me to be named captain of our national team. Without the Academy program and the help of coach Joey Grima and all the staff, I wouldn’t be playing at this level. The Academy has helped me a lot in everything, on and off the field.”
At the senior level, the PNG Prime Minister’s XIII Women’s team featured three players who were part of the inaugural Academy cohort in 2024 and they will also be part of the Santos PNG Orchids squad for their upcoming Pacific Championships matches against Cook Islands on 18 October and Tonga on 1 November in Port Moresby.
PNG Prime Minister’s XIII Women’s player and Goroka Academy representative Skaylyn Sil said, “the transition from the Academy to the PMXIII team was smooth. In the Academy we learnt about marker systems and quick play-the-ball, so it was easy for me when we did these things in training with the senior team. Being part of this team is one of my dreams, and I’m grateful for this opportunity.”
Ewen McDonald, Australian High Commissioner to Papua New Guinea and Special Envoy for the Pacific and Regional Affairs, said that, “Australia is proud to be standing side by side with Papua New Guinea’s junior rugby league development programs by supporting talent pathways in several regions through the PNG NRL Academy.
The next PNG NRL Academy season will begin in November with a new cohort of around 1000 players selected from schoolboys and schoolgirls competitions in eight different regions throughout PNG.
