By Fidelis Sukina – EMTV Sports, Port Moresby
Having credible local rugby league competitions in Papua New Guinea is the key to having players competing in the international market against countries in the Pacific for NRL Contracts. This was highlighted by the Papua New Guinea Rugby Football League.
A lot of questions have been raised on rugby league forums on social media, on why Papua New Guinea Players are not being recruited extensively from local clubs and competitions. NRL clubs seem to be more interested in our Melanesian neighbours and close competition Fiji to recruit players. According to Papua New Guinea Rugby Football League, the country’s rugby league governing body, PNG just needs to build credibility in its competitions.
The SP PNG Hunters winning the Intrust Super Cup in 2017 successful international campaigns by the PNG LNG Kumuls over the past five years some credibility is being seen
Having elite rugby league players in any competition depends solely on the pathway of players through different levels of the game, with this in mind the country’s semi-professional competition the Digicel Cup is trying to improve the standard after the PNGRFL took over the Papua New Guinea Rugby League Competition which manages the Digicel Cup.
