Marape commends Hunters performance in the 2024 Hostplus Cup season

Prime Minister James Marape has commended the outstanding efforts of the PNG Hunters rugby league team in the regular season of the Queensland Cup this year, finishing in top-5 on the ladder.

Prime Minister Marape, said the promising Hunters display of talent and skills this year paves the way as Papua New Guinea’s NRL Bid is being considered, in light of PNG and Australian Governments having continued conversations on support for a PNG-based team as the 18th team in Australia’s National Rugby League competition (NRL) should it be given the nod.

PM Marape said his government is working to support the PNG NRL Bid Team as they put forward the Bid to the Australian NRL for consideration and deliberation.

“Conversations on enabling a PNG team in the Australian NRL is centered around promoting national unity, as we near 50 years of anniversary as a nation since Independence in 1975, in a land of so much diversity. Rugby league inspires and brings Papua New Guinea together in a unique way.

“Part of our ambition as a government in enabling a PNG team in the Australian NRL, a highly professional rugby league competition in the Oceania region and even at the world stage, is to create effective pathways for our young people who have the skills and talent to succeed at a professional level, thus enable sports to become a career path for some who may not make it through the normal education system,” said Marape.

Prime Minister also highlighted that PNG participating in such a competition has proved beneficial for the country as it bids to be the 18th team in the NRL.

Apart from rugby league, Prime Minister Marape also urged other sporting codes in the country to step up to the next stage and enable sports to become a professional career pathway for youths in the country.