PNG NRL Bid academy to expand in 2025

Papua New Guinea’s NRL Bid Academy has taken a major step to expand its capacity next year to ensure the country’s next general of rugby league stars are captured.

Part of the expansion plan includes the introduction of under-15, U17 male, and U18 female players to compete in a bigger NRL Bid Academy tournament with the U19 boys to play in a new PNGRFL tournament.

PNG NRL Bid chief executive Andrew Hill said the major developments at the academy level were another vital step towards creating a pathways system that would prepare the next generation of PNG players for the NRL.

“We have said from the start that the key part of developing our players into the future would be the establishment of a pathways system that would be as good as any in the world,” Hill said.

“There is an incredible amount of young talent in the country at both a male and female level and we have looked to adopt a strategy that would create a consistent national approach to coaching and player development.

“The most crucial part of that approach was to link our schools and Academy together.

“With the introduction of an even bigger NRL Bid Academy Schools tournament this season and major upgrades within our Academy program, we believe that we can look to the future with confidence.

“You only have to look at the way our Junior Kumuls were able to match it with the Australian Schoolboys to see the effect the pathways program has already had, and we are incredibly excited about what the future holds.”

The 2025 Academy will see the introduction of a program that will create several exciting new initiatives.

Hill said they have doubled the number of staff employed compared to last season, including an increase in the number of female staff from 8 percent to 25 percent.

Women will take major academy roles of head coach, assistant, team manager, and trainer for the first time.

He said the introduction of a new Player Welfare program, will deliver player education sessions in finance, well-being and diet, and nutrition

The creation of the first-ever 2-day coaches conference that saw coaches from throughout the country brought together to build a national coaching program that would create a consistent approach throughout the regions.