INTRUST SUPER CUP A BIG HIT IN PNG

Can PNG build on from this unprecedented development in rugby league with PNG Hunters or even explore the QLD's Intrust Cup prospects?

by BRIAN FOLOCK
 
Queensland's Intrust Super Cup turns out a BIG HIT in PNG after two of its teams, PNG's own Hunters and Souths Magpies took to the capital - Port Moresby for the first time after the introduction of the PNG team to the 2nd Tier Queensland Rugby League in Australia. The match was a trial match to test the newly renovated Sir John Guise Stadium (renamed BSP Stadium) which will host most of the sporting activities of 2015 Pacific Games including the Opening Ceremony.

Intrust Super Cup (ISC) is a second-tier rugby league of Queensland, Australia. Papua New Guinea has a team, the PNG Hunters competing in the league and has been hosting home games in Kokopo, East New Britain since its inception. Kokopo was selected as the Hunters' home ground when the country's old and dilapidated major sporting infrastructures including Sir John Guise Stadium, Sir Hubert Murray Stadium and Lloyd Robson Oval underwent renovation as well as complete overhaul and construction in preparation to host the 2015 Pacific Games.

Many of these infrastructures are nearing completion with Sir John Guise Stadium being the first to be done. Thus the Stadium hosted the above game, many described as spectacular and historical with spectator turn-out or participation hitting an all time high, surpassing or even disparaging any record crowd back in Australia where the Intrust Super Cup originated and is played.

The historic event as well as the interception of the facilities has, according to some Social Media posts, revolutionized sporting in Papua New Guinea and its state-of-the-art or world class facilities would add more flavor in what is expected to develop sports and especially rugby league in Papua New Guinea.
.........................(am not a reporter sic)///////////////
Anyhow, Papua New Guinea watched this historic event and within the next 24 hours, all its social media outlets went viral from every angle with some boosting about the new look stadium, the historic game played between the two teams, the players profile and displays, whilst others including cynical social media personalities (including self) were at their best to throw at anything from the Stadium being half temporary and half permanent to players attitudes, etc.

Well, everything will be history now but I want to raise these issues below to take us to a review of PNG Hunters in terms of Rugby League Development and the Team's position in the overall PNG National Rugby League:

(1). Where does the PNG Hunters fit into in PNGRFL structure?
(2). Which rugby league code in PNG will feed or sustain PNG Hunters' players?
(3). Where will PNG Hunters' products end up?
(4). What do we aim to achieve of PNG Hunters team since its maintenance and or sustainability will consume a lot of tax payers money?
(5). Since the Intrust Super Cup is a big hit in PNG, what does the management has in store to capitalize that momentum and catapult the league's development?
(6). How is PNGRFL aligning the development of rugby league with the PNG Hunters?
(7). What are some of the yardsticks PNG will use from the PNG Hunters to integrate and measure rugby league in PNG?
(8). Overall, how will PNG via its premier institution, PNGRFL drive the code using PNG Hunters as its footstool to take rugby league into the future in PNG as well as in the Australian National Rugby League?
(9). Is PNG Hunters a "NATIONAL" team?
(10). How will the development of PNG Hunters impact on the formation of the PNG Kumul, the country's national team?

These are issues I wish to seek the audience of PNGRFL Management as well as PNG Hunters administrators to discuss with. I will also suggest some ideas and in between the lines, some answers to the questions above will come into the playground.

1): Can PNG propose to the Intrust Super Cup to field FOUR (4) Teams including PNG Hunters? The four PNG Intrust Super Cup teams must represent PNG's four regions (NGI, Southern, Momase and Highlands).
2): If the above request is approved, can PNGRFL "revitalize and restructure" PNG School Boys League to be the Tier or Feeder League for the PNG Hunters plus the other proposed Three Teams? The School Boys League must have Four Plates all representing the four regions.
3): If not, if the proposal can not be done, how then will PNG Hunters feed its players and maintain its player profile? What are the selection criteria? Who select PNG Hunters players? Is playing in the PNG Hunter team a ticket to play in the Kumul team?
4). PNG Kumul selectors have a wider spectrum of leagues to select the national team including: PNG Hunters, Digicel Cup Teams, England League, Australian NRL and others including the Intrust Super Cup, NSW Cup and NSW Holden Cup. But, we have seen the Kumul dominated by the PNG Hunters thus does that indicate something? Is that a fair representation? Do we have a formidable Kumul team to trust? I think one of the worst scenarios of not selecting a fair representation from all spectrum like above dredged or plucked PNG another step lower and probably the worst selection we've had. Selectors ought to understand that PNG Hunters team do not form the core of rugby leagues top breed of players to qualify for PNG Kumul.

There are many ideas coming into mind but I wish to throw the towel to every Papua New Guinean to discuss how we can help develop rugby league and other sports in PNG to par with the modern sporting facilities our current government has delivered to us as the 40th Birth Day present.

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