Bougainville Rugby League

[SydneyRoosters]

In 2027 an island currently part of Papua New Guinea called Bougainville is going to become an independent country. Rugby league has a long history on the island, in fact in 1945 shortly after the war ended the Australian troops who occupied Bougainville played a state of origin match in Torokina. There have been good signs there recently, earlier this there was a 9s Completion played and there is great interest on setting up a proper competition. If proper pathways are established early on and Bougainville develops into a more safe and civil country, we could have a brand new rugby league playing nation which is very cool to think about. Fun fact the first ever Papua new guinean to play to play professionally in Australia was called Lauta Atoi and is from Bougainville.

[Gomersall]

You had me all the way until this “and Bougainville develops into a more safe and civil country”.

[SydneyRoosters]

1 minute ago, Gomersall said:

You had me all the way until this “and Bougainville develops into a more safe and civil country”.

What why ?

[SydneyRoosters]

19 minutes ago, Gomersall said:

You had me all the way until this “and Bougainville develops into a more safe and civil country”.

I am saying that if the country develops more it could have the potential to produce could talent, What’s wrong about that.

Edited September 26, 2022 by SydneyRoosters

[fighting irish]

2 minutes ago, SydneyRoosters said:

I am saying that if the country develops more it could have the potential to produce could talent. What’s wrong about that, are you alright.

He's wondering what kind of a hell hole it is today? 

 

[Just Browny]

I didn't realise Bougainville had roots in rugby league. Brings a new meaning to bush footy.

[SydneyRoosters]

2 minutes ago, fighting irish said:

He's wondering what kind of a hell hole it is today? 

 

It’s just like other parts of Papua New Guinean I would think.

[Number 16]

How long until we have two organisations claiming to govern Bougainville RL?

[fighting irish]

25 minutes ago, SydneyRoosters said:

It’s just like other parts of Papua New Guinean I would think.

I'm not trying to be awful, or ugly or controversial. I suppose he meant his initial enthusiasm was dampened by your comments about the island which (perhaps unintentionally) implied that the place is not a safe and civilised place, at the moment.

If there is a risk of civil unrest or god forbid civil war then any RL development is bound to be hampered. 

 

[SydneyRoosters]

7 minutes ago, fighting irish said:

I'm not trying to be awful, or ugly or controversial. I suppose he meant his initial enthusiasm was dampened by your comments about the island which (perhaps unintentionally) implied that the place is not a safe and civilised place, at the moment.

If there is a risk of civil unrest or god forbid civil war then any RL development is bound to be hampered. 

 

I am not at all an expert on Bougainville but from what I have heard the country looks like it’s on the up. I’m sure australia and New Zealand would be very keen to build relations and develop the country before china does. So I hope it all goes well but it looks promising.

[Barley Mow]

12 minutes ago, fighting irish said:

I'm not trying to be awful, or ugly or controversial. I suppose he meant his initial enthusiasm was dampened by your comments about the island which (perhaps unintentionally) implied that the place is not a safe and civilised place, at the moment.

If there is a risk of civil unrest or god forbid civil war then any RL development is bound to be hampered. 

 

Independence is coming following a long civil war, which thankfully now seems to have ended, allowing for a referendum on its status. PNG as a whole isn't a particularly stable country, I believe Bougainville is still pretty unstable even by PNG standards.

All the best to them in general and in developing rugby league.

Edited September 26, 2022 by Barley Mow

[Gomersall]

1 hour ago, SydneyRoosters said:

It’s just like other parts of Papua New Guinean I would think.

Exactly.

[Number 16]

With a population of about 300,000 there's plenty of scope to produce decent RL players.

Downside is, and from Wiki...

Cut off from the outside world for several years by a Papua New Guinean blockade during the civil war, the islanders suffered many deaths from a lack of medical resources.

A 2013 United Nations survey of 843 men found that 62% (530 respondents) of those have raped a woman or girl at least once, with 41% (217 respondents) of the men reported having raped a non-partner, whereas 14% (74 respondents) reported having committed gang rape. Additionally, the survey also found that 8% (67 respondents) of the men had raped other men or boys.

And we thought Cory Norman was a wrong 'un.

[Tosh]

1 hour ago, Number 16 said:

With a population of about 300,000 there's plenty of scope to produce decent RL players.

Downside is, and from Wiki...

Cut off from the outside world for several years by a Papua New Guinean blockade during the civil war, the islanders suffered many deaths from a lack of medical resources.

A 2013 United Nations survey of 843 men found that 62% (530 respondents) of those have raped a woman or girl at least once, with 41% (217 respondents) of the men reported having raped a non-partner, whereas 14% (74 respondents) reported having committed gang rape. Additionally, the survey also found that 8% (67 respondents) of the men had raped other men or boys.

And we thought Cory Norman was a wrong 'un.

Maybe too early and a bit sensitive but a Bougainville based digicel cup team would be a great way to develop RL talent on the island.

[Tosh]

Always amazes me how another nearby country in the Solomon Islands is never talked about for RL development especially since it has a population nearing 750k and no actual dominating code be it Union, football or even Aussie rules etc.

[Number 16]

The BRL has a FB page and I came across fixtures for these clubs from 2018...

Newtown

Barbarians

Kubu Roosters

HH Tigers

Peit Kore

Atolls Tewila

Royals

Bakuls

Warriors

Haku Hawks

They were listed as A Grade so clearly levels below this which includes an U20 competition. Also Schools and Women's RL.

Sounds promising.

[SydneyRoosters]

15 minutes ago, Tosh said:

Always amazes me how another nearby country in the Solomon Islands is never talked about for RL development especially since it has a population nearing 750k and no actual dominating code be it Union, football or even Aussie rules etc.

I think it’s because all of our focus in Oceania is on PNG And Fiji. I think football may be on the rise there though the have a 18 year old who has  scored 82 goals in 39 games called Raphael Lea’i.

[Tosh]

3 hours ago, SydneyRoosters said:

I think it’s because all of our focus in Oceania is on PNG And Fiji. I think football may be on the rise there though the have a 18 year old who has  scored 82 goals in 39 games called Raphael Lea’i.

The cashed up NRL alongside the Australian government could easily invest and create significant pathways in the Solomon Islands, New Caledonian, Vanuatu and Bougainville etc.

They also could up their game in PNG and Fiji.

[Yakstorm]

Bougainville has previously bid to join the Digicel Cup for the 2019 season. 

The bid club was called the Bougainville Pride and was only rejected because the PNGNRLC decided not to expand that season. 

Not sure why they didn't bid again, however there is a good relationship between the Bougainville Rugby League and Rabual Gurias (New Britain) and their sponsor Agmark. 

Hopefully independence doesn't mean plans like the Bougainville teams joining the Ipatas Cup fall through.  Also, whilst their senior competitions have had issues over the past decade, there has been a lot of work done in the schools on the Island for the code by the NRL in PNG development officers, you would hate to see that evaporate.

[The 4 of Us]

I prefer Cadburys. 

[Pulga]

5 hours ago, Tosh said:

The cashed up NRL alongside the Australian government could easily invest and create significant pathways in the Solomon Islands, New Caledonian, Vanuatu and Bougainville etc.

They also could up their game in PNG and Fiji.

 

 

 

[UTK]

10 minutes ago, Pulga said:

 

 

 

A Hunters Colts team really is the gamechanger we need, seemed to be heavily on the cards for 2020 but obviously Covid dashed those hopes - needs to be put back on the agenda soon though.

[Tosh]

4 hours ago, UTK said:

A Hunters Colts team really is the gamechanger we need, seemed to be heavily on the cards for 2020 but obviously Covid dashed those hopes - needs to be put back on the agenda soon though.

This.

short-term there needs to be either a u21 or u20 side and ideally a u19 or u18 side competing in the Queensland youth competitions.

Long-term hopefully the game in PNG is in such a strong position that a 2nd PNG Queensland cup franchise with junior teams is added playing out of Lae.

[dkw]

On 26/09/2022 at 10:58, SydneyRoosters said:

It’s just like other parts of Papua New Guinean I would think.

And yorkshire.....

[Number 16]

2 minutes ago, dkw said:

And yorkshire.....

Rotherham?