Update - from bad to worse - Was This The End Of The PNG 18th Team Bid?

[Bradman Better]

On 19/02/2024 at 18:47, jim_57 said:

Honestly I doubt they’d be staying in Port Moresby much at all, FIFO game day would be my guess or at best fly in evening before back after the game or the next morning for a late game.

Bears approached PNG bid and got knocked back last year from memory. Bears will try the South Island bid next, until they drop their “non-negotiable” of “2-4 games at NSO” I doubt anyone will take them seriously.

No away teams will have their fans flying to the war zone of Port Moresby with at least two nights accommodation necessary.

North Sydney Oval is a cricket ground, and totally unsuitable for watching rugby league. I went there decades ago when the North Sydney Bears were in the NSW Rugby League competition. There is little elevated viewing. With the development of modern state of the art rugby league stadiums like the one at Parramatta and the rebuilt Allianz Stadium at Moore Park, or even Brisbane's Suncorp, Cbus on the Gold Coast, and the new Stadium in Townsville, no Australian will put up with the hardship of trying to watch a game at North Sydney Oval.

Edited March 7 by Bradman Better

[The Future is League]

On 07/03/2024 at 18:35, Bradman Better said:

No away teams will have their fans flying to the war zone of Port Moresby with at least two nights accommodation necessary.

North Sydney Oval is a cricket ground, and totally unsuitable for watching rugby league. I went there decades ago when the North Sydney Bears were in the NSW Rugby League competition. There is little elevated viewing. With the development of modern state of the art rugby league stadiums like the one at Parramatta and the rebuilt Allianz Stadium at Moore Park, or even Brisbane's Suncorp, Cbus on the Gold Coast, and the new Stadium in Townsville, no Australian will put up with the hardship of trying to watch a game at North Sydney Oval.

Never underestimate what PV might do, or be in favour of.

IF it's true that the Bears have some big financial backers behind them, then PV might think it's a good idea to bring them in, after the next NRL club in Queensland. Just saying.

[GeordieSaint]

On 19/02/2024 at 12:46, Worzel said:

Unfortunately these tribal attacks in the Highlands aren't new, so one more doesn't really change anything - it's already priced into the debate about the team. 

I wouldn’t worry. I suspect a RL team would bring harmony and peace to the region, a bit like Balboa ending the Cold War in Rocky 4…

… in all seriousness, I’d still go for a PNG team; purely for geopolitical reasons for starters.

[Copa]

On 07/03/2024 at 22:35, Bradman Better said:

No away teams will have their fans flying to the war zone of Port Moresby with at least two nights accommodation necessary.

Thousands of regular Australian tourists go to PNG each year to walk PNG’s famous trails. The Kokoda Track alone gets 3000 to 5000 Australian tourists annually.

If the right PNG government licensed package tour organisers are involved, then I’m convinced away fans could have a wonderful trip. They’d just have to stay within the “cocoon”.