Papua New Guinea has taken a step towards achieving their NRL dream after their bid was officially welcomed to the second tier Queensland Cup on Thursday.
The PNG side will take part in a 13-strong 2014 tournament with home games to be played in Kokopo, north-east of Port Moresby, after meeting the QRL’s strict criteria.
The team’s name and colours are yet to be confirmed, but QRL boss Robert Moore said the bid had ticked every other box in a “thorough due diligence process”.
He said they satisfied all criteria including “facilities, security measures and the logistics of travel, opening up an exciting development pathway for thousands of rugby league participants and fans”.
“The opportunity to play in the … (Queensland) Cup will provide players in Papua New Guinea with a direct pathway to higher levels of rugby league participation,” Moore said.
“It would be a wonderful story to see a home-grown PNG player rise from the junior ranks into the … Cup and then the National Rugby League.
“At the same time, it provides us with an opportunity to expand into a market with over seven million rugby league fans.”
It marked the first time a PNG side contested the Queensland Cup since the Port Moresby Vipers from 1996-97.
PNG – the only country in the world where rugby league is the national sport – have made no secret of their hopes of eventually launching an NRL bid.
Eight-time Queensland Origin winning coach Mal Meninga is a huge supporter and joined the PNG support staff at the World Cup in England.
The Queensland Cup will kick off on March 1 and will be played over 26 rounds.
The QRL also confirmed on Thursday that the eventual Queensland Cup winners would take on the NSW Cup champion in the inaugural National Championship in an NRL grand final day curtainraiser.