“We are ready to go”: PNG bid boss reveals team’s hopes to join NRL in 2028

The chief of Papua New Guinea’s NRL bid, Andrew Hill, has revealed the team is hoping to join the competition in 2028 but would be prepared to join sooner if requested.

Speculation over who would be the 18th team in the NRL’s expansion plan has been rife for months, with teams in Perth, Queensland, New Zealand, and Papua New Guinea all thrown into the mix.

Andrew Hill told SEN 1170 Mornings that the PNG bid is getting closer to hearing an outcome, though no decision date has been set.

“It’s been around now for 2 years. We surely are getting closer, it’s a big decision,” Hill said.

“We’re being patient. We’re focusing on us so I have nothing to confirm whether there will be an announcement before Christmas other than media speculation.

“I think the more notice the league can give whoever’s coming into the competition, the better, but in terms of the PNG bid we’ve always been looking at 2028 as the year we’d be coming in if we were successful.”

Hill did confirm, however, that if PNG was asked to join the competition before their goal date of 2028, they would be ready.

“Anyone running any of the bids, it’s an easy answer – ‘yes, we could’,” Hill revealed.

“We have a national competition that has 12 teams nationally: it’s on TV, the players are full-time, the staff are full-time, there’s a lot of the framework that is already in existence.

“There are government to government conversations as well going on which adds another layer to our bid than some of the other bids but generally speaking we are ready to go.

“I have a nation of people waiting every day… with fantastic anticipation about what will be a very defining moment for the country of PNG so yes we are waiting and yes we would like to know as soon as possible.”

Rugby league is the national sport of Papua New Guinea, and the country has had a team in the Queensland Cup for 11 years.

BY SAM KOSACK/SEN