Richoagain
25 Jan 2010, 20:26
Have a read of the following article:
Original link: Cairns beckons Papuans - WorldFootyNews.com (http://www.worldfootynews.com/article.php/20100113210611960)
The AFLPNG have accepted an offer for the PNG National Senior side to compete in the Australian Football League Cairns pre-season competition.
AFLPNG's Scott Reid explains, "It is seen as a taster for the possibility that a PNG Senior team could play in Cairns like the Tiwi Islands team in the Northern Territory comp. This has been something we have discussed over several years but with the current buoyancy of the PNG economy and in particular the mining and resources sectors and the increased AFL interest in PNG footy it is more of a realistic possibility than in the past".
Cairns is in Far North Queensland (FNQ), "relatively" close to Port Moresby. Such a move would be the first time an international side has been a regular member of an Australian Football league. With the NT Thunder playing in AFL Queensland's top league, perhaps it is a forerunner to PNG one day having a team in that ever-improving competition.
Rugby League in PNG has been keen to enter a side in the NRL, Australia's national Rugby League competition. If that ever occurs it will be a massive step forward for that sport in PNG, so it is encouraging to see smaller but similar progress in Aussie Rules. But first up, we wish PNG all the best in a successful pre-season in Cairns.
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I've seen the PNG Mosquitoes play in Melbourne, and they weren't bad. Lacked height, but had good runners, maybe equivalent of a mid-range suburban side in Melbourne. No idea what the standard of footy in Cairns is like.
About half a dozen of PNG's better young players are on AFL rookie lists at the moment.
What is the Cairns AFL clubs' feelings on the possibility of the PNG national side entering the league? Would there be marketing benefits for the Cairns clubs?
Original link: Cairns beckons Papuans - WorldFootyNews.com (http://www.worldfootynews.com/article.php/20100113210611960)
The AFLPNG have accepted an offer for the PNG National Senior side to compete in the Australian Football League Cairns pre-season competition.
AFLPNG's Scott Reid explains, "It is seen as a taster for the possibility that a PNG Senior team could play in Cairns like the Tiwi Islands team in the Northern Territory comp. This has been something we have discussed over several years but with the current buoyancy of the PNG economy and in particular the mining and resources sectors and the increased AFL interest in PNG footy it is more of a realistic possibility than in the past".
Cairns is in Far North Queensland (FNQ), "relatively" close to Port Moresby. Such a move would be the first time an international side has been a regular member of an Australian Football league. With the NT Thunder playing in AFL Queensland's top league, perhaps it is a forerunner to PNG one day having a team in that ever-improving competition.
Rugby League in PNG has been keen to enter a side in the NRL, Australia's national Rugby League competition. If that ever occurs it will be a massive step forward for that sport in PNG, so it is encouraging to see smaller but similar progress in Aussie Rules. But first up, we wish PNG all the best in a successful pre-season in Cairns.
============================
I've seen the PNG Mosquitoes play in Melbourne, and they weren't bad. Lacked height, but had good runners, maybe equivalent of a mid-range suburban side in Melbourne. No idea what the standard of footy in Cairns is like.
About half a dozen of PNG's better young players are on AFL rookie lists at the moment.
What is the Cairns AFL clubs' feelings on the possibility of the PNG national side entering the league? Would there be marketing benefits for the Cairns clubs?