Albert’s signing shows progress

Sports

Greetings to our rugby league family and welcome to our 24th edition of Fulltime Reserve, a weekly column to discuss all matters rugby league in our favourite newspaper The National.
The Papua New Guinea Rugby Football League (PNGRFL) had some major developments and announcements this week, which set the foundation for our planning towards next season.
The conclusion of the Digicel Cup season and the commencement of the finals this week heralds the end of rugby league season which has been delivered successfully despite the tremendous challenges posed by the covid-19 pandemic.
The announcement of the signing of the two participation agreements for the PNG LNG Kumuls and the Oil Search PNG Orchids for next year’s Rugby League World Cup launches the planning for next season.
The biggest rugby league news for PNG this year is the announcement this week of the signing of the PNG Orchids captain Elsie Albert by the St George Dragons for the National Rugby League Women’s (NRLW) season.
Albert is the first women rugby league player from PNGRFL’s domestic elite pathway programme to earn a NRLW contract.
It is a landmark occasion for women’s rugby league and women’s sports in PNG.
These major announcements set the foundation for our 2021 season plans, as we start to finalise and implement some of our major programmes that PNGRFL has been working on in the last six months during the pandemic to plan for a successful 2021 rugby league season.
Over the next few weeks, PNGRFL will make announcements on the following programmes:

  • The Kumuls and Orchids programme build-up to the World Cup in England, including the establishment of their respective management structures and officials;
  • The new SP Hunters restructure and establishment of the new board and management, and plans for the 2021 Intrust Super Cup season;
  • The 2021 Digicel Cup plans and programmes;
  • The announcement of end-of-year elite programmes for 2020;
  • Finalisation of PNGRFL’s governance restructure for the game with the establishment of the confederate boards, provincial boards and affiliate leagues following the launching of the New Ireland model later this month; and,
  • The announcement of the 2021 domestic and international calendars for rugby league.
    PNGRFL has been working in partnership with all of our committed local and international partners during this period to develop and finalise the above programmes and we look forward to announcing them over the next few weeks.

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Until next week, may the grace, love and care of our Good Lord be with you.

Cheers,
Sandis