Elite comp for women

By PARKER TAMBUA
PAPUA New Guinea Rugby Football League (PNGRFL) will kick off its inaugural women’s semi-professional competition in August with six teams confirmed to compete.
PNGRFL chief executive Stanley Hondina told The National yesterday that six existing Digicel ExxonMobil Cup teams – Port Moresby Vipers, Central Dabaris, Lae Tigers, Rabaul Gurias, Mt Hagen Eagles and Goroka Lahanis – would field their women’s teams in this competition.
PNG’s version of the competition will be a replica of the Australian National Rugby League Women’s (NRLW) competition, starting at the final quarter of the season and finishing together with the men’s Digicel ExxonMobil Cup season finals.
Hondina said the seven-week competition would be known as the PNGRFL National Women’s Competition in the interim, while the PNGRFL shopped around for a naming rights sponsor.
“Yes, the women’s competition will be played across the country and we are starting with Eagles, Lahanis, Tigers, Gurias, Vipers and Dabaris,” Hondina said.
“So the games will be played at home and away, similar to the men’s they will fly in and out (each weekend).
“But we are still waiting on a sponsor to confirm as the naming rights sponsor but at the moment it’s called PNGRFL National Women’s Competition.
“In 2025 and going forward we will see the increase of teams that will be competing and also if everything goes well, we are looking at a possible Hunters’ women’s team by 2026 or 2027.”
The Australian Government earlier this year, through PacificAus Sports, and Queensland Rugby League (QRL) announced a four-year A$9.7 million (about K24 million) investment to support women’s rugby league in the country.
The support continues the major partnerships with PNG Rugby Football League (PNGRFL) and PNG Hunters, to bring Australia and PNG even closer together through a shared love of rugby league.
The funding was earmarked to provide direct support for the development of the women’s competition, help build the capacity and credentials of PNGRFL coaches, support staff and administrators, benefitting both the women’s and men’s game.
Hondina said women were an integral part of rugby league in the country.
He made the announcement yesterday during a K500,000 sponsorship from Motor Vehicle Insurance Limited to PNGRFL to assist match officials for the 2024 season.