Gould here to talk league

AUSTRALIA’S highly successful NSW State of Origin and NRL coach and prominent commentator on the Footy Show and the Sunday Roast, Phil “Gus” Gould, arrived in the country yesterday and is here to support the PNG NRL Bid’s efforts to have a local team in the NRL competition.
NCD Governor Powers Parkop and Sports Minister Philemon Embel were both to greet Gould at the Jackson’s International Airport.
Embel said that Gould was here to see what PNG had to offer and, hopefully, the opportunity would be used to gain his support with the profile of the bid.
He thanked Gould for accepting the invitation and believed PNG could deliver its product for the out-spoken commentator to market.
“It is a game we enjoyed in the region and the excitement of the game in PNG should be something for Gus to experience,” Embel said.
Gould said that he was very privileged and excited to be here and learn about the country and its love of the game.
He said that he had read and heard a lot about the Bid, the government’s motivation to support development through sport and added that such endeavours were worth while.
He also said that he would be here to talk to the people and understand the country to form a perception of the reality of the Bid and what it actually was doing in the country so that he could have something positive to take back to Australia and write and talk about.
“People down there (Australia) can’t wait to hear what it’s like. I can see what rugby league can do for people and if rugby league can change a nation, then it’s something to look forward to.”
His visit formalised when the strategic adviser to the Bid, Paul Broughton extended an invitation earlier in the year.
Gould said the Bid would be a long and arduous process but remained optimistic about its chances.  “I don’t think the Bid will be easy and it needs a lot of time and hard work.”
Yesterday on the first leg of his trip, Gould visited the Metoreia field at Hanuabada village and Hohodae where he met young  league fans and gave away autographed footballs.