Hunters get boost

THE newly-established marketing division within PNG Rugby Football League has a mammoth task to help overhaul and re-brand rugby league in the country.
Chairman Sandis Tsaka announced this while accepting a K3 million sponsorship package from Kumul Petroleum Holdings Limited yesterday for three years.
He said PNGRFL was grateful to KPHL for joining the family of sponsors for the Q-Cup champions.
“Coach Michael Marum and his staff have a huge task ahead to defend the premiership,” Tsaka said.
“It has been a while since a team has won it back-to-back and this support will go a long way in helping to achieve this for the eight million-plus people of Papua New Guinea,” Tsaka.
The KPHL sponsorship is part of re-branding the Hunters while other programmes under the jurisdiction of PNGRFL will also face similar re-branding.
The whole organisation has also gone through a re-branding process including the change from PNGNRL to PNGNRLC.
Tsaka said the PNG Schoolboys Rugby League has been re-named as National Schoolboys Rugby League competition.
The PNGRFL chairman said the K3 million was a great boost for Hunters iconic brand.
“The Hunters programme and team has been a great ambassador for PNG. While the sponsorship will be centered around elite programmes, part of the funding would go towards the academy programme and the junior development programme to identify future Hunters players for sustainability and the future in the competition.
The partnership with KPHL including the Government was actually funding the Hunters programme.
He said it cost PNGRFL at least K5 million annually to take part in the Intrust Cup in Queensland.
“We have naming sponsor SP, then the platinum sponsors, National Gaming Control Board on behalf of PNG Government.
The gold sponsors are KPHL and ExxonMobil PNG Ltd,” he said.
The KPHL logo will be printed on the Hunters uniform replacing Huawei.
With the withdrawal of Huawei last year there was a shortfall in funding but the Hunters managed to pull through and win the Intrust Cup in just their fourth year in the competition.
Tsaka said rugby league had the potential to impact the lives of Papua New Guineans through community initiatives and fact that it provided the best players a chance to further their careers and to become professional.
“We have a duty to contribute to nation-building with the Hunters and we are mindful of our responsibilities.”
Tsaka said over the next three years, the Hunters would be committed to work with KPHL to address other social issues.