Johns wants NRL to look to PNG for 18th team

**Papua New Guinea fullback Alex Johnston completing his hat-trick in the Rabbitohs’ 24-10 win over the Newcastle Knights at Stadium Australia in Sydney earlier this year. – Getty Images**

LEGEND Matthew Johns believes Australia’s National Rugby League (NRL) should think outside the box and look to Papua New Guinea when the competition eventually expands to 18 teams.
With the Dolphins recently being announced as the 17th team, NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo said it was a stepping stone until the natural progression to 18 sides, although no expansion would occur anytime soon.
When that time does come to add another franchise in the world’s toughest rugby league competition, Johns believes the NRL should look to a completely new market.
“They’re talking about an 18th team,” the Newcastle Knights great told SEN on Friday.
“Obviously, they can’t rush into it, but you can’t stay at 17 teams, 18 is the number.

**PNG Kumul and Storm centre Justin Olam taking on the Warriors defence during round seven of the NRL at AAMI Park in Melbourne last season. – WWOSpic**

“I think in some way, shape or form it (the 18th team) should be a Pacific nation side.
“It allows you to shore up that crucial area, it’s one of the heartlands of the game now as far as recruitment is concerned.”
With Johns’ theoretical team representing a number of Pacific nations, he picked one country that the team should be primarily based out of.
“The nation that has got miles of money as far as oil money is concerned is PNG,” he said.
“There has been talk that they’ll build a great stadium.
“The logistical issue would be that they’ve got health issues in the country.
“But I’ll say this, how many countries in the world could you say that rugby league has turned the country around?
“It totally swung everything.”

**PNG international Nene Macdonald had a short stint with the Cronulla Sharks last season. – townsvillebulletinpic**

If PNG is logistically impossible, Johns – who also played for the Cronulla Sharks – floated the idea of basing the team out of Darwin or New Zealand to minimise travel problems.
“You could base the side if you had to in Darwin, and go there for the home games,” the 50-year-old said.
“Think of the side you could get out of PNG, Samoa, Tonga, Fiji and the Cook Islands.
“You could even have a Pacific nations side based in Wellington that’s based around that was representative of the Pacific.”
While there is no timeline of the addition of an 18th team, many believe it may come following the next broadcast deal which is set to be re-negotiated for the 2028 season. – SEN