New chapter for Hunters

Greetings to all our rugby league family and welcome to our third edition of Fulltime Reserve for the year in our favourite newspaper, The National.
The Papua New Guinea Rugby Football League (PNGRFL) and the South Pacific Brewery-sponsored Hunters, in consultation with our key partners in Australia and PNG, made the decision late last week, to defer the scheduled departure of the team to Brisbane, Australia, after a member of the team tested positive for Covid-19.
The decision was made out of an abundance of caution and reflected our serious considerations for the welfare of our players and that of the people and communities in Australia.
As soon as the case was confirmed, proactive preventive measures were taken in consultation with the National Pandemic Control Centre and relevant agencies to isolate the case and ensure the player, the team and their facilities were sanitised and quarantined to mitigate additional risks to the team and the public.
Coach Matthew Church, with the support of the players and staff, have developed additional layers of protocols around the team to ensure that further risks are managed before their planned departure on Sunday.
We commend Church, PNGRFL chief executive Stanley Hondina, the players and the coaching and support staff who have responded proactively and professionally to a difficult and challenging situation.
Church and the team have all shown exemplary courage, fortitude and resilience and we thank them for their continued commitment and sacrifice.
We also appreciate and commend the ongoing support of the Queensland Rugby League, the Australian High Commission, Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and the Queensland government.
Their unwavering backing has been crucial to ensuring the successful relocation of the team.
We further acknowledge the support of all our domestic partners, especially Prime Minister James Marape and Sports Minister Wesley Raminai who will join Australian High Commissioner Jon Philp and other delegates from our key partners to farewell the Hunters at the Jackson International Airport in Port Moresby.
The farewell will also provide a momentous occasion for the signing of two important partnership agreements to be signed and witnessed by Marape and Philp;

• The partnership agreement between the Governments of PNG and Australia (through DFAT) to support the Hunters and rugby league in PNG; and,
• The trademark and licensing agreement between PNGRFL and the new Hunters entity.

These two agreements will enable continued partnership between Australia and PNG to support the Hunters programme and rugby league in PNG, and mark the occasion for the full transfer of the management of the team to the new entity.
These agreements will set the structural foundation to ensure the sustained growth and development of the sport across PNG into the future.
Until next week, may the grace, love and care of our Good Lord be with you.

Cheers,
Sandis