PNGRFL taking competition as development pathway

By ROBINSON LEKA
THE Papua New Guinea Rugby Football League (PNGRFL) says it will target schools rugby league as the future of the game with an abundance of exciting prospects from across the country.
PNGRFL chief executive Stanley Hondina said this year’s confederation championships for the Kumul Petroleum National Schools Rugby League trials were part of the governing body’s six-year development plan.
“I think the focus is where the schools are and we think that’s the future of the game,” he said.
“We are thankful to Kumul Petroleum Holdings Limited for coming on board and supporting the schools programme.
“It has been a Coronavirus year.
“We really can’t do much in all sectors but we feel that this is the time to hold a trial to see whether it will work.
“We do not have all the schools across the provinces participating though the numbers are big.
“We have a few schools meeting our requirements and making a start.
“Making a start is better than doing nothing, we can only grow and get better from here.”
The confederate trials will be played in the next two weeks with each region to host matches with a select side later progressing to the national championships in Port Moresby this month.
Hondina said one of the aims of the schools rugby league championships was to get the details of prospective players in their respective age divisions with PNGRFL overseeing the progress.