Sports veteran leads the way for PNG NRL Bid

By HENRY MORABANG
VETERAN sportsman Sir Dadi Toka was the first to purchase a platinum membership of the PNGNRL Bid recently.
Sir Dadi purchased membership No. 888.
Given the knighthood for his services to rugby league since 1949, Sir Dadi was more pleased to join other dignatories such as NRL CEO David Gallop, Australian Foreign minister Kevin Rudd, SP Brewery general manager Stan Joyce and NCD Governor Powes Parkop by becoming a member of the Bid.
“The PNG NRL Bid is a worthwhile cause. 
“Rugby league has been in my heart for so many years. 
“We first played at the oval near the Aviat club and I believe the Sir Hubert Murray stadium is still the best site to put a world class stadium for rugby league. 
“It also has historic significance because it is where rugby league was first played and is also the home of the first SP Games ever held in PNG.
“It is a great landmark and will showcase PNG beautifully to the rest of the world.”
Sir Dadi was given a tour of the online Bid shop and urged local league fans, expats and tourist to show their faith and support for the NRL Bid and join him.
The PNG NRL Bid is now widening its campaign to capture the hearts and support of PNG’s international friends by launching the Bid shop on line.
Last week the PNG NRL Bid website: www.pngnrlbid.com opened the bid shop online.
Bid CEO Brad Tassell was thrilled to finally launch the online shop,
“Our strategy for 2012 is to continue to drive the Bid message across PNG and overseas and generate greater support and membership from around the world,” Tassell said. 
“We want to prove to the NRL that our fan base will not just be from PNG – it will extend from Australia, across the Pacific and around the world.
“There is a large population of PNG people living in Australia who can become or support base in Australia. 
“We want to show the NRL that this would be a massive bonus for them if a PNG team was included in the future.”
Tassell said over the past year the website had received thousands of requests from people all around the world wanting to become a member and purchase Bid merchandise. 
“There is no doubt that PNG rugby league merchandise is extremely popular. 
“At the last rugby league World Cup in 2008 in Australia, PNG merchandise sales were the second highest.”