The road to ISC inclusion

Greetings to our rugby league family and welcome to our 34th edition of Fulltime Reserve, a weekly column to discuss all matters rugby league in our favourite newspaper, The National.
This week has seen the SP Hunters’ 2021 training squad assembled in Port Moresby for their pre-season training camp in preparation for their relocation to Australia early next year to participate in the 2021 Intrust Super Cup (ISC) season.
Over the last seven years, the SP Hunters team has given us many memorable results and performance both at home and in Australia, including the 2017 ISC premiership.
The team’s growth and success has coincided with and contributed immensely to the growth of the game in PNG, both in terms of supporting the domestic game and improving our international performances with the tremendous improvement in the performance of the Papua New Guinea LNG Kumuls and their international rankings.
The team’s performance and together with the committed support of our many local and international partners and the loyal and passionate fans and supporters across PNG has propelled the SP Hunters to become an iconic and flagship brand that is synonymous with the pride and heritage of the people and country it represents.
Looking back at the achievements of the club over the last seven years, we reflect with a sense of relief that all these would not have been possible had it not been for split PNG Rugby Football League board decision in September of 2013 that finally approved the Hunters’ participation in the Queensland ISC.
The PNGRFL board had been reluctant at first to commit to a massive project of the magnitude of the SP Hunters as the PNGRFL itself was just rebuilding after years of political infighting and demise in the management of the sport.
In fact, the PNGRFL board was divided as to whether the Hunters initiative was appropriate or even financially viable given (what was considered at the time to be) the huge need to restructure and develop the game in PNG.
We give credit to a lot of people especially PNGRFL chief executive Brad Tassel who was tireless in preparing the foundations for the club and the commitment of great partners like SP Brewery managing director Stan Joyce, Sports Minister Justin Tkatchenko and a host of committed individuals and partners who worked with us to support the programme and give confidence to the board to finally approve the SP Hunters participation by a split decision of four to two after three previous unsuccessful board meetings.
Once the decision was made, we all got behind the decision to see it through and looking back, we are glad we made the right decision and the rest as they say, is history.
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Until next week, may the grace, love and care of our Good Lord be with you.

Cheers,
Sandis