Papua New Guinea NRL bid chief Andrew Hill believes the club could become the most well supported in the competition, and laughed off claims they will struggle to fund the operation.
The NRL, which moved to 17 teams with the inclusion of the Dolphins based in Redcliffe for 2023, are currently weighing up the best and fastest way to expand the competition to 18 teams, which will see the removal of the a bye each week, and the inclusion of an extra game per round.
News broke yesterday that a Papua New Guinea-based bid is the favourite to be named Team 18 in the competition, although questions about the suitability ahead of a Perth-based bid or second New Zealand team remain.
Bid chief Andrew Hill told SENQ Mornings however that there was no doubt around the level of support the team would receive in the only nation where rugby league is the national sport.
“We will be the most well-supported NRL team in the competition,” Hill told SENQ Mornings.
“The PNG Hunters are by far the most well-supported team in the Queensland Cup, it is ridiculous how well-supported (they are).”
He also moved to address concerns over the financing of the team.
While the Australian government have committed as much as $5 million to help the team get off the ground in a political move to lock up support from the region, he said corporate support for the team would come in waves.
“A big focus of ours is around coaching, development, it's about putting the framework in, that's a slow burn,” Hill added.
“Some of those other things, corporate support, I giggle, people tell me we won't have money… some of the biggest companies in the world are based in PNG.
“Newmont (mining company) have just taken over an Australian company, it's the world's largest gold mine, they're based in PNG, they're a proud organisation doing business in PNG, they'll be very excited to be partnering with the NRL.
“As will many, many other supporters.”