- Anthony Albanese has reportedly approved $600m funding of a new NRL team
- The 19th NRL team is understood to be located in Papua New Guinea
- But footy fans have expressed concern about the scheme
Footy fans fear Anthony Albanese is making a ‘horrible decision’ amid reports the Australian Prime Minister has given the greenlight to $600million in funding to launch a new NRL team in Papua New Gunea.
News Corp reports that the federal government has reached an agreement in principle with the ARL Commission to fund the NRL’s 19th team over the course of a 10-year plan.
Albanese reportedly views the massive investment as part of his government’s ‘soft diplomacy’ strategy in the Pacific region, in what is undoubtedly the biggest expansion deal in the sport’s history.
The same outlet reports that the PNG team will enter the competition in 2028, one year after the Western Bears join the league as the 18th club.
The government will fund the Pacific team until 2037, by which time they believe the outfit will be self-funded.
But footy fans are far from convinced by the project, and expressed concern that it is doomed to fail on social media on Wednesday night.
‘Horrible decision,’ one fan wrote on X. ‘This won’t work.’
Another said: ‘Terrible. No fan is going to want to travel there.’
Footy fans have expressed concern about Anthony Albanese’s $600m PNG proposal
The federal government is reportedly willing to bankroll a new NRL team for 10 years
‘This will be the worst decision in the history of rugby league,’ predicted a third fan.
‘It may be just me, but I’m struggling to see how this makes any sense,’ began a fourth. ‘Yes PNG is league mad, but how are we expecting them to be competitive in the NRL.
‘I’ve visited a number of times, I’m just scratching my head how they are going to attract talent, they can’t just rely on their guys alone.’
A fifth fan simply wrote: ‘Dollars before sense.’
However, Albanese has staunchly defended the project, describing it as a ‘game changer’.
‘This is a game changer for our relationship with Papua New Guinea,’ Albanese told News Corp.
‘The aim would be for any government funding to be aimed at economic development in schools. It’s not just for the NRL team and to pay Alex Johnston (Souths winger) to play for PNG.
‘We’re definitely behind the NRL bid and, importantly, Prime Minister (James) Marape in PNG is very much behind an NRL team.
‘To have a PNG NRL team, we would need to get the pathway and infrastructure right.
‘It’s an important part of economic development and getting young people engaged in PNG.
Albanese views the plan as part of Australia’s soft power diplomacy in the Pacific region
But footy fans have shared their concern at the latest news on social media
‘This is not just about sport in itself, it’s building people-to-people relations and economic development for PNG, that’s the way the government sees it.
‘I was in PNG in January and you see kids and adults all wearing State of Origin jumpers and jumpers of NRL clubs.
‘The support there is fanatical.’
The $600m pledged by the government is not solely for the new NRL team, but is part of what they describe as a wider social, economic and educational program to help a nation of 10 million people.
A rugby league ‘mini city’ compound is expected to be built in Port Moresby, where Aussie footy stars and their families will live.
