Game partners with ADF to deliver programs, resources in PNG

Rugby League continues to win hearts and minds across Papua New Guinea as the Australian Defence Force, PNGRFL, NRL and Asia Pacific Rugby League partnered to deliver education programs and much needed resources for volunteers.

As an Australian-PNG Partnership initiative, the organisations worked together to run capacity building sessions with coaches, referees and trainers in Port Moresby and Lae.

With Port Moresby catering for the Southern and NGI regions, and Lae covering the Northern and Highlands regions, more than 150 participants successfully completed training in refereeing, coaching, first-aid, sports training and MySideline competition management.

The ADF support ensured the sessions were run by some of the game’s best instructors, including Glen Richardson and Troy Burgess from the NRL and NRL PNG Bid Team coaching and development manager Joe Grima.

There was a significant increase in the number of female participants, particularly in coaching.

PNGRFL CEO Stanley Hondina thanked the Australian Defence Force Sports team for providing the support to ensure these essential capacity building activities could happen.

As part of the Pacific Officials Program, the ADF have invested significant time and resources into supporting not just rugby league officials but also those in netball, basketball and Australian rules.

In addition to covering the transport and accommodation costs of all participants, the ADF also gifted much needed rugby league resources to community clubs in Papua New Guinea.

Asia Pacific Rugby League COO Jeremy Edwards said the collaboration was a huge success.  

“It was great to see these organisations working together in Papua New Guinea and hopefully there are more initiatives like this in the future,” Edwards said.