“Hopefully [there] is an announcement soon. As you’ve heard our chairman [Peter V’landys] say this is something that is strategically important for the Australian Rugby League Commission. Expansion and potentially having a team out of Papua New Guinea is definitely exciting for the game.”

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The Brad Fittler-coached Prime Minister’s XIII claimed an emphatic 42-20 win over the PNG PM’s XIII, despite the home side claiming an early 12-0 lead.

The corresponding women’s fixture was also won 50-0 by the Australian side, but the most significant result of the day may well have been the 22-all draw between the Australian Schoolboys and PNG Junior Kumuls.

Establishing elite pathways in PNG has been a key pillar of the nation’s NRL pitch, with Junior Kumuls coach Joey Grima leading grassroots development programs under the stewardship of ex-Bulldogs CEO Andrew Hill, now chief executive of the PNG bid.

Against a Schoolboys side featuring a slew of players touted as the best youngsters in the game – including Canterbury halfback Mitchell Woods and Knights prop Cody Hopwood – only a last-second try to Cronulla centre Nikora Williams denied the Junior Kumuls a telling win.

Canberra’s Kaeo Weekes bagged a double in the men’s fixture as the PM’s XIII scored five second-half tries.

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