PNG : Thu Sep 03, 2015 2:22 pm  

After a 17 game unbeaten run, PNG hunters have finished 2nd in the regular season of the queensland cup. They need to win one of their next two games to qualify for the grand final. PNG finally look like they could be a force in the 2017 World Cup.

Re: PNG : Thu Sep 03, 2015 3:05 pm  

How strong is the Queensland cup? NRL reserve teams? Genuine question i have no real idea.

Re: PNG : Thu Sep 03, 2015 3:52 pm  

Biff Tannen wrote:

How strong is the Queensland cup? NRL reserve teams? Genuine question i have no real idea.

Middle 8 level at best. Still pretty decent, though.

Re: PNG : Thu Sep 03, 2015 4:27 pm  

Biff Tannen wrote:

How strong is the Queensland cup? NRL reserve teams? Genuine question i have no real idea.

I would suggest probably stronger than most SL teams except Leeds, Wigan, Saints and at a pinch Huddersfield based upon the consistent level of competition they face week in.

Re: PNG : Thu Sep 03, 2015 5:32 pm  

Would PNG players receive more pay over here at Gateshead were a few went than staying at PNG. Surely they have a better pathway playing in the Queensland Cup to get picked up than playing over here at that level?

Re: PNG : Thu Sep 03, 2015 6:36 pm  

SecondRowSaint wrote:

Would PNG players receive more pay over here at Gateshead were a few went than staying at PNG. Surely they have a better pathway playing in the Queensland Cup to get picked up than playing over here at that level?

I doubt they would be paid more, however the championship/super league would be easier to break into than the NRL. Nearly all the clubs are linked to an NRL club so are effectively reserve teams.

Re: PNG : Thu Sep 03, 2015 9:46 pm  

Leaguefan wrote:

I would suggest probably stronger than most SL teams except Leeds, Wigan, Saints and at a pinch Huddersfield based upon the consistent level of competition they face week in.

Nowhere near as strong as SL

Re: PNG : Thu Sep 03, 2015 10:51 pm  

Biff Tannen wrote:

How strong is the Queensland cup? NRL reserve teams? Genuine question i have no real idea.

It's the Australian second tier, so you'd imagine slightly stronger than our second tier. Obviously it's split between NSW and QLD Cup, so probably middle 8s would be a fair guess for the best teams there.

In terms of being a force at the 2017 World Cup, a QLD Cup team is great for PNG in terms of having a player pathway, but unless it leads to more PNG players in the NRL, I don't think it translates to World Cup success. If you look at the best teams: Aus, NZ, England but even Samoa, Fiji, pretty much their entire squad is playing NRL every week. The PNG Hunters doing well in the QLD Cup is good, but if they're aiming to beat the likes of Fiji and Samoa they need more players playing in the elite competition, not just succeeding in a second-tier league.

Re: PNG : Thu Sep 03, 2015 11:29 pm  

Saint #1 wrote:

It's the Australian second tier, so you'd imagine slightly stronger than our second tier. Obviously it's split between NSW and QLD Cup, so probably middle 8s would be a fair guess for the best teams there.

In terms of being a force at the 2017 World Cup, a QLD Cup team is great for PNG in terms of having a player pathway, but unless it leads to more PNG players in the NRL, I don't think it translates to World Cup success. If you look at the best teams: Aus, NZ, England but even Samoa, Fiji, pretty much their entire squad is playing NRL every week. The PNG Hunters doing well in the QLD Cup is good, but if they're aiming to beat the likes of Fiji and Samoa they need more players playing in the elite competition, not just succeeding in a second-tier league.

PNG have Nene McDonald, David Mead, Paul Aiton, Neville Costigan, Ray Thompson, Menzie Yere and brothers Wellington and Stanton Albert playing away from the hunters. But more players in the NRL or super league would be great for them. I don't know why super league or even championship clubs don't look to PNG for players more often.

Re: PNG : Thu Sep 03, 2015 11:34 pm  

Sir Kevin Sinfield wrote:

PNG have Nene McDonald, David Mead, Paul Aiton, Neville Costigan, Ray Thompson, Menzie Yere and brothers Wellington and Stanton Albert playing away from the hunters. But more players in the NRL or super league would be great for them. I don't know why super league or even championship clubs don't look to PNG for players more often.

They would if they were way to sign instead of doing the hard work of developing their own players.