Australian rules football in Papua New Guinea
Encyclopedia
Australian rules football
in Papua New Guinea
is a rapidly developing team sport
which was initially introduced by Australian servicemen. The sport has a long and somewhat shaky history, but has recently achieved big strides in the Papua New Guinea community and is now the second most popular sport behind Rugby League
.
The Papua New Guinea national Australian rules football team
are current International champions, having won the 2008 Australian Football International Cup
.
Players of Papua New Guinean heritage have played professionally in the Australian Football League
, the most famous of which is "king" Mal Michael
. In 2010, at least 4 players had been recruited from Papua New Guinea to AFL lists. A larger number of players of Papua New Guinean origin now participate in semi-professional state leagues around Australia.
The game is covered by both the The National
and Papua New Guinea Post-Courier
newspapers.
In PNG, the sport is typically referred to as "AFL", but also as "rules", "rules football" or "AFL rules".
In November 1945, a match was played between Victoria and "The Rest" at Torokina, Bougainville
.
A competition was played in Rabaul
, New Britain
in 1946 between servicemen, including the 29/46th infantry battalion, who played several matches against sides from New Guinea and New Britain.
During the 1970s there was an annual competition against a team from the Gold Coast, Queensland
.
In 1973, an Indigenous Australian side toured Papua New Guinea, led by Roger Rigney, an indigenous player from the Sturt Football Club
in the SANFL.
In 1974, PNG players Vili Maha and Gimana Guma trialled with the South Melbourne Football Club
.
1977 was an historic year for Papua New Guinean footy. The year saw the first ever international matches involving Australia at under 17 level between Australia and Papua New Guinea. The Australian Under 17 squad toured Papua New Guinea, and the PNG team reciprocated in Adelaide, with Australia winning the match.
The VFL
appointed Peter Evans as full-time manager in 1978/79 he VFL appointed a full time manager for the PNG Rules Council.
PNG fielded a team in the 1979 Teal Cup (Australian Under 17 Championship) in Hobart
.
on television, particularly the New South Wales Rugby League
and Rugby League State of Origin
matches between Queensland and New South Wales. Apart from the VFL Grand Final, Australian Rules matches during the 1980s were rarely televised.
However the sport despite being largely unsustainable continued to be played with a small base of dedicated but aging senior players. At points the game's administration went close to liquidation. The nearby Australian Rules administration body in Cairns stepped in and commencing in 1990 there was regular competition against teams from the Cairns Australian Football League.
Australian football had not been played officially in Rabaul
since 1992, and efforts to revive the code were overshadowed by the 1994 volcanic
eruption.
, competed for the first time at the 1995 Arafura Games
in Darwin, Northern Territory
. The "Mosquitos" were a success, winning the gold medal by defeating New Zealand in the Grand Final. PNG players named in the World Team named at the tournament were George Kava, Willie Lipou, Thomas Gori and Tony Megea.
In 1995, after PNG's success at the Arafura Games, Ed Biggs from the then Australian Football Foundation (AFF) and Ian Collins from the AFL visited all the major Australian football centres in PNG and had discussions with officials.
PNG Rules Football Council officials were advised to draw up a three year development plan to qualify for football development assistance. The plan was to include a summary of the current state of Rules Football in PNG, a management structure, facilities improvement, development proposals and financial estimates.
In August 1996 the Mosquitoes travelled to Perth as part of the AFL Centenary Celebrations. They played a match against the Central Desert Eagles as a curtain raiser to a West Coast Eagles
v. Carlton Blues match. PNG 21.22 (148) defeated the Central Desert Eagles 5.8 (38).
PNG defended their Gold Medal at the 1997 Arafura Games, defeating New Zealand 14.9 (93) to 9.6 (60) in the final. PNG also played against the NTFL, Australian Defence Force and Central Desert Eagles as well as their international counterparts. PNG players named in the 1997 World Team were Gibson Isaiah, George Kaore, David Lucas and Willie Lipou.
In 1999 PNG again defeated New Zealand
in the final at the Arafura Games. In the same year, a record 5,000 spectators attended the Wests vs Koboni Grand Final
in Port Moresby.
AFL PNG
was established in August 2001. AFL PNG is the representative of the AFL in PNG and has been incorporated to coordinate, support and operate Junior Development and Community based programs relating to AFL footy in PNG. Scott Reid, Salvatore Algeri and Mel Togolo are the current Directors of AFL PNG and are responsible for establishing and promoting AFL Junior Development Programs in PNG.
PNG born Mal Michael
participated in the first of three premierships with the Brisbane Lions
in 2001, boosting the popularity of football enormously in the country.
In 2002, the Mosquitos finished second behind Ireland in the inaugural Australian Football International Cup
.
In 2003, Alister Sioni won the AFL PNG Elite Scholarship and trained with the Brisbane Lions between 11 November and 23 December.
2005 was a big year for football in PNG. In the International Cup, the Mosquitos finished in second place behind New Zealand.
Also in 2005, AFL Queensland
took AFL PNG "under its wing" to provide a pathway for PNG players to the AFL. Queensland is one of the nearest and most populous Australian states, and a result, there are now many junior and senior PNG players participating in Queensland
state championships and clubs. Additional funding came from Queensland since, and the Mal Michael Foundation was established in the same year to further foster PNG talent.
In October 2006, the national junior Women's Footy (U16) team, the "Karakums" became the first ever female contact sport side to represent PNG.
In 2006, Papua New Guinea under 16s again won the U16s Queensland Country Championships, defeating Cairns in the Grand Final. Several PNG players were selected to represent the Country Kookaburras U16s squad which lost the Grand Final to the Northern Raiders.
Port Moresby’s Stanis Susave, became the first player from Papua New Guinea to represent the Queensland Scorpions in the under 16s.
In 2007, U16 Bintangs were invited to the all-Queensland state championships, managing one win out of three by defeating the AFLQ Colts. The U14s followed.
In November, the PNG girls Under 17 squad went through the QLD state championships undefeated to take the title outright. Only Cape York were able to register a score against the junior Karakums.
Outstanding PNG juniors Stanis Susuve and John James were invited to the AFL/AIS Draft Camp in November 2007.
Several players to learn the game in PNG began reaching senior level in Australia in various regional and state leagues in 2007. During the year, 13 Papua New Guinean players represented the Coolangatta-Tweed Heads AFC at senior level in Division 2 of the Queensland State League since 2000, with five playing in the senior team in 2007 - David Evertius, Donald Barry, Johnny James, Emmaus Wartovo and Ali Pinda. Donald Barry, Elijah Baruai and Bergmann Talingapua were all recruited from PNG in 2007 to play for the Manunda Hawks in the AFL Cairns
competition.
The expanding program has also seen several PNG players introduced the Sunshine Coast league including Emmanuel Tupia, John Vogae, Gary Kiele and Peter Labi in 2009.
In March 2008, John James became the first player from Papua New Guinea to represent Queensland in the Under 18 National Championships.
In September 2008, the Mosquitos took out the International Cup in a thriller against New Zealand.
In November 2008, 17 year old Tianen Carbry was invited to the AIS/AFL academy.
In January 2009, 17 year old Amua Parika was signed by the Gold Coast Football Club to play in the AFL. He was followed shortly after by the Gold Coast's signing of talented junior Stanis Susuve. Both players started as junior in PNG.
In October 2009, 17 year old Peter Labi joined the Carlton Football Club
on an international scholarship.http://www.carltonfc.com.au/newsarticle/tabid/4311/newsid/86133/default.aspx
despite PNG being closer and has instead insisted that AFL PNG source funds through AusAID, however this has not been forthcoming. In recent years, sponsors have helped fill the void left by a lack of AFL funding. AFL PNG survives on Australian private donations and a small group of sponsors.
Major development funding comes from the following primary sources, including:
¹The national titles in 2000 attracted teams from Buka
, Pomio, Rabaul
, Kove
, Hoskins, Kimbe
, Lae
, Mt Hagen and National Capital District (Port Moresby
).
²There were no championships staged in 2001, 2002 (due to the International Cup) or 2005 (due to the International Cup).
PNG's national team is the Mosquitoes
.
They debuted in 1973 at Under 17 level against Australia but have not played Australia since.
The team are currently international champions by winning the 2008 Australian Football International Cup
.
The team has also tasted success in the past with a gold medal in the Arafura Games
s and silver at both 2002 and 2005 International Cups.
The national women's team is known as the Karakums. They have competed in Australian provincial championships and the International Cup.
. The development body is AFL PNG
.
. Live matches are broadcast on ABC Asia Pacific.
Papua New Guineans have played professional and semi-professional Australian rules football in Australia, and have dominated the All-International amateur team for many years. More recently, AFL clubs have taken an interest in recruiting PNG talent. However a major inhibitor for recruitment remains height, with many of the more talented players being under 176 cm which is typically considered too short for professional AFL.
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
in Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea , officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands...
is a rapidly developing team sport
Team sport
A team sport includes any sport which involves players working together towards a shared objective. A team sport is an activity in which a group of individuals, on the same team, work together to accomplish an ultimate goal which is usually to win. This can be done in a number of ways such as...
which was initially introduced by Australian servicemen. The sport has a long and somewhat shaky history, but has recently achieved big strides in the Papua New Guinea community and is now the second most popular sport behind Rugby League
Rugby league in Papua New Guinea
Rugby league is the most popular team sport in Papua New Guinea, and is indeed regarded as the national sport. The people have a reputation for being the most passionate supporters of the game in the world....
.
The Papua New Guinea national Australian rules football team
Papua New Guinea national Australian rules football team
The Papua New Guinea national Australian rules football team represents Papua New Guinea in the team sport of Australian rules football....
are current International champions, having won the 2008 Australian Football International Cup
2008 Australian Football International Cup
The 2008 Australian Football International Cup was the third time the Australian Football International Cup, an international Australian rules football competition, has been contested....
.
Players of Papua New Guinean heritage have played professionally in the Australian Football League
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
, the most famous of which is "king" Mal Michael
Mal Michael
Malcolm Roberto "Mal" Michael is a former Australian rules footballer. He is notable for his successful professional Australian Football League career. Following a career spanned 238 games and three clubs in two Australian states he is best known as a triple premiership full-back with the...
. In 2010, at least 4 players had been recruited from Papua New Guinea to AFL lists. A larger number of players of Papua New Guinean origin now participate in semi-professional state leagues around Australia.
The game is covered by both the The National
The National (Papua New Guinea)
The National is a daily, English language newspaper published in Papua New Guinea. It is also published online. The paper is owned by Malaysian logging company Rimbunan Hijau.-External links:*...
and Papua New Guinea Post-Courier
Papua New Guinea Post-Courier
The Papua New Guinea Post-Courier is a newspaper based in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.With a circulation of 41,000, the Post-Courier is the largest selling Pacific Island newspaper....
newspapers.
In PNG, the sport is typically referred to as "AFL", but also as "rules", "rules football" or "AFL rules".
Early Beginnings
Australian Rules was introduced to Papua New Guinea in the 1944 by Australian school teachers and defence force personnel in Lae and Nagada. At the time, Papua New Guinea was an Australian territory.In November 1945, a match was played between Victoria and "The Rest" at Torokina, Bougainville
Bougainville Province
The Autonomous Region of Bougainville, previously known as North Solomons, is an autonomous region in Papua New Guinea. The largest island is Bougainville Island , and the province also includes the island of Buka and assorted outlying islands including the Carterets...
.
A competition was played in Rabaul
Rabaul
Rabaul is a township in East New Britain province, Papua New Guinea. The town was the provincial capital and most important settlement in the province until it was destroyed in 1994 by falling ash of a volcanic eruption. During the eruption, ash was sent thousands of metres into the air and the...
, New Britain
New Britain
New Britain, or Niu Briten, is the largest island in the Bismarck Archipelago of Papua New Guinea. It is separated from the island of New Guinea by the Dampier and Vitiaz Straits and from New Ireland by St. George's Channel...
in 1946 between servicemen, including the 29/46th infantry battalion, who played several matches against sides from New Guinea and New Britain.
Rapid Growth
The sport experienced rapid growth and during the 1960s, the New Guinea National Football League ran in both Port Moresby and Lae.Gold Coast, Queensland
Gold Coast is a coastal city of Australia located in South East Queensland, 94km south of the state capital Brisbane. With a population approximately 540,000 in 2010, it is the second most populous city in the state, the sixth most populous city in the country, and also the most populous...
.
In 1973, an Indigenous Australian side toured Papua New Guinea, led by Roger Rigney, an indigenous player from the Sturt Football Club
Sturt Football Club
Sturt Football Club is an Australian rules football club in the South Australian National Football League. The club is best known for its period of dominance from 1966–76 under legendary coach Jack Oatey, during which it revolutionised the style of play by emphasising teamwork and accurate ball...
in the SANFL.
In 1974, PNG players Vili Maha and Gimana Guma trialled with the South Melbourne Football Club
Sydney Swans
The Sydney Swans Football Club is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in Sydney, New South Wales. The club, founded in 1874, was known as the South Melbourne Football Club until it relocated to Sydney in 1982 to become the Sydney...
.
1977 was an historic year for Papua New Guinean footy. The year saw the first ever international matches involving Australia at under 17 level between Australia and Papua New Guinea. The Australian Under 17 squad toured Papua New Guinea, and the PNG team reciprocated in Adelaide, with Australia winning the match.
The VFL
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
appointed Peter Evans as full-time manager in 1978/79 he VFL appointed a full time manager for the PNG Rules Council.
PNG fielded a team in the 1979 Teal Cup (Australian Under 17 Championship) in Hobart
Hobart
Hobart is the state capital and most populous city of the Australian island state of Tasmania. Founded in 1804 as a penal colony,Hobart is Australia's second oldest capital city after Sydney. In 2009, the city had a greater area population of approximately 212,019. A resident of Hobart is known as...
.
80s Decline
The game suffered greatly through the 1980s with the popularity of rugby leagueRugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
on television, particularly the New South Wales Rugby League
New South Wales Rugby League
The New South Wales Rugby League is the governing body of rugby league in New South Wales and is a member of the Australian Rugby League. It was formed in Sydney on 8 August 1907 and was known as the New South Wales Rugby Football League until 1984 when forward thinking marketing managers decided...
and Rugby League State of Origin
Rugby League State of Origin
State of Origin is an annual best of three series of rugby league football matches contested by the Maroons and the Blues, who represent the Australian states of Queensland and New South Wales respectively...
matches between Queensland and New South Wales. Apart from the VFL Grand Final, Australian Rules matches during the 1980s were rarely televised.
However the sport despite being largely unsustainable continued to be played with a small base of dedicated but aging senior players. At points the game's administration went close to liquidation. The nearby Australian Rules administration body in Cairns stepped in and commencing in 1990 there was regular competition against teams from the Cairns Australian Football League.
Australian football had not been played officially in Rabaul
Rabaul
Rabaul is a township in East New Britain province, Papua New Guinea. The town was the provincial capital and most important settlement in the province until it was destroyed in 1994 by falling ash of a volcanic eruption. During the eruption, ash was sent thousands of metres into the air and the...
since 1992, and efforts to revive the code were overshadowed by the 1994 volcanic
Volcano
2. Bedrock3. Conduit 4. Base5. Sill6. Dike7. Layers of ash emitted by the volcano8. Flank| 9. Layers of lava emitted by the volcano10. Throat11. Parasitic cone12. Lava flow13. Vent14. Crater15...
eruption.
Revival
PNG's senior national team, the MosquitoesPapua New Guinea national Australian rules football team
The Papua New Guinea national Australian rules football team represents Papua New Guinea in the team sport of Australian rules football....
, competed for the first time at the 1995 Arafura Games
Arafura Games
The Arafura Games is a Multi-sport event held every 2 years in the Australian city of Darwin, in the Northern Territory. It is an international event which draws its competitors from around the world. First held in 1991, the most recent Games, held in 2009, involved over 30 nations and over 3,000...
in Darwin, Northern Territory
Darwin, Northern Territory
Darwin is the capital city of the Northern Territory, Australia. Situated on the Timor Sea, Darwin has a population of 127,500, making it by far the largest and most populated city in the sparsely populated Northern Territory, but the least populous of all Australia's capital cities...
. The "Mosquitos" were a success, winning the gold medal by defeating New Zealand in the Grand Final. PNG players named in the World Team named at the tournament were George Kava, Willie Lipou, Thomas Gori and Tony Megea.
In 1995, after PNG's success at the Arafura Games, Ed Biggs from the then Australian Football Foundation (AFF) and Ian Collins from the AFL visited all the major Australian football centres in PNG and had discussions with officials.
PNG Rules Football Council officials were advised to draw up a three year development plan to qualify for football development assistance. The plan was to include a summary of the current state of Rules Football in PNG, a management structure, facilities improvement, development proposals and financial estimates.
In August 1996 the Mosquitoes travelled to Perth as part of the AFL Centenary Celebrations. They played a match against the Central Desert Eagles as a curtain raiser to a West Coast Eagles
West Coast Eagles
The West Coast Eagles are an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League. The club is based in Perth, Western Australia. The club was founded in 1986 and played its first games in the 1987 season. Its current home ground is Subiaco Oval...
v. Carlton Blues match. PNG 21.22 (148) defeated the Central Desert Eagles 5.8 (38).
PNG defended their Gold Medal at the 1997 Arafura Games, defeating New Zealand 14.9 (93) to 9.6 (60) in the final. PNG also played against the NTFL, Australian Defence Force and Central Desert Eagles as well as their international counterparts. PNG players named in the 1997 World Team were Gibson Isaiah, George Kaore, David Lucas and Willie Lipou.
In 1999 PNG again defeated New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
in the final at the Arafura Games. In the same year, a record 5,000 spectators attended the Wests vs Koboni Grand Final
Grand Final
Grand Final is a predominantly Australian sport term used to describe a match that decides a league champion.It originated in Victoria and South Australia and has become specifically significant Australian culture...
in Port Moresby.
The Game Booms
In 2000 the AFL sent a Development Officer, Andrew Cadzow, to PNG. Based in Port Moresby, Cadzow also visited other regional centres.AFL PNG
AFL PNG
AFL PNG is the peak promotional body for the sport of Australian rules football in Papua New Guinea.AFL PNG organises the national championships tournament and selects the national team, the Mosquitos.The governing body is the PNG Rules Council....
was established in August 2001. AFL PNG is the representative of the AFL in PNG and has been incorporated to coordinate, support and operate Junior Development and Community based programs relating to AFL footy in PNG. Scott Reid, Salvatore Algeri and Mel Togolo are the current Directors of AFL PNG and are responsible for establishing and promoting AFL Junior Development Programs in PNG.
PNG born Mal Michael
Mal Michael
Malcolm Roberto "Mal" Michael is a former Australian rules footballer. He is notable for his successful professional Australian Football League career. Following a career spanned 238 games and three clubs in two Australian states he is best known as a triple premiership full-back with the...
participated in the first of three premierships with the Brisbane Lions
Brisbane Lions
The Brisbane Lions is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in Brisbane, Queensland. The club was formed from the merger of the Brisbane Bears and the Fitzroy Lions in 1996...
in 2001, boosting the popularity of football enormously in the country.
In 2002, the Mosquitos finished second behind Ireland in the inaugural Australian Football International Cup
Australian Football International Cup
The Australian Football International Cup is an international sport competition in Australian rules football...
.
In 2003, Alister Sioni won the AFL PNG Elite Scholarship and trained with the Brisbane Lions between 11 November and 23 December.
2005 was a big year for football in PNG. In the International Cup, the Mosquitos finished in second place behind New Zealand.
Also in 2005, AFL Queensland
AFL Queensland
AFL Queensland is the governing body of Australian rules football in Queensland. It was formed in 2000 after the previous governing body for the sport in Queensland, the Queensland Australian Football League , went into voluntary liquidation...
took AFL PNG "under its wing" to provide a pathway for PNG players to the AFL. Queensland is one of the nearest and most populous Australian states, and a result, there are now many junior and senior PNG players participating in Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
state championships and clubs. Additional funding came from Queensland since, and the Mal Michael Foundation was established in the same year to further foster PNG talent.
In October 2006, the national junior Women's Footy (U16) team, the "Karakums" became the first ever female contact sport side to represent PNG.
In 2006, Papua New Guinea under 16s again won the U16s Queensland Country Championships, defeating Cairns in the Grand Final. Several PNG players were selected to represent the Country Kookaburras U16s squad which lost the Grand Final to the Northern Raiders.
Port Moresby’s Stanis Susave, became the first player from Papua New Guinea to represent the Queensland Scorpions in the under 16s.
In 2007, U16 Bintangs were invited to the all-Queensland state championships, managing one win out of three by defeating the AFLQ Colts. The U14s followed.
In November, the PNG girls Under 17 squad went through the QLD state championships undefeated to take the title outright. Only Cape York were able to register a score against the junior Karakums.
Outstanding PNG juniors Stanis Susuve and John James were invited to the AFL/AIS Draft Camp in November 2007.
Several players to learn the game in PNG began reaching senior level in Australia in various regional and state leagues in 2007. During the year, 13 Papua New Guinean players represented the Coolangatta-Tweed Heads AFC at senior level in Division 2 of the Queensland State League since 2000, with five playing in the senior team in 2007 - David Evertius, Donald Barry, Johnny James, Emmaus Wartovo and Ali Pinda. Donald Barry, Elijah Baruai and Bergmann Talingapua were all recruited from PNG in 2007 to play for the Manunda Hawks in the AFL Cairns
AFL Cairns
The Australian Football League Cairns is a semi-professional Australian rules football league that includes clubs from the Cairns region in Queensland, Australia...
competition.
The expanding program has also seen several PNG players introduced the Sunshine Coast league including Emmanuel Tupia, John Vogae, Gary Kiele and Peter Labi in 2009.
In March 2008, John James became the first player from Papua New Guinea to represent Queensland in the Under 18 National Championships.
In September 2008, the Mosquitos took out the International Cup in a thriller against New Zealand.
In November 2008, 17 year old Tianen Carbry was invited to the AIS/AFL academy.
In January 2009, 17 year old Amua Parika was signed by the Gold Coast Football Club to play in the AFL. He was followed shortly after by the Gold Coast's signing of talented junior Stanis Susuve. Both players started as junior in PNG.
In October 2009, 17 year old Peter Labi joined the Carlton Football Club
Carlton Football Club
The Carlton Football Club is a professional Australian rules football club based in Melbourne, Victoria. The club competes in the Australian Football League, and was one of the eight founding members of that competition in 1897...
on an international scholarship.http://www.carltonfc.com.au/newsarticle/tabid/4311/newsid/86133/default.aspx
Funding & Sponsorship
Despite having the second highest number of players and one of the highest junior participation growth rates for the sport in the world, the sport in Papua New Guinea receives one of the lowest allocations of funding from the AFL. The international governing body provides much lower funding than South AfricaSouth Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
despite PNG being closer and has instead insisted that AFL PNG source funds through AusAID, however this has not been forthcoming. In recent years, sponsors have helped fill the void left by a lack of AFL funding. AFL PNG survives on Australian private donations and a small group of sponsors.
Major development funding comes from the following primary sources, including:
| Sponsor | Sponsored | Amount p/a (A$) | Total | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B-Mobile B-Mobile B-Mobile Communications Sdn. Bhd. is a joint venture company between Telekom Brunei Berhad and QAF Comserve. Granted a 3G license in February 2005, b.mobile is Brunei’s first 3G mobile service provider, utilising the established W-CDMA technology.-External links:*... |
National junior programs | 100,000 | 300,000 | 2009–2012 |
| Australian Football League Australian Football League The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football... |
AFL PNG | 45,000 | 2005- | |
| Telekom PNG | Senior national team | 40,000 | 2008- | |
| Oil Search Limited Oil Search Limited Oil Search Limited is the largest oil and gas exploration and development company incorporated in Papua New Guinea, which operates all of Papua New Guinea's oilfields. Founded in 1929, it is now one of Papua New Guinea's largest companies, and in 2006 was responsible for 13% of Papua New Guinea's... |
AFL PNG | ? | 2006- |
Leagues and Competitions
- Goroka Football League
- Apo Stars
- Asaroka
- Mt Kiss
- UPNG Goroka
- Kimbe Football League
- Bali Hawks
- Central Magpies
- SBLC Buluma
- Talkom
- Tamara
- True West
- Lae Football League
- Mt Hagen Football League
- Port Moresby Football League
- Andersons Koki Dockers
- Defence
- Koboni
- Tisa Jets
- University Bulldogs
- West
- Rabaul Football League
- Rabaul Bulldogs
- Rabvol
- Royals
- Vunakanau
- Vunapope Tigers
- Eastern Highland Rules Football League
National Championships
Year, National Champion- 1995 Lae
- 1996 NCD
- 1997 NCD
- 1998 NCD
- 1999 NCD
- 2000 Hoskins¹
- 2001 ²
- 2002 ²
- 2003 ?
- 2004 NCD
- 2005 ²
- 2006 ?
¹The national titles in 2000 attracted teams from Buka
Buka Island
Buka Island is the second largest island in the Papua New Guinean province of Bougainville.- History :Buka was first occupied by humans in paleolithic times, some 30,000 years ago...
, Pomio, Rabaul
Rabaul
Rabaul is a township in East New Britain province, Papua New Guinea. The town was the provincial capital and most important settlement in the province until it was destroyed in 1994 by falling ash of a volcanic eruption. During the eruption, ash was sent thousands of metres into the air and the...
, Kove
KOVE
KOVE may refer to:* the ICAO code for Oroville Municipal Airport, in Oroville, California, United States* KOVE , a radio station licensed to Lander, Wyoming, United States...
, Hoskins, Kimbe
Kimbe
Kimbe is the capital of the province of West New Britain in Papua New Guinea. It is a port town on the great Kimbe Bay which boasts more than 60 percent of the coral species of the entire Indo-Pacific. The bustling town of Kimbe is the third largest port in Papua New Guinea and is the fastest...
, Lae
Lae
Lae, the capital of Morobe Province, is the second-largest city in Papua New Guinea. It is located at the start of the Highlands Highway which is the main land transport corridor from the Highlands region to the coast...
, Mt Hagen and National Capital District (Port Moresby
Port Moresby
Port Moresby , or Pot Mosbi in Tok Pisin, is the capital and largest city of Papua New Guinea . It is located on the shores of the Gulf of Papua, on the southeastern coast of the island of New Guinea, which made it a prime objective for conquest by the Imperial Japanese forces during 1942–43...
).
²There were no championships staged in 2001, 2002 (due to the International Cup) or 2005 (due to the International Cup).
National Teams
Papua New Guinea national Australian rules football team
The Papua New Guinea national Australian rules football team represents Papua New Guinea in the team sport of Australian rules football....
.
They debuted in 1973 at Under 17 level against Australia but have not played Australia since.
The team are currently international champions by winning the 2008 Australian Football International Cup
2008 Australian Football International Cup
The 2008 Australian Football International Cup was the third time the Australian Football International Cup, an international Australian rules football competition, has been contested....
.
The team has also tasted success in the past with a gold medal in the Arafura Games
Arafura Games
The Arafura Games is a Multi-sport event held every 2 years in the Australian city of Darwin, in the Northern Territory. It is an international event which draws its competitors from around the world. First held in 1991, the most recent Games, held in 2009, involved over 30 nations and over 3,000...
s and silver at both 2002 and 2005 International Cups.
The national women's team is known as the Karakums. They have competed in Australian provincial championships and the International Cup.
Governing Body
The governing body is the PNG Rules Football CouncilPNG Rules Football Council
The PNG Rules Football Council is the governing body for the sport of Australian rules football in Papua New Guinea.It works closely with AFL PNG, the development body, as well as the Australian Football League....
. The development body is AFL PNG
AFL PNG
AFL PNG is the peak promotional body for the sport of Australian rules football in Papua New Guinea.AFL PNG organises the national championships tournament and selects the national team, the Mosquitos.The governing body is the PNG Rules Council....
.
Television
AFL Highlights programs are shown on PNG television, including EM TVEM TV
EM TV is a commercial television station in Papua New Guinea. Until the launch of the National Television Service in September 2008, it was the country's only free to air television service....
. Live matches are broadcast on ABC Asia Pacific.
Attendance
Despite calls from Mal Michael to hold NAB Cup matches in Port Moresby, to date no AFL level matches have ever been played in PNG, however Australian Rules matches played there sometimes still draw big crowds. The following are notable crowds for matches played in Papua New Guinea.| Attendance | Date | Match Teams | Location | Notes/References |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7,500 | 2009 | Central Highlands vs Flying Boomerangs Flying Boomerangs The Flying Boomerangs are the underage Indigenous Australian Australian rules football team.The team has played tests against the South African national Australian rules football team in both Australia and South Africa and more recently against an underage Papua New Guinea, the first international... (Indigenous tour of PNG) |
Lae Lae Lae, the capital of Morobe Province, is the second-largest city in Papua New Guinea. It is located at the start of the Highlands Highway which is the main land transport corridor from the Highlands region to the coast... , Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea , officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands... |
|
| 5,000 | 1999 | Wests vs Koboni (AFL PNG AFL PNG AFL PNG is the peak promotional body for the sport of Australian rules football in Papua New Guinea.AFL PNG organises the national championships tournament and selects the national team, the Mosquitos.The governing body is the PNG Rules Council.... Grand Final Grand Final Grand Final is a predominantly Australian sport term used to describe a match that decides a league champion.It originated in Victoria and South Australia and has become specifically significant Australian culture... ) |
Port Moresby Port Moresby Port Moresby , or Pot Mosbi in Tok Pisin, is the capital and largest city of Papua New Guinea . It is located on the shores of the Gulf of Papua, on the southeastern coast of the island of New Guinea, which made it a prime objective for conquest by the Imperial Japanese forces during 1942–43... , Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea , officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands... |
|
| 2,500 | 2009 | PNG (U18) Kupundas vs Flying Boomerangs Flying Boomerangs The Flying Boomerangs are the underage Indigenous Australian Australian rules football team.The team has played tests against the South African national Australian rules football team in both Australia and South Africa and more recently against an underage Papua New Guinea, the first international... (Indigenous tour of PNG) |
University of Papua New Guinea University of Papua New Guinea The University of Papua New Guinea was established by ordinance of the Australian administration in 1965. This followed the Currie Commission which had enquired into higher education in Papua New Guinea... Port Moresby Port Moresby Port Moresby , or Pot Mosbi in Tok Pisin, is the capital and largest city of Papua New Guinea . It is located on the shores of the Gulf of Papua, on the southeastern coast of the island of New Guinea, which made it a prime objective for conquest by the Imperial Japanese forces during 1942–43... , Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea , officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands... |
|
Notable players
Players in the AFL
| Currently on an AFL senior list |
| Player | VFL/AFL Years* | VFL/AFL Matches* | Connections to Papua New Guinea, References |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mal Michael Mal Michael Malcolm Roberto "Mal" Michael is a former Australian rules footballer. He is notable for his successful professional Australian Football League career. Following a career spanned 238 games and three clubs in two Australian states he is best known as a triple premiership full-back with the... |
1997–2008 | 238 | Born Port Moresby, Papuan father |
| James Gwilt James Gwilt James Gwilt is an Australian rules footballer for the St Kilda Football Club in the Australian Football League .-Early life:... |
1997–2008 | 23 | Papuan mother |
| Donald Barry | 2009 rookie draft | - | Born Papua New Guinea |
| Stanis Susuve | - | - | Born Papua New Guinea |
| David Meli | 2009 rookie draft | - | Born Papua New Guinea |
| Peter Labi | 2009 rookie draft | - | Born Papua New Guinea |
- stats up to June 2009
- Donald Barry - (177 cm 76 kg) a talented junior who has played for both Coolangatta in the AFL Queensland State League and Manunda Hawks in AFL CairnsAFL CairnsThe Australian Football League Cairns is a semi-professional Australian rules football league that includes clubs from the Cairns region in Queensland, Australia...
. He represented PNG at senior level in the 2008 International Cup team winning a premiership medal. He took out the Norm Smith medal as the best player in the International Cup Grand Final and was selected as a half back the 2008 All-International squad. Barry has been listed by the Brisbane Lions as an International Rookie for 2010.
- Winis ImbiWinis ImbiWinis Imbi is an Australian rules footballer.Imbi is notable as the first player born in Papua New Guinea to reach VFL/AFL level....
- born in PNG played a few reserves games for the Essendon Football ClubEssendon Football ClubThe Essendon Football Club, nicknamed The Bombers, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
in 1997 while playing for the Ballarat Rebels. He was promoted to the rookie list in 1998 and won the Bomber's reserves best and fairest. He was released by the club the following year.
- David Meli - (175 cm 76 kg) recruited by the Essendon Football ClubEssendon Football ClubThe Essendon Football Club, nicknamed The Bombers, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
through its international rookie list in 2009, Meli was a member of the international champion PNG Mosquitos at just 16 years of age. He played senior football at the age of 17 with the Southport Football Club before being recruited to the AFL.
- Amua Parika - (190 cm 80 kg) Represented Papua New Guinea in the Under 16 Queensland State Championships before starring in a senior Mosquitos while still just 17. He talented goalkicking forward has been signed by the Gold Coast Football Club but later delisted.
- Stanis Susuve - (176 cm 88 kg) a talented junior who represented Queensland at both Under 16 and Under 18 level. He has played for the Suncoast Lions, the reserve side for the Brisbane LionsBrisbane LionsThe Brisbane Lions is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in Brisbane, Queensland. The club was formed from the merger of the Brisbane Bears and the Fitzroy Lions in 1996...
in the first division of the semi-professional Queensland State League, Queensland's premier Australian Football league. He originally won a scholarship to play with the Zillmere Eagles in the same competition where he once kicked a haul of 15 goals in the reserve grade premiership and won the club's Most Valuable Player (MVP) award. He was invited to the AFL/AIS Draft camp in 2007. Susuve represented PNG at senior level in the 2008 International Cup team where he received a premiership medal and was selected in the 2008 All-International squad. In April 2009, he became the second Papuan to be signed by the Gold Coast Football Club after Amua Pirika and the first internationally developed player to compete in the TAC CupTAC CupThe TAC Cup is an under 18 Australian rules football representative competition held in Victoria, Australia. It is based on geographic regions throughout country Victoria and metropolitan Melbourne with each team representing 12 Victorian regions....
.
- Peter Labi - junior who has played for the Suncoast Lions (Brisbane Lions reserves) in 2008 and represented Papua New Guinea at the 2008 International Cup where he won a premiership medal.
Other Notable Players
- Navu MahaNavu MahaNavulani Maha is an all-round sportsman who has represented Papua New Guinea in cricket and Australian rules football. He is the son of the ICC's Chairman for Papua New Guinea....
- Maha trained with the South Melbourne Swans VFL team in Melbourne in the 1980s. He became captain of the Mosquitos during the 2002 and 2005 International Cups and two time All-International who has also represented Papua New Guinea in cricketCricketCricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
.
- Marcus BaiMarcus BaiMarcus Bai is a Papua New Guinean former rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s. Primarily a winger, he played his final season in 2006 for English Super League team Bradford Bulls. He is the only man to win the World Club Challenge with three different clubs...
- an Aussie Rules junior who went on to become a standout rugby league player.
- Alister Sioni - (185 cm 80 kg) a West New Britain player who won a scholarship and was invited to train with the Brisbane Lions in the pre-season of 2003, has also played in AFL Cairns seniors and was named in the 2005 All-International team. He captained the Mosquitos for the 2008 International Cup where he received a premiership medal.
- James Imbi - (180 cm) the younger brother of Winis ImbiWinis ImbiWinis Imbi is an Australian rules footballer.Imbi is notable as the first player born in Papua New Guinea to reach VFL/AFL level....
was also born in PNG and played with Winis at Portland since 2005. After trying out with the Sturt Football ClubSturt Football ClubSturt Football Club is an Australian rules football club in the South Australian National Football League. The club is best known for its period of dominance from 1966–76 under legendary coach Jack Oatey, during which it revolutionised the style of play by emphasising teamwork and accurate ball...
in the South Australian National Football LeagueSouth Australian National Football LeagueThe South Australian National Football League is an Australian rules football league based in the Australian state of South Australia. It is also the governing body for the sport of Australian rules football in South Australia....
in 2004, Imbi went to the Palmerston Football ClubPalmerston Football ClubThe Palmerston Football Club, nicknamed, Magpies, is a member club of the Northern Territory Football League.-History:The Palmerston Magpies Football Club began in 1970 and was originally known as the Internationals. At that time most players were English and Greek soccer players...
in the Northern Territory Football LeagueNorthern Territory Football LeagueThe Northern Territory Football League is an 8 team Australian rules football semi-professional league operating in Darwin in the Northern Territory.The premier grade is the largest Australian rules football league in the Northern Territory...
where he plays in the off-season. By round 8, 2005, Imbi had led in the ABC NTFL player of the year count with 11 votes. In 2007, like his brother, he won the Western Border Football LeagueWestern Border Football LeagueThe Western Border Football League is an Australian rules football competition based in the Lower South East region of South Australia, and south-western border region of Victoria. It is an affiliated member of the South Australian National Football League and the Victorian Football League...
best and fairest.
- Jerry Frank - played 13 years for the Palmerston Football ClubPalmerston Football ClubThe Palmerston Football Club, nicknamed, Magpies, is a member club of the Northern Territory Football League.-History:The Palmerston Magpies Football Club began in 1970 and was originally known as the Internationals. At that time most players were English and Greek soccer players...
in the Northern Territory Football LeagueNorthern Territory Football LeagueThe Northern Territory Football League is an 8 team Australian rules football semi-professional league operating in Darwin in the Northern Territory.The premier grade is the largest Australian rules football league in the Northern Territory...
as a defender before retiring in 2007. Born in Port MoresbyPort MoresbyPort Moresby , or Pot Mosbi in Tok Pisin, is the capital and largest city of Papua New Guinea . It is located on the shores of the Gulf of Papua, on the southeastern coast of the island of New Guinea, which made it a prime objective for conquest by the Imperial Japanese forces during 1942–43...
to a Papuan father and Torres Strait IslandsTorres Strait IslandsThe Torres Strait Islands are a group of at least 274 small islands which lie in Torres Strait, the waterway separating far northern continental Australia's Cape York Peninsula and the island of New Guinea but Torres Strait Island known and Recognize as Nyumaria.The islands are mostly part of...
mother he was a member of eight NT representative sides and played against a number of AFL clubs including Collingwood, Fremantle, Brisbane and also WAFL clubs.
- John James - (179 cm 76 kg) a talented junior rugby league convert who graduated from Coolangatta in Queensland State League division 2 up to the Suncoast Lions (Brisbane Lions reserves), earning selection in the team of the year. In 2007, he represented Queensland Country at the Under 18 state titles and was invited to the AFL/AIS Draft camp. James made an outstanding debut for Zillmere Eagles in 2008 and was nominated for the AFL Queensland Rising Star award. He was rewarded for a consistent season, becoming the first player from Papua New Guinea to represent Queensland in the Under 18 National Championships. He was named in the 2008 International Cup squad as an interchange player.