24 Aug 2010

NRL Chief Executive to visit PNG to check on bid

9:36 pm on 24 August 2010

The chief executive of Australia's National Rugby League, David Gallop, is to visit Papua New Guinea in February to be briefed on the status of the country's NRL licence bid.

The newspaper, The National, reports that the visit will allow Mr Gallop to personally appraise the progress of PNG's bid to join the world's premier rugby league competition.

Confirmation of the trip to Port Moresby follows a landmark meeting between Mr Gallop, representatives of the PNG bid and NRL operations management in Sydney last week.

The strategic adviser for PNG's bid, Paul Broughton said the meeting demonstrated that the PNG bid was focused on the "big issues" needed to secure a licence.

Construction of a major stadium in Port Moresby looms as a critical component of the bid's success.

Mr Broughton said that their stadium planning is well advanced and that the PNG facilities committee for the 2015 South Pacific Games will fund the development of the stadium.