Transcript
The Hunters won the Queensland Cup Grand Final last weekend, having finished the regular season as minor premiers.
Commentator and former Australian star Matthew Johns believes the NRL should ignore the likes of Perth and Adelaide and target Papua New Guinea as the next location for expansion.
Hunters coach Michael Marum says his side would be more than competitive.
"We've now got these facilities, we now play in this sort of level so I think we can match it with the other teams in the competition. NRL's a really tough competition so if we can probably - that's what we're looking for probably down the track another five years, four years but our focus now is we've got the facilities here, how we can defend it (the Queensland Cup) again next year and keep producing good players".
The Hunters recovered from a ten point half-time deficit to beat Sunshine Coast 12-10 in Sunday's grand final at Suncorp Stadium.
Falcons chairman Ashley Robinson admits he wasn't in favour of the Hunters joining the competition four years ago but says, apart from his own club, they are now his favourite team.
"They have brought so much to the competition and I was so wrong when I questioned the decision. They bring passion, they bring people and the way they play the game and yeah they're physical...but there's no foul play. They just play the game because they love the game and I think it's brought an amazing amount of different things to the competition".
He says it is high time the powers that be seriously consider expanding the NRL into the Pacific Islands.
"If I wasn't a bottom-feeder in rugby league and I was at the ARL Commission or NRL I'd definitely support that next step for the Hunters in the next few years because the NRL/ARL need to have a good, hard look at the Pacific Islands and go, "well that's where our future is, that's definitely where our future is and I think it would be a great idea".
The Papua New Guinea Vice Minister for Sport, Wesley Raminai, says the government is fully behind an NRL bid and the success of the Hunters can only boost their chances.
"A few years back our government spent some money for a bid for PNGNRL and it quite didn't work out well but we're slowly getting there with the Hunters performing well. I think that's speaking volumes and a lot of people down in Aussie - guys like Matty Johns and Mark Geyer and those people that are involved a lot and commentate a lot - they're all pushing for PNG to have a team in the NRL".
Meanwhile the players have a chance to add another trophy to their collection on Sunday when they face the New South Wales Cup holders, the Penrith Panthers, in the NRL State Championship, as part of NRL Grand Final day in Sydney.
