2022 PNGNRL season

Last updated
2022 Papua New Guinea National Rugby League (Digicel Cup)
DurationApril 24 – September 25, 2022
Teams12
Broadcast partners Digicel (Subscription)
  2021
 

The 2022 season of Papua New Guinea National Rugby League competition will be the 32nd season of the premier rugby league competition in Papua New Guinea since 1991. [1]

Contents

Teams

The competition will still have 12 franchise teams competing in 2022 even though five bid teams submitted their bids to join an expanded competition. The five bid teams were Sepik Pride, Simbu Angras, Motu Koita Clansmen, New Ireland Chiefs and Moresby South Blacks. [2] [3]

Regular season

Ladder

PosTeamPldWDLBPFPAPDPts
1 Mendi Muruks 171403042431011428
2 Rabaul Gurias 171304045024820226
3 Hela Wigmen 17130403222635926
4 Balmain colours.svg Lae Snax Tigers 1692503452428322
5 Central Dabaris 179080324356-3218
6 Enga Mioks 178090248266-1816
7 Port Moresby Vipers Colours.svg Port Moresby Vipers 177280303325-2216
8 Gulf Isou 175390220272-5213
9 Goroka Lahanis 1751110294306-1211
10 Kimbe Cutters 1751110278339-6111
11 Waghi Tumbe 1641100217350-1338
12 Mt. Hagen Eagles 1732120250400-1508

Finals series

HomeScoreAwayMatch Information
Date and Time (Local)Venue
Elimination Finals
Hela Wigmen 20 – 18 Enga Mioks 4 September 2022, 1:00pm National Football Stadium
Balmain colours.svg Lae Snax Tigers 22 – 14 Central Dabaris 4 September 2022, 3:30pm National Football Stadium
Major / Minor Semi Finals
Hela Wigmen Balmain colours.svg Lae Snax Tigers 10 September 2017, 1:00pm National Football Stadium
Mendi Muruks Rabaul Gurias 11 September 2017, 3:30pm National Football Stadium
Preliminary Final
18 September 2022, 3:00pm National Football Stadium
Grand Final
24 September 2022, 3:00pm National Football Stadium
Qualifying / Elimination FinalsMajor / Minor Semi FinalsGrand Final
1 Mendi Muruks
3 Hela Wigmen 202 Rabaul Gurias
6 Enga Mioks 18
1
Lower round 1Lower round 2Lower final4
2
3 Hela Wigmen 4
4 Balmain colours.svg Lae Snax Tigers 224 Balmain colours.svg Lae Snax Tigers
5 Central Dabaris 14

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Digicel is a Caribbean based mobile phone network and home entertainment provider operating in 33 markets across the Worldwide regions.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Enga Mioks</span> PNG semi-professional rugby league team based in Enga Province

Enga Mioks is a semi-professional rugby league team based in Enga Province, Papua New Guinea. The team competes in the Papua New Guinea National Rugby League competition. They play at Johnson Siki Aipus Oval, Wabag located at 3 km outside the provincial capital Wabag.

Papua New Guinea National Rugby League Rugby league competition

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Hela Wigmen

The Kroton Hela Wigmen is a semi professional Papua New Guinean rugby league team from Hela Province. They currently compete in the Papua New Guinea National Rugby League Competition. They play their home games in Port Moresby while waiting for their new stadium to be completed in 2020.

The Agmark Rabaul Gurias are a semi professional Papua New Guinean rugby league team from Kokopo, East New Britain Province. They currently compete in the Papua New Guinea National Rugby League Competition. They play their home games at Kalabond Oval at the foot of active volcano Tavurvur. The Franchise is owned by NGIP Agmark Limited and was founded in 1991. The team has won six premierships in 2001, 2003, 2005, 2009, 2012 and 2015. The team has been a competitive team in the semi professional rugby game in Papua New Guinea over the past years and the team has developed professional rugby players who have played for the PNG Hunters like Israel Eliab, Ase Boas, Watson Boas and Wartovo Puara Jr. Former greats include Kumul strongman Lucas Solbat, Michael Marum, Normyle Eremas and Menzie Yere.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Papua New Guinea Hunters</span> PNG professional rugby league club, based in Port Moresby, PNG

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Garry Lo Papua New Guinean rugby league footballer

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Lae Snax Tigers is a rugby league club based in Lae, Papua New Guinea. The club was established in 2011

Gulf Isou Rugby League Club is a semi-professional rugby league club from the Gulf Province of Papua New Guinea. They made their debut in the 2018 season of the Papua New Guinea National Rugby League competition. Their sponsors include Petroleum Resources Kutubu and Mayur Resources.

The 2019 Intrust Super Cup was the PNG Hunters sixth season in the Queensland Cup after securing their future for the next four years until 2022. Adex Wera was the captain of the team and he was assisted by his deputy Moses Meninga The Hunters only won four of their games and drew one with a record eighteen losses for the season. 18 new players made their debuts while poor form and discipline let the team down. Five Hunters players were named in the Papua New Guinea Kumuls squad for the 2019 Oceania Cup Pool B Ox & Palm Pacific Invitational Tests against Toa Samoa and Fiji Bati and also for the match against the touring Great Britain Lions.

The Papua New Guinea Hunters is a professional rugby league club from Papua New Guinea that participates in the Queensland Cup in Australia. They have relocated to Runaway Bay, Gold Coast for the 2021 Intrust Super Cup Season. The 2021 Intrust Super Cup will be the PNG Hunters' eighth season in rugby league's Queensland Cup after securing their future with a four-year license from 2019 until 2022. A 37-man train-on squad was announced for the pre season before it was trimmed and the final squad finalized. Doncaster RLFC agreed for Watson Boas to play with the Hunters squad until he was able to return to the United Kingdom. In partnership with PacificAus Sports( Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade), Papua New Guinea Rugby Football League, PNG Hunters and QRL signed a three year agreement titled 'Growing and Supporting Rugby League in Papua New Guinea' in February which will see the PacificAus Sports and QRL assisting to develop the sport in the country by creating pathways for emerging PNG players and also develop pathways for PNG teams like the PNG Hunters Under-19s and Papua New Guinea Hunters women's to take part in high-level Australian sporting competitions The Hunters travelled with a 24-man squad to Queensland after six could not travel due to visa issues. Three consultants were recruited to join the coaching team in order to refine and up-skill the coaching staff through funding by PacificAus sports program.

The 2021 season of Papua New Guinea National Rugby League competition will be the 31st season of the premier rugby league competition in Papua New Guinea since 1991.

The Papua New Guinea Hunters is a professional rugby league club from Papua New Guinea that participates in the Queensland Cup in Australia. Their 2022 official 27-man squad have relocated to Runaway Bay, Gold Coast for the second year in a row. The 2022 Hostplus Cup will be the PNG Hunters' ninth season in rugby league's Queensland Cup after securing their future with a four-year license from 2019 until 2022. They have reappointed Matt Church as their head coach to be supported by Assistant Coaches, Stanley Tepend and Paul Aiton.Two of the Hunters players, Anthony Worot and Sherwin Tanabi were given a one week train and trial with the Cowboys Young Guns and featured in the trial match for the Young Guns against the Mackay Cutters. The Hunters have announced a new strategic player pathways partnership with Dolphins (NRL) that will see four PNG Hunters players joining Dolphins (NRL) for a full NRL pre-season out of which two PNG Hunters players will remain with the Dolphins for the full NRL season commencing in 2023 and play for the Hunters on the weekends when not in the Top 17 team.

The 2022 PNGNRL season was the 32nd season of the professional rugby league competition in Papua New Guinea. It was known by the sponsorship name, Digicel Cup.

References

  1. "Digicel remains naming right sponsor sponsorship". Post Courier. May 26, 2022.
  2. "Five bid teams declare interest in joining an expanded PNG Digicel Cup". 27 October 2021.
  3. "PNGNRLC decides against addition of new franchises in 2022 – the National".