December 11, 2024 • 18 mins
On Sports Fix with Jason Pine & D'Arcy Waldegrave for 12 December 2024, former Dally M Captain of the Year, Steve Price, discussed the NRL's expansion into Papua New Guinea.
Papua New Guinea’s NRL licence has officially been granted, in a historic moment for rugby league to a Port Moresby-based team that will enter the competition in 2028. Pricey gives insight having played in PNG.
Plus, Piney and D'Arcy discuss the confirmation of the 2034 FIFA World Cup in Saudi Arabia.
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Speaker 1 (00:09):
You're listening to a podcast from News Talks ed B
follow this and our wide range of podcasts now on iHeartRadio.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
This is Sportsfix.
Speaker 3 (00:19):
Howard By News Talk said.
Speaker 4 (00:20):
Be hello there and welcome into a fresh episode of
the Sports Fix podcast.
Speaker 3 (00:24):
As we've charged towards.
Speaker 4 (00:25):
The back end another weeken into another busy speeding sporting weekend.
Speaker 3 (00:29):
I'm Jason Pid if I can get the.
Speaker 5 (00:30):
Words out, I'm Darcy Waldgrave and I don't know about you, mate,
I'm not charging to the end of the week.
Speaker 3 (00:34):
I'm charging to the end of the year.
Speaker 6 (00:36):
Bro.
Speaker 3 (00:36):
It's holiday season, it.
Speaker 4 (00:38):
Is, indeed. But before we can even start thinking about
that sort of thing, we've got sport to talk, including
a couple of big meaty issues around the hosting of
a World Cup and the awarding of a new NRL license.
What have we got in terms of a guest on
the podcast today, Darcy.
Speaker 5 (00:55):
Well, pony, I'll be having a yarm with bird Steve
Price from a warrior fromer Australian rugby league player and
a man that has been to Port and Willsby has
toured over there and experienced the love for rugby league
that the locals have been really interested to hear his
opinion on what it's like in Papu and Guinea.
Speaker 3 (01:15):
Sounds great.
Speaker 4 (01:16):
We'll kick around a few topics in the chamber as
well and catch you up with some of the big
sports stories happening around the world today.
Speaker 3 (01:22):
So let's get into it.
Speaker 4 (01:24):
In other news, let's start with a few of the
big sports stories around today. Former New Zealand cricket coach
Warren Lees believes Tim Soudy shouldn't play in Saturday's third
Test against England in Hamilton. Almost but I don't.
Speaker 3 (01:39):
Know if you actually sat down blind and rule the
sender in.
Speaker 4 (01:43):
Front of you and all these players who could play,
and you took the very best eleven players to go
on the play, I don't think you make.
Speaker 3 (01:49):
The team Papa.
Speaker 4 (01:50):
New Guinea Prime Minister James Mrapi has announced their intention
to win NRL titles that after being confirmed as an
expansion team for twenty twenty eight.
Speaker 3 (01:59):
We're not just feeling the numbers. Far from it. We
want to win competition. Sous La Molkins dead in the
first year of Vrey, we will feel a raddish the
first game twenty twenty eight and.
Speaker 4 (02:10):
Another loss for Manchester City, this time in the Champions.
Speaker 6 (02:13):
League off the Vats to take this match away from Manchester.
Speaker 5 (02:18):
City in the foot hills of the Alps.
Speaker 3 (02:21):
Pap Claudia on the side.
Speaker 4 (02:22):
Have a falt clight which they got you ventures to
Manchester City. Neil Man City have now won just one
of their last ten matches across all competitions.
Speaker 2 (02:32):
Used and a Villian It's Sports Fix with Jason Pine
and Dussy Waldegrave.
Speaker 5 (02:38):
Saudi Arabia have got their monopoly money out and they've
bought the FIFA World Cup. No surprise there, but now
it's been ratified, it's been rubber stamped by FIFA. I
spoke with David Higgins, the esteemed manager of Explosive Joseph
Jurassic Parker aka Joe Parker, when the Kingdom of Saudi
(03:00):
Arabia finally managed to make several top fights for one
of their big showpiece events.
Speaker 3 (03:08):
David, how on.
Speaker 5 (03:09):
Earth were these fights made in such quick time? Fights
a notorius for taking months, even years to put together.
As the promoters argue, the toss over ven you over
time and more importantly, over their share of the money,
and in a single stroke of a pen, Suddenly Saudi
Arabia had managed to organize one of the great cards
(03:33):
in recent history. David, how did that happen? And excuse
the accent, I can't help myself, but he said to me, Darcy,
it's particularly easy here. All they did was got all
of the boxing promoters and fighters into a great, big
room together, and did they put a huge sack of
money in the middle of the table? Would said, who
wants some of that? Fights made just like that? Blinded
(03:56):
by coin, driven by cash, as I've often said, and
I won't stop. Money doesn't talk, it screams. And in
the case of Saudi Arabia, they've got an entire pa
system pumping that noise out. People can't help themselves. Everybody
has a price. Saudi Arabia are relying on that price
(04:19):
to shout down the detractors of their regime. People have
got this nasty habit of forgetting the moral disaster that
is Saudi Arabia, the treatment of the Rainbow community, their
treatment of women, their treatment of immigrant workers. They're not
a pleasant bunch of people that people in general choose
(04:41):
to ignore that when they've got a sack of cash
dropped on the table in front of them. Nothing we
can do except complain, but no one can hear us
the screams of the.
Speaker 1 (04:52):
Cash dissecting the sporting agenda.
Speaker 2 (04:56):
It's Sportsfix with Jason Vine and Darcy Waldgrave.
Speaker 5 (04:59):
Hello, Stephen Price, very well and I'm always good to
chat to you. Interesting news today a Papa New Guinea's
finally been confirmed as being yet.
Speaker 3 (05:11):
Another in RL side.
Speaker 5 (05:13):
I suppose your initial reaction to the Steve what we
all knew it was going to happen, But now it's signed,
sealed and delude.
Speaker 6 (05:20):
Yeah, I think like there's been so much talk about
it happening, but now it's actually been an ounce so
I think that's a good thing. We can move on,
you know, how it all sort of happens, that's going
to be the next big part of the puzzle. But yeah,
saying Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea, having played them myself,
I know how passionate. You know, every pup in New
(05:42):
Guinion is of our rugular league, so they're not going
to have any problems from a support scenario. It's just
going to be how it all works, you know, in
regards to where players live and all that sort of stuff.
So I'm sure that you know the ultimate goal is
for him to be based in Fort Moresby. That it
(06:03):
makes sense. But yeah, logistically if that happens, that's that's
a good thing for first place up in New Guinea
and for the game, And yeah, that's going to be
I suppose everything that comes up from now is you know,
they start to put everything together. So yeah, it's going
to be really interested to see how that goes.
Speaker 3 (06:20):
Steve logistics. And this is the key thing, isn't it?
For Port Moresby, Things like the.
Speaker 5 (06:25):
Club, things like the grounds, all of that has to
be worked through. So I suppose when you look at
what they actually have over there, the facilities that they've got,
what work do you believe has to be done there?
Speaker 3 (06:38):
Because it's hardly the best place to play league, is it? Really?
When you look at the grounds and the like.
Speaker 6 (06:43):
Man, the actual ground is outstanding. The one that I
played on when we were do the Prime Ministers thirteen,
when I was sort of playing back in you know,
sort of two thousand and eight and nine. It was
the old ground. But the new stadium, I think it's
Santos Stadium, I think they call it. It's outstanding. The
surface is amazing, the dressing rooms you know, you won't
(07:06):
get much better in any grounds, you know, in Queensland,
So you know, from that perspective, I suppose I just
have to do a little bit more infrastructure. Was probably
add some more grand stands and that might that might
be part of it. I'm not sure where there's a
you know, a capacity minimum that you've got to have,
but yeah, the actual ground itself is pretty good, and
(07:31):
you know, all that sort of part of it's just
going to be I suppose the team's traveling in. You know,
it's going to be great for the locals, no doubt
about that. Obviously, security and everything like that. I never
felt unsafe in pang because they love rugby league so much,
but it is very different to you know, where we live.
(07:51):
So just you know how all that works and that
type of thing is just going to be the next
part of it. But yeah, I mean, when you're looking
at the whole picture, they've been working so hard for
so long to even get it to this stage. That's
probably going to be the easiest part of the whole
of the whole venture.
Speaker 5 (08:08):
Us how long since I've watched the game of rugby
league in Papua and it's great to hear that they've
got the facilities playing you that's key because you play
a safety. When it comes to playing on the field,
you need it to be schmicking. For the NRL, they've
got these standards that they need to adhere to. But
buying large to believe a lot of that's sorted out.
Speaker 6 (08:26):
Yeah. Mate, there was some international's there at the end
of the year this year and you wouldn't you know, Yeah,
it wouldn't have been any different to anywhere else, you know,
whether it's the Islands or in Australia or New Zealand. Say, yeah,
it's a really good surface. The girls played there as well,
you know, the Ausny girls and the Pang girls, and
(08:46):
you know there's a few other teams that played in
it in that Pacific nation sort of and the ball
so yeah, it was it was really good for that.
And then a couple of NRAL teams have gone over
there for pre seasons as well, and you know they
have the the the team obviously in the Q Cup
that play there every second week. So yeah, it's already happening.
(09:10):
I suppose it's just going to be up to that
next level in professionalism and the expectations of the NRL
as well as all the clubs and obviously their own
expectations and being able to support that and actually deliver that.
Speaker 2 (09:25):
The Chamber is now in session on Sportsfix.
Speaker 4 (09:29):
Inside the Chamber we find ourselves with a couple of
big sporting issues to kick around today. Not so much
about what's happening on the field, but stuff which is
off the field which will impact what happens on the field.
Speaker 3 (09:39):
They're are the best.
Speaker 5 (09:40):
They're always the best stories, aren't they. I mean, we
love a score and so on and so forth. But
the outside, the exterior of sports.
Speaker 3 (09:46):
Where the gold is right painting.
Speaker 4 (09:48):
Yeah, with a bit of gold here, and there's gold
in the hills of Port Moresby by the sounds of it.
With confirmation that Papua New Guinea will become the eighteenth
NRL franchise from twenty twenty eight onwards, this was widely
expected and widely telegraphed. It is now absolutely confirmed to
see up on New Guineae Prime Minister saying we're going
(10:10):
to win the whole thing. We're not just here to
make up the numbers. What do you make of this
in general terms?
Speaker 5 (10:15):
First of all, as anybody told them, they're actually just
border control for China.
Speaker 3 (10:19):
Is there anyone like filled the gaps?
Speaker 5 (10:21):
And yet, because that's plainly what it is, they're going
to stand there and make sure the Chinese don't come
with all the money they're getting from the Aussie government.
So it's not really rugby league is at Pineyer. It's
something completely political, which shouldn't surprise us when it comes
to Peter Landi's and the general relationship between Australia and
(10:42):
China anywhere.
Speaker 3 (10:43):
Am I reading too much into this because this is
what this is.
Speaker 4 (10:45):
No, You've outlined it perfectly. That's exactly what this is,
and I don't think there's been any particular desire to
hide that.
Speaker 3 (10:53):
In that right. They're honest, Yeah they are.
Speaker 4 (10:54):
It's all about security in the Pacific and that is
for the news. He's not the sporties like us to discuss.
But you're being on there is more to this than
just looking around at the respective bids or the respective
places where an NRL team might be and say, hey,
what would be the best in terms of rugby league. Look,
I hope the p ANDNG team are good, of course
I do.
Speaker 5 (11:14):
But they shouldn't, don't they They absolutely love it. You
talk to anyone that has toured over there and anyone
that's engaged with the Crimmels or the local populace, they're
like they you talk about passion, I don't think it's
a more passionate group in the world than Papua New
Guinean rugby league fans.
Speaker 4 (11:30):
Yeah, indeed, and I guess you know that the NRL
teams who travel up there will be revered, you know,
the Pupua New Guinea rugby league population or you know
the fans of the game up there. I mean, they're
the burg big winners and all of this, aren't They're
going to see the best, you know, in the world
pretty much. The NRL widely regarded as that, you know,
playing there every other week, so you know, for them,
(11:50):
fantastic money pumped into their economy, terrific. But as you say, Das,
we need to remember how this has happened. What does
it mean do you think for the expansion to twenty
teams and we know P and G are in there
from twenty twenty eight. It's been widely publicized the NRA
want to get to twenty teams by twenty thirty.
Speaker 3 (12:09):
You reckon christ Church.
Speaker 5 (12:11):
Is a chance the way Peter Velandi's treated the christ
Bids when he was over here just recently suggests to
me Iceberg's chance in hell. He doesn't seem to want
to even know what's going on in the South Island.
And I understand that Piney to a degree. I know
that the Cameron George out of the Warriors isn't overly keen.
Speaker 3 (12:32):
To do that. And I guess he's got a mortgage
on the New Zealand fans.
Speaker 5 (12:36):
But it's their competition, it's the Ossie NRL, it's not ours,
and I think they want to look after their own
backyard before anyone over in the shaky aisles and saying
that they've just gone to Papua New Guinea, but we
know why they've done that. I still don't hold out
great hope for anything in that part of the word.
Speaker 3 (12:53):
I hope I'm wrong.
Speaker 4 (12:54):
Hope No, Yeah, I hope you're wrong too, because I
feel exactly the same way. So I hope i'm wrong too.
Look at the A League Derby shyness, anything that would
be a fantastic Yeah, it'll be amazing over here. But
does the again.
Speaker 3 (13:07):
Our role care about that.
Speaker 4 (13:08):
I guess you know that's a question for another day now.
Speaker 5 (13:10):
Speaking on they don't want another New Zealand based team
flogging all the players that they've already stolen from Auckland.
Speaker 4 (13:17):
Right, well, there is that term.
Speaker 3 (13:19):
Perhaps there is.
Speaker 4 (13:20):
That too now, speaking of controversial decisions, if this is
what this is, this is certainly well this isn't a
controversial decision. The awarding of the FIFA World Cup to
Saudi Arabia for twenty thirty four.
Speaker 3 (13:33):
They were the only bidder.
Speaker 4 (13:34):
So it's one of those where okay, cast your votes
now police for the one candidate.
Speaker 3 (13:41):
Look it's going to be the communist election. Mate.
Speaker 4 (13:44):
This sounds like, yeah, this decision is controversial, obviously unopposed
at the latest FIFA meeting. Second time the World Cup
is going to be held in the Middle East after
cutter in twenty twenty two. But we all know that
there are some major human rights issues, environmental issues, migrant
(14:08):
work at issues in the building of these absolutely spectacular
new proposed stadia for this tournament.
Speaker 3 (14:17):
Look over there, Look over there, Look Jason, it's a bird.
Speaker 5 (14:19):
Look everybody, look at this amazing stadium that we built.
Look we built eleven new ones, probably a billion buckler.
Isn't that incredible. Look at the crowds that have turned up,
look at everything.
Speaker 3 (14:31):
Don't look over there at the Human Rights says, you know, no, don't.
Speaker 5 (14:33):
Look at they just look over this way, use your money, sunglasses.
Speaker 3 (14:37):
And that's what it is.
Speaker 4 (14:39):
And my esteem colleague Dusty water Grave has just very
very cleverly demonstrated sports Washington.
Speaker 3 (14:44):
You that is what sports washing is.
Speaker 4 (14:47):
All joking aside does that is what sports washing is
getting the rosy glow of hosting big sporting events like
live golf and like Formula one and like boxing, yeah yeah,
and now the fief for World Cup to say, look
over there at how great we are. Don't look over there.
Speaker 3 (15:05):
That is sports washing in a nutshell, mate. And if they.
Speaker 5 (15:07):
Carry on the way they're doing, look credit where credit's due.
Speaker 3 (15:11):
They've been persistent with that much money. I can understand why.
Speaker 5 (15:14):
But I suggest that people have are dulled to the
pain somewhat they don't even care anymore, like.
Speaker 3 (15:19):
Oh yeah whatever, they're just doing that.
Speaker 5 (15:20):
Hey, look all the money in the sport and that's
what they're working on. And I fear that that's exactly
what's happened. People are like, actually nothing we can do.
We don't care show me the money.
Speaker 4 (15:30):
No, and isn't that a I don't know if that's
an indictment on us all, But you're right, it's just
like the money is so so big and so difficult
to ignore it, and we feel, I guess, as one person,
that there's nothing we can do. So do we just say,
you know what, shrug our shoulders and look over there
and don't look over there. I don't know. Do you
know that alcohol is forbidden in Saudi Arabia?
Speaker 3 (15:52):
Does he? I don't think.
Speaker 5 (15:54):
Also, you can be part of the rainbow community. I'm
not entirely sure if you're covered when you come to
build a stadium, if you're part of the massive influx
of immigrants. To help deal that, you ask the thousand
that didn't make it home from cuts.
Speaker 3 (16:09):
There's a lot of real issues.
Speaker 5 (16:10):
Here, but nobody wants to talk about it because money simple.
Speaker 4 (16:15):
Indeed it is. And yeah, just finally on this. It
could also be an another winter tournament, which in the
in the Middle East is Christmas time December, which of
course falls right in the middle of every single European season,
and once again we'll disrupt those. But again, Darcy, look
at all that money.
Speaker 3 (16:32):
Look over there and I have looked over there. I'll
tell you why inzidherld dot co dot in ze.
Speaker 5 (16:38):
I know I shouldn't be saying this, but oh my lord,
the state of the stadium that they're going to build,
that is something else. If you could take away all
the politics out of it, then some impressive buildings they're
planning on building, mate, I'm I'm starstruck.
Speaker 3 (16:52):
Almost.
Speaker 4 (16:53):
Yeah, it is spectacular, to say the least. All right,
well that's ten years away, no doubt. In the chamber.
Over the next decade, you and I'll just get us
a lot more with regard to this that, of course,
as if we're still involved in the in the Sports
Fix podcast for the next decade.
Speaker 3 (17:05):
But maybe that's a discussion. Can do anything else, Piney,
I'm unemployable.
Speaker 4 (17:10):
Get out of the chamber, Darcy, I'll come with you.
Speaker 2 (17:13):
This is Sports Fix, your daily dose of sports news,
how by News Talks EBB.
Speaker 4 (17:20):
And that is us on the Sports Fix podcast. As
we're dragged, kicking and screaming from the chamber. But don't worry,
a fresh episode will drop into your podcast feed at
around about the same time tomorrow, provided, of course, you subscribe.
Speaker 5 (17:30):
Darsie and you get that Fix podcast Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday,
And if you'd like to engage in what we're doing,
you can on sports Talk News Talk ZBB seven to
eight Monday through Friday, myself or Jason Pine And if
that's not enough for you, Piney's got the entire weekend
covered weekend sport from midday through three o'clock both Saturday
(17:54):
and Sunday. Your place for every fix you need over
weekend sport, right Piney, That's.
Speaker 3 (17:59):
Exactly right, Darcy.
Speaker 4 (18:01):
We'll see you all tomorrow.
Speaker 1 (18:02):
For more from News Talk ZEDB, listen live on air
or online, and keep our shows with you wherever you
go with our podcasts on iHeartRadio
You're listening to a podcast from News Talks ed B
follow this and our wide range of podcasts now on iHeartRadio.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
This is Sportsfix.
Speaker 3 (00:19):
Howard By News Talk said.
Speaker 4 (00:20):
Be hello there and welcome into a fresh episode of
the Sports Fix podcast.
Speaker 3 (00:24):
As we've charged towards.
Speaker 4 (00:25):
The back end another weeken into another busy speeding sporting weekend.
Speaker 3 (00:29):
I'm Jason Pid if I can get the.
Speaker 5 (00:30):
Words out, I'm Darcy Waldgrave and I don't know about you, mate,
I'm not charging to the end of the week.
Speaker 3 (00:34):
I'm charging to the end of the year.
Speaker 6 (00:36):
Bro.
Speaker 3 (00:36):
It's holiday season, it.
Speaker 4 (00:38):
Is, indeed. But before we can even start thinking about
that sort of thing, we've got sport to talk, including
a couple of big meaty issues around the hosting of
a World Cup and the awarding of a new NRL license.
What have we got in terms of a guest on
the podcast today, Darcy.
Speaker 5 (00:55):
Well, pony, I'll be having a yarm with bird Steve
Price from a warrior fromer Australian rugby league player and
a man that has been to Port and Willsby has
toured over there and experienced the love for rugby league
that the locals have been really interested to hear his
opinion on what it's like in Papu and Guinea.
Speaker 3 (01:15):
Sounds great.
Speaker 4 (01:16):
We'll kick around a few topics in the chamber as
well and catch you up with some of the big
sports stories happening around the world today.
Speaker 3 (01:22):
So let's get into it.
Speaker 4 (01:24):
In other news, let's start with a few of the
big sports stories around today. Former New Zealand cricket coach
Warren Lees believes Tim Soudy shouldn't play in Saturday's third
Test against England in Hamilton. Almost but I don't.
Speaker 3 (01:39):
Know if you actually sat down blind and rule the
sender in.
Speaker 4 (01:43):
Front of you and all these players who could play,
and you took the very best eleven players to go
on the play, I don't think you make.
Speaker 3 (01:49):
The team Papa.
Speaker 4 (01:50):
New Guinea Prime Minister James Mrapi has announced their intention
to win NRL titles that after being confirmed as an
expansion team for twenty twenty eight.
Speaker 3 (01:59):
We're not just feeling the numbers. Far from it. We
want to win competition. Sous La Molkins dead in the
first year of Vrey, we will feel a raddish the
first game twenty twenty eight and.
Speaker 4 (02:10):
Another loss for Manchester City, this time in the Champions.
Speaker 6 (02:13):
League off the Vats to take this match away from Manchester.
Speaker 5 (02:18):
City in the foot hills of the Alps.
Speaker 3 (02:21):
Pap Claudia on the side.
Speaker 4 (02:22):
Have a falt clight which they got you ventures to
Manchester City. Neil Man City have now won just one
of their last ten matches across all competitions.
Speaker 2 (02:32):
Used and a Villian It's Sports Fix with Jason Pine
and Dussy Waldegrave.
Speaker 5 (02:38):
Saudi Arabia have got their monopoly money out and they've
bought the FIFA World Cup. No surprise there, but now
it's been ratified, it's been rubber stamped by FIFA. I
spoke with David Higgins, the esteemed manager of Explosive Joseph
Jurassic Parker aka Joe Parker, when the Kingdom of Saudi
(03:00):
Arabia finally managed to make several top fights for one
of their big showpiece events.
Speaker 3 (03:08):
David, how on.
Speaker 5 (03:09):
Earth were these fights made in such quick time? Fights
a notorius for taking months, even years to put together.
As the promoters argue, the toss over ven you over
time and more importantly, over their share of the money,
and in a single stroke of a pen, Suddenly Saudi
Arabia had managed to organize one of the great cards
(03:33):
in recent history. David, how did that happen? And excuse
the accent, I can't help myself, but he said to me, Darcy,
it's particularly easy here. All they did was got all
of the boxing promoters and fighters into a great, big
room together, and did they put a huge sack of
money in the middle of the table? Would said, who
wants some of that? Fights made just like that? Blinded
(03:56):
by coin, driven by cash, as I've often said, and
I won't stop. Money doesn't talk, it screams. And in
the case of Saudi Arabia, they've got an entire pa
system pumping that noise out. People can't help themselves. Everybody
has a price. Saudi Arabia are relying on that price
(04:19):
to shout down the detractors of their regime. People have
got this nasty habit of forgetting the moral disaster that
is Saudi Arabia, the treatment of the Rainbow community, their
treatment of women, their treatment of immigrant workers. They're not
a pleasant bunch of people that people in general choose
(04:41):
to ignore that when they've got a sack of cash
dropped on the table in front of them. Nothing we
can do except complain, but no one can hear us
the screams of the.
Speaker 1 (04:52):
Cash dissecting the sporting agenda.
Speaker 2 (04:56):
It's Sportsfix with Jason Vine and Darcy Waldgrave.
Speaker 5 (04:59):
Hello, Stephen Price, very well and I'm always good to
chat to you. Interesting news today a Papa New Guinea's
finally been confirmed as being yet.
Speaker 3 (05:11):
Another in RL side.
Speaker 5 (05:13):
I suppose your initial reaction to the Steve what we
all knew it was going to happen, But now it's signed,
sealed and delude.
Speaker 6 (05:20):
Yeah, I think like there's been so much talk about
it happening, but now it's actually been an ounce so
I think that's a good thing. We can move on,
you know, how it all sort of happens, that's going
to be the next big part of the puzzle. But yeah,
saying Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea, having played them myself,
I know how passionate. You know, every pup in New
(05:42):
Guinion is of our rugular league, so they're not going
to have any problems from a support scenario. It's just
going to be how it all works, you know, in
regards to where players live and all that sort of stuff.
So I'm sure that you know the ultimate goal is
for him to be based in Fort Moresby. That it
(06:03):
makes sense. But yeah, logistically if that happens, that's that's
a good thing for first place up in New Guinea
and for the game, And yeah, that's going to be
I suppose everything that comes up from now is you know,
they start to put everything together. So yeah, it's going
to be really interested to see how that goes.
Speaker 3 (06:20):
Steve logistics. And this is the key thing, isn't it?
For Port Moresby, Things like the.
Speaker 5 (06:25):
Club, things like the grounds, all of that has to
be worked through. So I suppose when you look at
what they actually have over there, the facilities that they've got,
what work do you believe has to be done there?
Speaker 3 (06:38):
Because it's hardly the best place to play league, is it? Really?
When you look at the grounds and the like.
Speaker 6 (06:43):
Man, the actual ground is outstanding. The one that I
played on when we were do the Prime Ministers thirteen,
when I was sort of playing back in you know,
sort of two thousand and eight and nine. It was
the old ground. But the new stadium, I think it's
Santos Stadium, I think they call it. It's outstanding. The
surface is amazing, the dressing rooms you know, you won't
(07:06):
get much better in any grounds, you know, in Queensland,
So you know, from that perspective, I suppose I just
have to do a little bit more infrastructure. Was probably
add some more grand stands and that might that might
be part of it. I'm not sure where there's a
you know, a capacity minimum that you've got to have,
but yeah, the actual ground itself is pretty good, and
(07:31):
you know, all that sort of part of it's just
going to be I suppose the team's traveling in. You know,
it's going to be great for the locals, no doubt
about that. Obviously, security and everything like that. I never
felt unsafe in pang because they love rugby league so much,
but it is very different to you know, where we live.
(07:51):
So just you know how all that works and that
type of thing is just going to be the next
part of it. But yeah, I mean, when you're looking
at the whole picture, they've been working so hard for
so long to even get it to this stage. That's
probably going to be the easiest part of the whole
of the whole venture.
Speaker 5 (08:08):
Us how long since I've watched the game of rugby
league in Papua and it's great to hear that they've
got the facilities playing you that's key because you play
a safety. When it comes to playing on the field,
you need it to be schmicking. For the NRL, they've
got these standards that they need to adhere to. But
buying large to believe a lot of that's sorted out.
Speaker 6 (08:26):
Yeah. Mate, there was some international's there at the end
of the year this year and you wouldn't you know, Yeah,
it wouldn't have been any different to anywhere else, you know,
whether it's the Islands or in Australia or New Zealand. Say, yeah,
it's a really good surface. The girls played there as well,
you know, the Ausny girls and the Pang girls, and
(08:46):
you know there's a few other teams that played in
it in that Pacific nation sort of and the ball
so yeah, it was it was really good for that.
And then a couple of NRAL teams have gone over
there for pre seasons as well, and you know they
have the the the team obviously in the Q Cup
that play there every second week. So yeah, it's already happening.
(09:10):
I suppose it's just going to be up to that
next level in professionalism and the expectations of the NRL
as well as all the clubs and obviously their own
expectations and being able to support that and actually deliver that.
Speaker 2 (09:25):
The Chamber is now in session on Sportsfix.
Speaker 4 (09:29):
Inside the Chamber we find ourselves with a couple of
big sporting issues to kick around today. Not so much
about what's happening on the field, but stuff which is
off the field which will impact what happens on the field.
Speaker 3 (09:39):
They're are the best.
Speaker 5 (09:40):
They're always the best stories, aren't they. I mean, we
love a score and so on and so forth. But
the outside, the exterior of sports.
Speaker 3 (09:46):
Where the gold is right painting.
Speaker 4 (09:48):
Yeah, with a bit of gold here, and there's gold
in the hills of Port Moresby by the sounds of it.
With confirmation that Papua New Guinea will become the eighteenth
NRL franchise from twenty twenty eight onwards, this was widely
expected and widely telegraphed. It is now absolutely confirmed to
see up on New Guineae Prime Minister saying we're going
(10:10):
to win the whole thing. We're not just here to
make up the numbers. What do you make of this
in general terms?
Speaker 5 (10:15):
First of all, as anybody told them, they're actually just
border control for China.
Speaker 3 (10:19):
Is there anyone like filled the gaps?
Speaker 5 (10:21):
And yet, because that's plainly what it is, they're going
to stand there and make sure the Chinese don't come
with all the money they're getting from the Aussie government.
So it's not really rugby league is at Pineyer. It's
something completely political, which shouldn't surprise us when it comes
to Peter Landi's and the general relationship between Australia and
(10:42):
China anywhere.
Speaker 3 (10:43):
Am I reading too much into this because this is
what this is.
Speaker 4 (10:45):
No, You've outlined it perfectly. That's exactly what this is,
and I don't think there's been any particular desire to
hide that.
Speaker 3 (10:53):
In that right. They're honest, Yeah they are.
Speaker 4 (10:54):
It's all about security in the Pacific and that is
for the news. He's not the sporties like us to discuss.
But you're being on there is more to this than
just looking around at the respective bids or the respective
places where an NRL team might be and say, hey,
what would be the best in terms of rugby league. Look,
I hope the p ANDNG team are good, of course
I do.
Speaker 5 (11:14):
But they shouldn't, don't they They absolutely love it. You
talk to anyone that has toured over there and anyone
that's engaged with the Crimmels or the local populace, they're
like they you talk about passion, I don't think it's
a more passionate group in the world than Papua New
Guinean rugby league fans.
Speaker 4 (11:30):
Yeah, indeed, and I guess you know that the NRL
teams who travel up there will be revered, you know,
the Pupua New Guinea rugby league population or you know
the fans of the game up there. I mean, they're
the burg big winners and all of this, aren't They're
going to see the best, you know, in the world
pretty much. The NRL widely regarded as that, you know,
playing there every other week, so you know, for them,
(11:50):
fantastic money pumped into their economy, terrific. But as you say, Das,
we need to remember how this has happened. What does
it mean do you think for the expansion to twenty
teams and we know P and G are in there
from twenty twenty eight. It's been widely publicized the NRA
want to get to twenty teams by twenty thirty.
Speaker 3 (12:09):
You reckon christ Church.
Speaker 5 (12:11):
Is a chance the way Peter Velandi's treated the christ
Bids when he was over here just recently suggests to
me Iceberg's chance in hell. He doesn't seem to want
to even know what's going on in the South Island.
And I understand that Piney to a degree. I know
that the Cameron George out of the Warriors isn't overly keen.
Speaker 3 (12:32):
To do that. And I guess he's got a mortgage
on the New Zealand fans.
Speaker 5 (12:36):
But it's their competition, it's the Ossie NRL, it's not ours,
and I think they want to look after their own
backyard before anyone over in the shaky aisles and saying
that they've just gone to Papua New Guinea, but we
know why they've done that. I still don't hold out
great hope for anything in that part of the word.
Speaker 3 (12:53):
I hope I'm wrong.
Speaker 4 (12:54):
Hope No, Yeah, I hope you're wrong too, because I
feel exactly the same way. So I hope i'm wrong too.
Look at the A League Derby shyness, anything that would
be a fantastic Yeah, it'll be amazing over here. But
does the again.
Speaker 3 (13:07):
Our role care about that.
Speaker 4 (13:08):
I guess you know that's a question for another day now.
Speaker 5 (13:10):
Speaking on they don't want another New Zealand based team
flogging all the players that they've already stolen from Auckland.
Speaker 4 (13:17):
Right, well, there is that term.
Speaker 3 (13:19):
Perhaps there is.
Speaker 4 (13:20):
That too now, speaking of controversial decisions, if this is
what this is, this is certainly well this isn't a
controversial decision. The awarding of the FIFA World Cup to
Saudi Arabia for twenty thirty four.
Speaker 3 (13:33):
They were the only bidder.
Speaker 4 (13:34):
So it's one of those where okay, cast your votes
now police for the one candidate.
Speaker 3 (13:41):
Look it's going to be the communist election. Mate.
Speaker 4 (13:44):
This sounds like, yeah, this decision is controversial, obviously unopposed
at the latest FIFA meeting. Second time the World Cup
is going to be held in the Middle East after
cutter in twenty twenty two. But we all know that
there are some major human rights issues, environmental issues, migrant
(14:08):
work at issues in the building of these absolutely spectacular
new proposed stadia for this tournament.
Speaker 3 (14:17):
Look over there, Look over there, Look Jason, it's a bird.
Speaker 5 (14:19):
Look everybody, look at this amazing stadium that we built.
Look we built eleven new ones, probably a billion buckler.
Isn't that incredible. Look at the crowds that have turned up,
look at everything.
Speaker 3 (14:31):
Don't look over there at the Human Rights says, you know, no, don't.
Speaker 5 (14:33):
Look at they just look over this way, use your money, sunglasses.
Speaker 3 (14:37):
And that's what it is.
Speaker 4 (14:39):
And my esteem colleague Dusty water Grave has just very
very cleverly demonstrated sports Washington.
Speaker 3 (14:44):
You that is what sports washing is.
Speaker 4 (14:47):
All joking aside does that is what sports washing is
getting the rosy glow of hosting big sporting events like
live golf and like Formula one and like boxing, yeah yeah,
and now the fief for World Cup to say, look
over there at how great we are. Don't look over there.
Speaker 3 (15:05):
That is sports washing in a nutshell, mate. And if they.
Speaker 5 (15:07):
Carry on the way they're doing, look credit where credit's due.
Speaker 3 (15:11):
They've been persistent with that much money. I can understand why.
Speaker 5 (15:14):
But I suggest that people have are dulled to the
pain somewhat they don't even care anymore, like.
Speaker 3 (15:19):
Oh yeah whatever, they're just doing that.
Speaker 5 (15:20):
Hey, look all the money in the sport and that's
what they're working on. And I fear that that's exactly
what's happened. People are like, actually nothing we can do.
We don't care show me the money.
Speaker 4 (15:30):
No, and isn't that a I don't know if that's
an indictment on us all, But you're right, it's just
like the money is so so big and so difficult
to ignore it, and we feel, I guess, as one person,
that there's nothing we can do. So do we just say,
you know what, shrug our shoulders and look over there
and don't look over there. I don't know. Do you
know that alcohol is forbidden in Saudi Arabia?
Speaker 3 (15:52):
Does he? I don't think.
Speaker 5 (15:54):
Also, you can be part of the rainbow community. I'm
not entirely sure if you're covered when you come to
build a stadium, if you're part of the massive influx
of immigrants. To help deal that, you ask the thousand
that didn't make it home from cuts.
Speaker 3 (16:09):
There's a lot of real issues.
Speaker 5 (16:10):
Here, but nobody wants to talk about it because money simple.
Speaker 4 (16:15):
Indeed it is. And yeah, just finally on this. It
could also be an another winter tournament, which in the
in the Middle East is Christmas time December, which of
course falls right in the middle of every single European season,
and once again we'll disrupt those. But again, Darcy, look
at all that money.
Speaker 3 (16:32):
Look over there and I have looked over there. I'll
tell you why inzidherld dot co dot in ze.
Speaker 5 (16:38):
I know I shouldn't be saying this, but oh my lord,
the state of the stadium that they're going to build,
that is something else. If you could take away all
the politics out of it, then some impressive buildings they're
planning on building, mate, I'm I'm starstruck.
Speaker 3 (16:52):
Almost.
Speaker 4 (16:53):
Yeah, it is spectacular, to say the least. All right,
well that's ten years away, no doubt. In the chamber.
Over the next decade, you and I'll just get us
a lot more with regard to this that, of course,
as if we're still involved in the in the Sports
Fix podcast for the next decade.
Speaker 3 (17:05):
But maybe that's a discussion. Can do anything else, Piney,
I'm unemployable.
Speaker 4 (17:10):
Get out of the chamber, Darcy, I'll come with you.
Speaker 2 (17:13):
This is Sports Fix, your daily dose of sports news,
how by News Talks EBB.
Speaker 4 (17:20):
And that is us on the Sports Fix podcast. As
we're dragged, kicking and screaming from the chamber. But don't worry,
a fresh episode will drop into your podcast feed at
around about the same time tomorrow, provided, of course, you subscribe.
Speaker 5 (17:30):
Darsie and you get that Fix podcast Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday,
And if you'd like to engage in what we're doing,
you can on sports Talk News Talk ZBB seven to
eight Monday through Friday, myself or Jason Pine And if
that's not enough for you, Piney's got the entire weekend
covered weekend sport from midday through three o'clock both Saturday
(17:54):
and Sunday. Your place for every fix you need over
weekend sport, right Piney, That's.
Speaker 3 (17:59):
Exactly right, Darcy.
Speaker 4 (18:01):
We'll see you all tomorrow.
Speaker 1 (18:02):
For more from News Talk ZEDB, listen live on air
or online, and keep our shows with you wherever you
go with our podcasts on iHeartRadio
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