Naming Contest for Papua New Guinea's NRL Team: The Public to Decide Between Boars, Butterflies, or Bees
The name for the new Papua New Guinea (PNG) club joining Australia's National Rugby League (NRL) in 2028 is yet to be decided. A public competition has been launched, inviting all PNG citizens to suggest names that reflect national unity, positive growth, and a strong partnership with Australia.
The competition, initiated by PNG NRL bid CEO Andrew Hill, is an effort to create a team identity that every PNG citizen can proudly support. Prime Minister James Marape emphasised the importance of this, stating that the team should symbolise one nation and one team amidst the country's diverse cultural landscape.
PNG citizens can submit their team name ideas through an online competition, which remains open until August 31, 2025. A board-designated team will shortlist the most popular suggestions, which will then be put to a public online vote. The final team name will be selected by a majority vote.
The announcement of the chosen name is expected to coincide with PNG’s 50th independence anniversary celebrations in 2025, symbolising a moment of national pride and unity.
Meanwhile, the international rugby league team of PNG, known as the Kumuls, continues to thrive. The Kumuls, a local term for the country's birds of paradise, are a testament to the passion for rugby league in PNG. Despite playing on muddy fields using plastic bottles stuffed with grass, promising athletes are often recruited to play professionally in Australia and England.
The team that PNG will join in Australia's NRL in 2028 will be based in Port Moresby, the capital of PNG. Foreign players and their families will be housed in gated compounds and offered broad tax incentives to build a competitive squad.
This move by Australia is part of sports diplomacy, aiming to counter China's influence. The Australian government is investing US$390 million to establish a club in the NRL for PNG.
For PNG, the announcement of the team name is a significant moment. Prime Minister James Marape considers it one of the proudest moments in PNG's history. The competition to name the team is currently ongoing, with the winning name set to be revealed in September 2025, coinciding with PNG's 50th anniversary of declaring independence from Australia.
Football, being a popular sport in PNG, could potentially be considered as the new club's sport, following Australia's National Rugby League (NRL) entry in 2028. The chosen team name, reflecting national unity and growth, might also symbolize the passion and resilience of the native birds of paradise, much like the Kumuls.
