Papua New Guinea National Rugby League Explained
PNGNRL Digicel-ExxonMobil Cup |
Current Season: | 2024 PNGNRL season |
Formerly: | SP Cup (1990–2005) Bemobile Cup (2009–10) Digicel Cup (2011–2022) Digicel-ExxonMobil Cup (2023–present) |
Founded: | 2005 |
Inaugural: | 1990 (as SP Cup) |
Ceo: | Stanley Hondina |
Teams: | 12 |
Country: | Papua New Guinea |
Championtag: | Premiers |
Champion: | Enga Mioks |
Season: | 2023 |
Most Champs: | Rabaul Gurias |
Count: | 6 |
The Papua New Guinea National Rugby League Competition (or the PNGNRL for short, for sponsorship reasons the PNGNRL Digicel-ExxonMobil Cup) is a semi-professional rugby league competition held annually in Papua New Guinea. Changes in sponsorship have meant it was Formerly known as the SP Inter-City Cup or SP Cup (1990–2008) and later the Bemobile Cup (2009–2010). The current competition is sponsored by pacific telecommunications giant Digicel and new co-naming rights sponsor ExxonMobil[1] (one of the world's largest publicly traded oil and gas companies) which joined in 2023 and so it is currently called the Digicel-ExxonMobil Cup.[2]
History
Previous to 2005 the PNG NRL was called the SP Inter-City Cup. The national competition was known as the SP Cup, and has been held since 1990. No competition was held in 2004 due to financial problems and province violence in certain provinces. But the competition returned for 2005 season as the new-look PNGNRL. Much like the new PNGNRL format the old SP Inter-City Cup had teams competing in a format much like the Australian National Rugby League format, with the top four clubs at the end of the rounds entering play-offs, culminating in a Grand Final held in the capital city Port Moresby.
The 2005 season had eight teams in total from all around Papua New Guinea. In 2006 one team got relegated (Monier Broncos) to make way for two new teams, Central Raiders and Pagini Warriors. The inaugural winner of the competition was the Agmark Gurias who beat the Brian Bell Bulldogs in Port Moresby. In the short history of the tournament the competition has shown high levels of rugby league play in Papua New Guinea.
In 2009 local mobile telecommunication Company, Bemobile, took over from SP Brewery as the competitions major sponsor. Currently 9 teams compete in the competition.[3]
On February 9, 2011, telecommucations company Digicel who has taken over the industry in PNG since its operation started in 2007, announced that it will be sponsoring PNG's premier sporting event for the next five years.[4]
Sponsorship Names
- SP Inter-City Cup – (1990–2008)
- Bemobile Cup – (2009–10)
- Digicel Cup – (2011–2022)
- Digicel-ExxonMobil Cup -- (2023 -- present)
Teams
2023 Digicel Cup Teams |
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width=33% | Team | width=33% | Stadium | width=33% | City/Area |
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Central Dabaris | Oil Search National Football Stadium | Port Moresby, National Capital District |
| Johnson Siki Aipus https://leagueunlimited.com/venue/show/aipus-oval | Wabag, Enga Province |
Goroka Lahanis | National Sports Institute https://websites.mygameday.app/assoc_page.cgi?c=0-7798-0-0-0&sID=207675#:~:text=Situated%20conveniently%20in%20a%20central,stand%20seats%20for%20500%20spectators | Goroka, Eastern Highlands Province |
Gulf Isou | Oil Search National Football Stadium | |
Hela Wigmen | Oil Search National Football Stadium | Tari Hela Province |
Kimbe Cutters | Muthuvel Stadium https://papua-new-guinea.worldplaces.me/view-place/54441069-muthuvel-stadium-kimbe-west-new-britain-province.html | Kimbe, West New Britain Province |
Lae Snax Tigers | Lae League Oval | Lae, Morobe Province |
| Joseph Keviame Oval | Mendi, Southern Highlands Province |
Mt. Hagen Eagles | Rebiamul Oval | Mt. Hagen, Western Highlands Province |
Port Moresby Vipers | Oil Search National Football Stadium | Port Moresby, National Capital District |
Rabaul Gurias | Kalabond Oval | Kokopo, East New Britain Province |
Sepik Pride | Pora Oval | Wewak, East Sepik Province | |
History of Premiers
Year | Premiers | Runners Up | Score | Attendance |
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1990 | Port Moresby Vipers | Mt Hagen Eagles | 22–14 | 9,230 |
1991 | Port Moresby Vipers | Mt Hagen Eagles | 18–18 | 8,900 |
1992 | | Mt Hagen Eagles | 36–0 | 12,112 |
1993 | | Port Moresby Vipers | 22–10 | 8,291 |
1994 | | Goroka Lahanis | 36–30 | 8,011 |
1995 | Lae Bombers | Mendi Muruks | 28–18 | 10,232 |
1996 | Mendi Muruks | Kundiawa Warriors | 11–10 | 12,312 |
1997 | Mt Hagen Eagles | Lae Bombers | 19–16 | 10,271 |
1998 | Mt Hagen Eagles | Mendi Muruks | 14–6 | 9,278 |
1999 | Goroka Lahanis | Rabaul Gurias | 24–0 | 10,812 |
2000 | Enga Mioks | Rabaul Gurias | 36–20 | 14,123 |
2001 | Rabaul Gurias | Goroka Lahanis | 18–2 | 10,912 |
2002 | Lae Bombers | Rabaul Gurias | 14–12 | 12,321 |
2003 | Rabaul Gurias | Lae Bombers | 17–16 | 12,381 |
2004 | Mendi Menjals | Popondetta Butterflies | 22–0 | 12,322 |
2005 | Rabaul Gurias | Port Moresby Bulldogs | 14–13 | 10,249 |
2006 | Mendi Muruks | Goroka Lahanis | 19–14 | 12,021 |
2007 | Mendi Muruks | Rabaul Gurias | 42–6 | 11,000+ |
2008 | Mendi Muruks | Mt Hagen Eagles | 14–4 | 12,000+ |
2009 | Rabaul Gurias | Enga Mioks | 24–14 | 15,000+ |
2010 | Goroka Lahanis | Mendi Muruks | 21–10 | 20,000+ [5] |
2011 | Goroka Lahanis | Rabaul Gurias | 20–10 | 20,000+ [6] |
2012 | Rabaul Gurias | Mendi Muruks | 14–10 | 20,000+ [7] |
2013 | Port Moresby Vipers | Goroka Lahanis | 36–14 | 20,000+[8] |
2014 | Hela Wigmen | Agmark Gurias | 34–8 | |
2015 | Rabaul Gurias | TNA Simbu Lions | 26–18 | 20,000+[9] |
2016 | Lae Snax Tigers | Rabaul Gurias | 14–8 | 20,000+[10] |
2017 | Lae Snax Tigers | Rabaul Gurias | 11–10 | 20,000+[11] |
2018 | Goroka Lahanis | Enga Mioks | 10–6 | 20,000+[12] |
2019 | Lae Snax Tigers | Hela Wigmen | 15–4 | 20,000+[13] |
2020 | Hela Wigmen | Lae Snax Tigers | 16–14 | [14] |
2021 | Lae Snax Tigers | Waghi Tumbe | 16–10 | [15] |
2022 | Hela Wigmen | Rabaul Gurias | 8-6 | |
2023 | Enga Mioks | Goroka Lahanis | 26-6 | |
|
Performance by team
Team | Win | Runners Up | Winning years | Runners Up years |
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Rabaul Gurias | 6 | 8 | 2001, 2003, 2005, 2009, 2012, 2015 | 1999, 2000, 2002, 2007, 2011, 2016, 2017, 2022 |
Goroka Lahanis | 5 | 4 | 1993, 1999, 2010, 2011, 2018 | 1994, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2013, |
Port Moresby Vipers | 5 | 2 | 1990, 1991, 1992, 1994, 2013 | 1993, 2005 (as Port Moresby Bulldogs) |
Mendi Muruks | 4 | 4 | 1996, 2006, 2007, 2008 | 1995, 1998, 2010, 2012 |
Lae Snax Tigers | 4 | 1 | 2016, 2017, 2019, 2021 | 2020 |
Hela Wigmen | 3 | 1 | 2014, 2020, 2022 | 2019 |
Mt Hagen Eagles | 2 | 4 | 1997, 1998 | 1900, 1991, 1992, 2008 |
Lae Bombers | 2 | 2 | 1995, 2002 | 1997, 2003 |
Enga Mioks | 1 | 2 | 2000 | 2009, 2018 |
Mendi Menjals | 1 | 0 | 2004 | |
Waghi Tumbe | 0 | 1 | | 2021 |
Popondetta Butterflies | 0 | 1 | | 2004 |
TNA Simbu Lions | 0 | 1 | | 2015 |
Simbu Warriors | 0 | 1 | | 1996 |
|
Notes and References
- Web site: ExxonMobil becomes co-sponsor of PNGNRL Digicel ExxonMobil Cup . 17 March 2023 .
- Web site: Digicel Exxon Mobil Cup Launched . 14 April 2023 .
- Web site: Bemobile Cup - PNG National Rugby League: About Bemobile Cup . 2010-10-18 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110207010635/http://bemobilecup.sportspng.com/p/about-bemobile-cup.html . 2011-02-07 .
- Web site: Archived copy . 2012-01-30 . 2016-03-04 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160304003821/http://www.digicelpng.com/en/about/news/digicel-becomes-title-sponsor-of-pngs-premier-rugby-league-tournament.html . dead .
- Web site: Post-Courier Online . 2010-10-18 . dead . https://archive.today/20120906173636/http://www.postcourier.com.pg/20101018/mohome.htm . 2012-09-06 .
- Web site: Sports news . 2012-01-30 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130622014952/http://www.postcourier.com.pg/20111024/sport.htm . 2013-06-22 .
- Web site: Gurias wins 2012 Digicel Cup Title. https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211213/9RxHHkUP0nM . 2021-12-13 . live. EMTV Online. 9 September 2012. 1 October 2018. YouTube.
- Web site: PNG's Number One Daily Newspaper! - The National. The National. 1 October 2018.
- Web site: Gurias win 2015 Digicel Cup - Loop PNG. 5 September 2015. looppng.com. 1 October 2018.
- Web site: Naru thanks Tigers for winning the 2016 Digicel Cup - Loop PNG. 5 September 2016. looppng.com. 1 October 2018.
- Web site: Tigers are 2017 Digicel Cup champions! - Loop PNG. 9 September 2017. looppng.com. 1 October 2018.
- Web site: Lahanis scoop coveted trophy! - Loop PNG. 2 September 2018. looppng.com. 8 October 2018.
- Web site: Lae Tigers ultimate 2019 winners. Patjole. Cedric. 2019-09-08 . Loop PNG. en. 2020-02-22.
- Web site: Wigmen avenge defeat – the National .
- Web site: Tigers Claim Fourth Premiership . 13 September 2021 .