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Anthony Albanese comes as the Australian soccer team are threatened with being EXCLUDED from all competitions for refusing to play in Papua New Guinea
- Anthony Albanese intervened in a clash with the Queensland Rugby League
- Mackay Cutters refuses to travel to Papua New Guinea due to civil unrest
- However, QRL threatens to kick the Cutters out of the competition
- Albanese says he will support any security request for the league game
The Prime Minister has offered his help in ending a queensland Rugby League clash which could see the Mackay Cutters expelled from several competitions.
The Cutters refused to travel to Papua New Guinea for Saturday’s Hostplus Cup final round, with the QRL threatening on Thursday to withdraw their license as a result.
The game is expected to be the first for the PNG Hunters at their Port Moresby home since 2019, with the pandemic forcing them to establish a base in Australia.
Anthony Albanese intervened in a Queensland Rugby League showdown involving PNG
Civil unrest in the country has sabotaged recent efforts to get the PNG Hunters back early.
But an independent QRL risk assessment found this weekend’s game could go ahead safely, despite official travel advice from the Federal Government that people were reconsidering their need to travel due to the ongoing conflict. .
However, The Courier Mail reported on Thursday that Anthony Albanese had informed the QRL that the Federal Government would support any security request for the game.
“The people of PNG are passionate in their support of rugby league and our relationship is vitally important to Australia,” Albanese said.
Mackay Cutters had refused to go to PNG Hunters due to civil unrest on the island
The Cutters have a great chance of qualifying for the Hostplus Cup final.
But they act as one of North Queensland’s feeder teams and their absence from QRL competitions next year would have a severe impact on the NRL path.
A crowd of around 10,000 was expected on Saturday, with Albanese having previously shown support for the country’s efforts to host an NRL side.
“If the Cutters are unable to remedy the breach of the Participation Agreement, they will be suspended from all QRL statewide competitions,” a QRL statement read.
“The Cutters have been asked to respond to the allegation and will be required to justify why the club should continue to be involved in statewide QRL competitions in 2023.”
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