From a revolutionary thought bubble to an ironclad reality, the arrival of the PNG NRL side is a tribute to how rugby league at the elite level thrives in an expansionist mode.
The introduction of the PNG side in 2028, announced on Thursday, will give the NRL a growing empire in a nation where rugby league is uniquely the national sport.
The new franchise would not be possible without the $600 million contribution of the Australian government over 10 years, which commences in 2024, and $150 million by their PNG counterparts.
Prime Ministers of Australia and PNG, Anthony Albanese and James Marape respectively, in consultation with ARLC chairman Peter V'landys, have concocted a unique expansion funding deal.
Marape has reiterated on several occasions the NRL side will be about national unification and social cohesion as much as a sporting venture.
V'landys confirmed "roughly half the funding in this historic agreement ... will go to grassroots football and community programs in PNG" with a flow-on to other Pacific nations.
The history of the NRL and its previous iterations has been littered with examples of bold expansion moves and innovations that have been opposed by naysayers.
Incredibly State of Origin, the jewel in the game's crown, was predicted by many pundits to be a likely dud with a short life span when it was introduced in 1980.
Brisbane's introduction to the NSWRL in 1988 was opposed by Sydney-centric dinosaurs while the Dolphins were tipped to be a flop in their opening season of 2023 before establishing themselves as a TV ratings powerhouse and crowd puller, along with proving more than competitive on the field.
The PNG NRL bid has been no different. It has had critics.
Only a fool would suggest there will not be hurdles to overcome.
The logistics of housing players in an athletes' village and the spectre of civil unrest, which led to riots and the loss of life in February, will pose challenges.
AAP asked PNG international Kyle Laybutt, who captained the Kumuls to the Pacific Bowl title in 2023, whether he would be prepared to uproot from Townsville and join a PNG team to live in a player compound.
"Personally I would jump at the chance and take any opportunity to play NRL in Papua New Guinea" Laybutt told AAP.
"It is my second home and where my family heritage is from. I'd just have to convince the missus."
No doubt that response would be reiterated by other players in the NRL. Convincing family to join them on the journey will be key, although the incentive of earning tax-free income has the capacity to set players up for life.
The Dolphins themselves learned luring players away from established clubs is not an exact science. They were left out in the cold by stars such as Cameron Munster, who was close to signing in 2023 only to stay at Melbourne.
Munster will be close to retirement in 2028 but he is a supporter of the PNG team and can only envisage growth.
"When they go over there and look at the facilities as players I'm sure there will be some who want to play for PNG," Munster said.
"You'll be able to see some local talent from PNG who have never had the opportunity to play rugby league in big games.
"You see (NRL and Super League) guys like Xavier Coates, Justin Olam and guys coming through like Kyle Laybutt, Lachlan Lam and Nene Macdonald.
"Great players have come from there, and it's probably only going to grow even more when they get that opportunity to build pathways and develop."
The Australian Financial Review has reported the PNG government has allocated $150 million for bid infrastructure, elite sports development and participation growth for the next four years.
CEO of PNG's NRL bid Andrew Hill is confident enough talent exists on the ground, with 720 players currently in elite academies and the Junior Kumuls drawing with the Australian Schoolboys side this year.
"That's the one thing that's guaranteed ... an abundance of talent. Building pathways and getting people playing rugby league at a younger age (is key)," PNG coach Jason Demetriou said.
"These guys (currently) aren't coming into any type of system until they're 17 and 18 years old and they're still ranked fifth or sixth in the world. It's pretty remarkable when you consider their background of junior rugby league.
"If that improves, the talent pool will be endless. It's the biggest talent pool that the game can expand to, without a doubt.
"Andrew Hill has done a good job in setting up pathways programs. That started with the U19s program last year that's grown from four teams to nine teams this year. It's about building some facilities as well."
The setting up of a PNG team will also build bridges in a strategic sense between Australia and its near neighbour as a counterweight to the influence of China. The partnership has been tagged as "rugby league for diplomacy" with the goal of making Australia and PNG safer and more secure in the region.
The success of teams such as the Broncos and Melbourne have followed an expansionist mindset at head office. The PNG team is another example. Success is not guaranteed but it has been given an almighty boost by a visionary and bold decision.
