Opinion
Whilst the goal for every team competing in a Rugby League World Cup is to win, for some it’s about more than just footy results.
When the Papua New Guinea Orchids made their debut in the 2017 World Cup, their inclusion alone was significant. The team made history by becoming PNGs first national women’s rugby league team.
Despite rugby league being the national sport of PNG and a place where women have been playing rugby league in their communities for over a decade, it took until 2018 for the country to be in a position to be able to field a national team.
That 2017 Orchids team may have suffered some heavy defeats. But just like Brazil will likely learn in this edition of the RLWC, you need to start somewhere. For the women of PNG who overcame preparing on fields covered with litter and potholes, some applying for their first passport and others leaving their communities for the first time, taking the field alone was an important moment.
Five years later, much has changed for the Orchids, although if you look at their squad, you will recognise some familiar faces.
In 2022 the Orchids have returned for their second RLWC campaign, starting with a 34-12 win over the Canada Ravens at Headingley Stadium on 2 November. This was the Orchids’ first-ever RLWC win. After the game, captain Elsie Albert admitted that there may have been some squad members who didn’t know the lyrics of the victory song.
Martha Molowia was named player of the match, scoring a try on either side of half-time, and is certainly a player to watch throughout the tournament. She also made three line breaks and ran for 238 metres.
What was most impressive about the Orchids in this match was that they played strong and physical rugby league. Despite Canada having several scoring opportunities in the first 20 minutes, PNG withstood the pressure and struck first with a try in the 24th minute.
(Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images)
Molowia’s story is a special one. When Molowia put on the Orchids jersey and ran onto the field to make her debut, she fulfilled her dream of following in her father’s footsteps. Molowia’s father, Tuksy Karu, also played for the PNG Kumuls in the 1990s. Molowia and her father have now become the first-ever father-daughter duo to represent PNG in rugby league.
“I am representing all my sisters back home and it is a great honour to be able to show my talent,” said Molowia.
“My father was Kumul 147 back in 1991 and that was his dream and it was my dream to follow him.
“Back home, he told me to do what I really want and I told him that I wanted to play rugby just like him.”
At the post-match press conference, Molowia was joined by captain Elsie Albert. Albert is a former boxer who took up rugby league in high school. She decided to start playing rugby league because her parents said boxing was too brutal. Albert also lacked competition, as she was the only woman who wanted to fight in the heavyweight category.
After competing at the 2017 RLWC, Albert caught the attention of several people in Australia and in 2020 became the first woman from PNG to feature in the NRL Women’s premiership when she joined the St George Illawarra Dragons.
“Since the last RLWC, I have had the chance to go to Australia and compete in the NRLW, and that also inspires the women back home,” said Albert.
“Women see someone play grassroots in PNG and then play at that level, creates more girls wanting to participate at home.”
Following the game, Molowia made the following comments about her captain.
“It is a dream for every girl in PNG to be like Elsie Albert,” said Molowia. “Every girl wants to sign that contract in the NRLW.”
But the Orchids are just getting started.
“These women are here to compete and they are here to change the face of rugby league in Papua New Guinea”, said coach Ben Jeffries. “They are going to do it too.”
The Orchids, who will play their next game against Brazil in Hull on Friday, will also spend some time adventuring through the United Kingdom.
“I’ve loved our time in the United Kingdom so far and we’ve eaten plenty of food here,” said second-rower Emily Veivers.
Despite Veivers’s praise for the food in the United Kingdom, she did say that nothing compares to the food back home and also confirmed that she won’t be trying the mushy peas.
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