Next month's pre-season trial match between the Papua New Guinea Hunters and Brisbane Broncos rugby league teams in Port Moresby has been cancelled.
Papua New Guinea Rugby Football League CEO Reatau Rau said the Broncos management and new coach Anthony Seibold cancelled the trial match last weekend.
"The 'trial' was former coach Wayne Bennett's plans," Rau said.
"However, when new coach Anthony Seibold took the reins last December he and his staff and management had their priorities and the trial match against the SP Hunters was not one of them".
Brisbane Broncos clash with the PNG Hunters Photo: Brisbane Broncos Facebook page
Rau said initially it was suggested that a Broncos development squad would come to Port Moresby to take on the Hunters but "last weekend they decided that no Broncos team would travel up".
He said it was disappointing news but "we respect that decision and the trial match against the Brisbane Broncos scheduled for February 23, 2019 in Port Moresby is now officially cancelled".
PNG Hunters coach Michael Marum. Photo: RNZ Pacific/Melvin Levongo
The Broncos beat the Hunters 26-12 in the inaugural match between the National Rugby League and Intrust Super Cup teams last February.
The Hunters will now go into the new season without any pre-season matches under their belts.
"We can't do much about it," said head coach Michael Marum.
"Other Intrust Super Cup clubs offered to host a trial in Brisbane but the logistics and costs involved to arrange this at this stage is enormous. Therefore we will not have a trial match but prepare as well as we can for the first game on March 10."
The PNG Hunters open their 2019 campaign away to Tweed Heads Seagulls in Brisbane on 10 March.
