A new direction for netball in the country, as Netball PNG now aims to meet international standards by building development pathways for a future franchise.

At the launch of the Butterfly Netball League at Sir John Guise Stadium on 29th March, Netball PNG President Ulato Avei said the board has taken steps to change the direction of netball in the country.

This is to create an environment with intensive training to help players grow and be competitive enough for national selection.

“And we have taken that bold move to bring seriousness to both athletic performance and administration,” she said.

This follows plans by the netball board to put systems and processes in place this year to build a strong foundation. The aim is to bring out the best in athletes and officials, with a vision of creating a franchise in the future.

“If rugby league can do it through the Digicel Cup, then we are hoping netball can take that direction as well,” Avei said.

The Butterfly Netball League has been created to improve competition in the sport. The league has selected top players from competitions around the country and placed them into four teams: Island Monarch, Sepik Green Moon, Alexandra Birdwing, and Blue Mountain Swallowtail.

Avei also highlighted the importance of sponsorship, saying young players need strong support to reach this level.

“It is a dream that every young girl has in netball, but that dream can only come true if we have serious sponsorship,” she said.

For the sport to meet international standards, there must be a strong national development pathway to support young talent. Sponsorship helps grow these pathways, similar to how the Digicel Cup has helped players move on to the Hostplus Cup.

“That is why I am appealing to all sponsors. The main sponsor should be the Government of Papua New Guinea, followed by private sponsors,” she said.

She also noted the need for better support in terms of gender equality, saying netball does not receive enough attention despite being a female-dominated sport, compared to rugby league.

She called for equal recognition and support for all sports.