World Footy News

It is well documented that a raft of PNG players receive scholarships to play in a variety of competitions around Australia which has lead to the listing of Pirika, Susuve, Meli and Labi with AFL Clubs so far. But many around the world must wonder what happens on the ground with local footy in PNG.

Occasionally WFN have reported on competitions in PNG but in what seems a momentous step forward for quality and player development AFLPNG has recently hosted their first “Super Series”. And there's also the exciting possibility of PNG entering an open age representative side in a Queensland competition in 2010.

Lead by AFLPNG’s Walter Yangomina they have put together a draft of the best 23 year old and under players in PNG to showcase the talent on offer. From this list 4 squads of 25 players each were put into teams. The teams were the Komatsu Tough Bulldogs, Kwila Insurance Cats, PNG Port Power and Heritage Hire Tigers.

Each team was also assigned up to 3 senior players as mentors. These mentors included Ray Hall (ex-Richmond) and local champions like Walter Yangomina himself. The 4 team played a round robin super series over three weekends in November with playoffs between 3-4 and 1-2 on the final weekend. They also trained 3 nights a week during the month long carnival.

The competition boasted Scholarship holders Amua Pirika (pictured), Stanis Susuve, Emmanuel Tupia, Emmaus Wartovo and a number of other recipients who have arrived back in the country after their participation in Australia under the AFPNG Coca-Cola Talent Pathway. Realising the level of talent which will be on show during the five-week BSP Super Series, the Coolangattta Blues Football Club from Gold Coast, Australia, are offering the best two unattached players in the Super Series an opportunity to join the club in the Division 1 League of AFL Queensland. Blues representative, Grant McKenzie said the club recognised the level of talent in PNG and were eager to make new signings.

The finals were crackers. Both came down to the last kick of the match with the Tigers getting up by three points for 3rd (the kick after the siren by the Power from 40m faded away to only score a point) while the Komatsu Bulldogs snapped truly in the last 10 secs to get up by just over a goal against the Kwila Insurance Cats.

The final saw the ‘Amua Pirika show’ in the first quarter of the game with the young Gold Coast listed forward banging home three goals out of the four for the Kwila Cats to take the lead twenty five points to two.

But a determined Bulldogs lived up to their Komatsu Tough brand and showed they were certainly tough enough matching the Kwila Cats with some hard running by their midfield. Dominic Livuana and Freddy Peni set the ground alight for the Bulldogs with their speed through the middle as Garry Kele brought the house down with a long range goal for the Bulldogs to win the second quarter for them and keep them in the game.

Anega Issac and Bobby Oreki for the Cats showed why they were part of the Mozzies and Binatangs system as they stepped up a gear to hold down a Bulldogs fight back. Oreki showing great strength in holding out former Richmond Tigers backman come Bulldogs forward Ray Hall. Collin Wilshire and Charlie Arua played hard for the Kwila Cats while young Jackson Holee gained good possession for the Cats through the middle of the ground. At three quarter time the game was set to go down right to the wire with the Kwila Cats only holding a narrow three point lead, 44 point to 41.

The fourth quarter of the Series One final lived up to expectations as the crowd watched determined hard fought football as both sides threw all they had at each other. With both Coaches biting their nails from the sidelines the Cats looked to seal the Series early in the fourth quarter with defiant goals to Amua Pirika and Charlie Arua. But a three goal haul by the Bulldogs pegged back the Kwila Cats and saw them take out the Series 60 points to 52. The Komatsu Bulldogs taking home a thousand reasons to “Love their Bank” with a BSP cheque presentation by AFL Asia Pacific Manager Andrew Cadzow.

There was all the more reason to celebrate the Series One Final for all four teams as Andrew Cadzow announced that after the second Series in January a Representative side will be picked to participate in the AFL Cairns pre-season competition. This would be a real opportunity to see the dynamics of having a PNG based side play regularly in either AFL Cairns or the AFL Queensland State competition.

With an AFL PNG Academy based in Port Moresby recently signed off there will also be a stronger “in country” base of players which will be very exciting for the local competitions. The BSP Super Series Two will start January 23rd 2010.