World Footy News

It’s all happening in Papau New Guinea this weekend – from Gary Ablett at Boroko (Port Moresby) to the AFL Lae mens and womens grand finals.

In Port Moresby, AFL PNG is holding a Niukick Gala Day at the AFL Oval at the Bisini Grounds in Boroko. AFL Gold Coast Suns captain Gary Ablett Jnr will be joined by former NBL basketball star Jason Smith. Running this morning 9AM to noon, locals are invited to learn to kick, mark & take a spekky from the best AFL player of our time.

In Lae, the second largest city in PNG and capital of Morobe Province, the action takes place at Eriku Oval today (Saturday 10th October).

Todays schedule – Lae Grand Final day:
10:30 am – Salle DOGS (3rd place) vs Harbour SUNS (4th) Mens
12:30 pm – Salle DOGS vs Harbour Mermai – Womens Grand Final
2:00 pm – Highway LIONS vs Salamanda POWER – Mens Grand Final
Followed by presentations.

AFL Papau New Guinea has been busy in recent weeks. Across late September the Under 14 Binatangs toured to Brisbane where over recent years they have excelled (winning the championship in 2013) in the Queensland Under 14 championships. Playing against teams from across Queensland and players from Cape York to Coolangatta.

Across the week the U/14 BInatangs found the going tough but showed resilience to stick to the task.
QLD U/14 Championships
Game 1 : NQ Northern 11.6.(72) def PNG 3.2.(20)
Game 2 : PNG 6.9.(45) def Brisbane North 4.3.(27)
Game 3 : Gold Coast North 7.5.(47) def PNG 4.7.(31)

The Esiloan AFL Port Moresby premiership season wrapped up too with the Defence Hawks 8-7-55 getting over the University Tigers 7-2-44 in the A Reserves. In the main game the reigning 2014 premier the Moniplus Taurama Suns (captained by Jeffrey Namate) took on the Concept Koboni.

This was after the Concept Koboni Demons took out the Qualifying final against the Moniplus Taurama Suns earlier in the month. Koboni winning that match booked their passage direct to the Grand Final. The other senior finalists were Oilmin Kokofas who knocked the Bomana Cats out of the finals.

The Koboni had finished the season on top of the ladder while the Suns were the reigning premier. The Grand Final turned out to be a classic in front of a strong crowd of around 3000 at the Murray Barracks oval.

With less than a minute remaining 7 points up – however Koboni pulled off the miracle. Scott Johnson from a set shot narrowed the gap to 1 point and with the seconds ticking away the Demons found Chris Mong unmarked in front of goal who was able to slot it through just before the final siren rang across the field.

BOG for the match was Koboni centreman Paul Philip. Koboni coach Douglas Laip paid tribute to his team and also credited the Suns “The Suns are a great football team but as is always the case, there has to be one winner and we won because we fought hard in the final quarter when champions have to stand up.”

Esiloan AFL Port Moresby GF played Sat Sept 26th

qrtr	Koboni	Taurama
1	1.5.(11)	2.2.(14)
2	4.7.(31)	2.3.(15)
3	4.9.(33)	5.4.(34)
4	8.10.(58)	8.5.(53)

The Womens division was won by the Gerehu Magpies (3.5.23) over the Lamana Dockers (2.0.12).

AFL PNG is more than the on field side of things – and September kicked off with a visit by AFL PNG Academy members to the Bomana Correctional Centre Juvenile Division for a visit with officers, staff and inmates as part of AFL PNG’s life skills program ‘Footy for Life’. This program aims to strengthen ties within the community and help towards the development of players into strong citizens, to live a positive life and be positive role models within their own communities.

Koboni Demons - 2015 POM Premiers.....

Gerehu Magpies - 2015 POM Womens Premiers....