LITTLE known Boera village, located about 30km north-west of Port Moresby, may be the next big thing for rugby league-loving Motuans.
With its inhabitants of mainly fishermen and city workers, though small in number compared to the bigger villages of Porebada and Hanuabada, who have had a big impact on the national and internal scene for PNG rugby league in yesteryears, Boera is coming on the scene with the fervent spirit and enthusiasm needed to achieve success and fame.
Riding on the wave of strong backing of its local businessman Guma Opi, the league is shedding its relative obscurity – its best known son is former politician Sir Moi Avei to scale greater heights by affiliating directly with the PNG Rugby Football League. It did so on Monday and became the first in all of PNG to affiliate for the 2008 season. Opi’s company Guma Opi Customs Services Limited, which is also the sponsor of the PNG referees, paid K6,406 for the affiliation of Boera’s four clubs, 240 players and 16 officials, paving the way for the league to compete in Southern zone championship level.
With the flair of football its select players displayed at last weekend’s exhibition matches with Port Moresby schoolboys’ development squads – the best of the city’s competition – the Boera Sailors showed that they have what it takes to relive and bring back the glory days that typified the football magic of Porebada’s DCA and Hawks of Hanuabada. They beat the city lads in two of the three matches and drew one, leaving schoolboys’ competition chairman Iffysoe Segeyaro and coach Ripa Kalamo to reassess their strategies for this weekend’s rematches.
Segeyaro and his former Kumul counterparts Bernard Waketsi and Noah Andy, who witnessed the matches at Boera village last Saturday, were impressed with the village teams’ skill levels and agreed that their players had what it takes to make the big time.
“I can already see players from Boera making the Kumuls and even going through to the NRL (Australia’s National Rugby League) with the pathway we are providing with the schoolboys competition,” Segeyaro told a large crowd of league fans and enthusiasts during an after-match feast hosted by villagers.
“It (the level of skills) is an indication of the talent they have, which over time and with consistent development of capacity, such as participation in coaching and refereeing clinics can take them further. With the involvement of Opi and Gomara Ganiga (league president) they can really do it for the community. They also have the support of the community which is a good thing to see. Their focus on youth discipline and cutting down on unsocial behaviour is commendable.”
Opi said he became involved in the league last year because of his interest in the sport and that he saw a need to develop it in his own village and give youths an opportunity to put their energies to a positive community activity. “Many of them have now quit smoking and drinking and beginning to respect the community.
“I was saddened to see boys going around using drugs and alcohol so I agreed to become involved as a sponsor when asked by the president Gomara Ganiga. At last year’s grandfinal presentation, I promised to get them affiliated to the PNGRFL, and am glad that we are on board now. Many of those big-headed boys are now well behaved, and I have been told by the Boera community of how happy and relieved they are.”