Dirty game!
By ANDREW ALPHONSE
FOUR Mendi Menjals rugby league players are nursing injuries as a result Wabag Tambuaks players “interfering with opponents” during the grand final of the Coca- Cola Ipatas Cup challenge in Wabag last Sunday.
Menjals captain Cedric Kengi told The National yesterday from Mendi that four players were victims of physical abuse by the Tambuaks which resulted in an all out brawl inside ten minutes of the second half, forcing organisers to call of the game and declared a draw. Kengi admitted instigating the brawl after he had a fist shoved up his nose.
He said one Menjal player (named) is now suffering from a swollen testicle after being kicked between his legs during a tackle, another player Anton John was bitten in the stomach and a third player Lawrence Wari is nursing broken lips after being punched in the face in the tackle.
Under NRL rules in Australia such play would result in players charged with “interfering with opponents”.
Kengi said his players also complained of fingers being shoved up their anuses and noses, and being elbowed or booted as they lay in tackles. “They were totally inhumane playing tactics applied by the Tambuaks,” he said.
Kengi said that while the many in Enga, including sponsor Governor Peter Ipatas, wanted players and officials to ensure a good game of football, the Tambuaks players did not play as true sportsmen, thereby bringing the game into disrepute.
He said he believed the referees and organising committee officials did not take action because of fear of reprisal. Mr Kengi said he started the brawl started after a Tambuaks player shoved his fingers up his nose during a tackle.
However, Ipatas Cup executive officer Timothy Lepa denied all these allegations when contacted yesterday for comments. But he said the Menjals also applied dirty tactics and several Tambuaks also were injured.
He said that on technical grounds, Tambuaks should have been declared winners because the Menjals walked off the field without completing the game. However, he said to maintain the good name of Governor Ipatas as sponsor, the committee made a decision to declare both teams as winners.
PNG Rugby Football League referees association president Jack Takon, who witnessed and officiated the game, said the overall running of the game was totally unprofessional which was reflected in the field.
Takon, who is also Porgera rugby league official, called on Governor Ipatas to allow national body, PNG Rugby Football League, to manage and run future tournaments, adding that organisers did not attend well to the needs of the players, officials and referees in Wabag during the two-week tournament.
He said future tournaments should be held outside Wabag.

 
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