| Sports |
Concern for assault on refs, while
junior league suffer
By JEFFREY ELAPA
THE continuous assault on
rugby league referees and officials and non-existence of junior
development in most league centers are huddles to the future of
rugby league in Papua New Guinea.
The Manager of Lae Building Construction Company and sponsor of
Madang South Warriors Shane McCarthy said during the club
presentation night at the smugglers Inn resort in Madang on
Saturday.
He said that although the code in the country is very strong
with a very good and experienced team of rugby league
administrators there is a need to have developed the code with
starting junior development at a very early age.
He said that many young Papua New Guineans start to play rugby
league when they are 15 years old which is 10 years behind.
He added that developing the juniors at a very early age could
mean advancement in developing the code to another level where
PNG would be more competitive with other established league
playing countries.
McCarthy said that he started playing rugby league when he was
five years old back in New
Zealand and had played for more than 25 years.
However, another saddest problem hindering rugby league in PNG
is the player, officials and supporter violence.
He said that the continuous violence at rugby league ground
makes supporter from coming to watch the game they love and it
also instill fear among referees from controlling games.
PNGRF judiciary Chairman Brother Andrew Simpson said that good
and reputable companies come into sponsor clubs in any sport.
He added that the reputations of the sponsors are represented on
the field by the clubs with the players, officials and the
supporters. Individual clubs are responsibility to promote their
sponsors and not to resort into violence to show their
frustration or dissatisfactions over certain rulings.
Br Andrew said that the judiciary is going to be tough on such
behaviors of players and clubs that instigate violence in which
some players in Madang have been heavily fined and banned from
playing or taking up responsibilities.
 
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