By HENRY MORABANG
ABOUT 110 players will be vying for nine spots on offer to play AFL footy next year in the tough Queensland Cup competition next year.
The players will be selected from 110 young AFL players who will attend the AFLPNG Talent and Selection camp this weekend at the National Sports Institute in Goroka, Eastern Highlands province.
Five 18/19 year old scholarship players will be hosted by Coolangatta in the Qld State League and four Under 17 boys will be based on the Sunshine Coast and play with the Brisbane Lions reserves team.
The camp to be conducted by AFL PNG chief executive officer Peter Cates with the assistance of visiting for AFL players such Mark Kennedy, Grant McKenzie and Queensland Talent manager Luke Curran.
Kennedy is a former St Kilda AFL player while McKenzie is the Queensland State player and Coolangatta legend.
The players will be tested and assessed through a range of activities including games, skill and physical testing, mental challenges and lectures on the requirements to play AFL at the highest level.
The players were selected from the national championships in Lae last September where 35 boys from Under Under 14,16,18 vying for spots to go to Australia in 2008 as part of our National Talent Player Pathway
The former AFL PNG director Andrew Cadzow and his staff will select all 2008 squads and scholarship holders. The Binatang Under 14 and Under 16 squads (30 per squad) will be selected as will coaching and support staff.