Eagles, Gurias lodge appeals, wait

Sports

By JACK AMI
THE Hagen Eagles and Agmark Gurias have submitted their appeals to the Papua New Guinea National Rugby League board regarding their penalties.
The Eagles franchise was banned from the competition for three years and trainer Stanley Akinu given a life ban while Junior Rau and Francis Ray were given 10 year suspensions for their part in violence that erupted after their 19-12 loss to the Gurias in the preliminary final at the Sir John Guise Stadium on Sat, Aug 27.
PNGNRL chief executive officer Stanley Hondina, pictured, said both clubs had had lodged their appeals along with the K5000 fee.
Hondina said an independent tribunal committee would be appointed by the PNGNRL board to consider the appeals.
Several Gurias players were fined for fighting during the melee that involved Eagles players and their fans.
Hondina said the board would take two weeks to return a decision on the appeals.
He explained that the board needed the time to examine the evidence  submitted by the judiciary as well as that provided by the two clubs.
Hondina added that it was going to take time to go through the video evidence and review the written reports and examine the accounts of what happened and who is at fault and decide the appropriateness of the penalties.
Eagles prize money was also forfeited to meet cost of damages to the venue.
Assault charges were laid against Akinu, Rau and Francis Ray with the matter before the court.
Gurias Francis Paniu, Samuel Hamari, Lucas Kapinias and Adrian Baungas were fined K5000 each and banned for five matches for fighting.
Gurias fan Joe Pidik died as a result of the violence that took place that day. He was allegedly killed by a rock thrown by an Eagles fan.