Oldies fight abuse

 FORMER rugby league stalwart players in Nondugl district, Jiwa­ka, dusted off their boots in a full-support exhibition match in a campaign against drug and alcohol abuse last Saturday at Kambiye Mugul Memorial Oval, Jiwaka.

The message was widely promoted by Fr Alfred Koimo, who captained the Station Royals-Mountain Tigers combined team. 

His team was composed of locally renowned players like Raipen Kapal, Andrew Kulngo, Kelly Gunda, John Siwi, Paulus Kaman and Peter Lame, among others.

The Kulpin Brothers-Kusipil Panthers combined golden oldies team was led by league president Francis Ohl and his deputy Nelson Akis , backed by former Nondugl Rugby League president John Koimo, Karpal Sak, Philip Puk, Ju Dongal Gele, Tobias Taime, Peter Dokup, Philip Kal, Papua Burum and others.

Station Royals-Mountain Tigers combined won 12-10. 

Veteran goal-kicker Kaman kic­ked two from two for victory as both teams scored two tries each. 

The league executives expressed their desire to continue the golden oldies matches to keep former rugby league players physically fit and healthy and so they could use their rugby league skills and knowledge in supporting respective clubs and the league as they are referred to as role models in the community.