AFL 12s getting city clubs ready for season

THE SECOND EsiLoan Port Moresby AFL Lighting 12s pre-season tournament gets underway at the Colts Oval in Bisini this weekend.
AFL PNG senior football operation manager Rex Leka said the three-week pre-season tournament was meant to gather the players from their long break to keep their interest in AFL intact before the proper season started next month.
“Last week was our first week; we will have our second week tournament this weekend and complete this three-week minor tournament next weekend,” Leka said.
“After next week’s finals, we will continue with the same format and complete it on the Easter weekend. There will be another sponsor for that week.
“This is just preparation for our players and technical officials to be familiar with a new style of having only 12 players in the field of play,” Leka said.
“This tournament is another way of having our teams together in preparation for the proper season.
Leka said a team of Australians living in Port Moresby, calling themselves Muruks, took part in the first Lightning 12s tournament last weekend.
“This team will not be taking part for the proper season but they were only taking part in the pre-season last weekend to help our players,” Leka said. “They only took part in the first weekend; they will not be taking part this weekend.
“This tournament is to get the teams prepared for the proper season that will begin after the Easter period. Round one will start on the April 7,” Leka added.