AFL c’ships set to go

By ROBINSON LEKA
THE Australian Football League (AFL) National Championships are set to kick off in Kimbe, West New Britain, today after a 12-year absence with 15 teams from across four centres in the country.
The tournament was last played in 2007 in Lae, Morobe.
The men’s division will have 11 teams while the women’s category will have four with the finals scheduled for Sunday.
The host province is expected to field seven sides — Kimbe (two), Talasea, Kove, Garua, Hoskins and Bialla — against Port Moresby and Lae teams.
The women’s division will feature hosts centre Kimbe and Talasea along with teams from Port Moresby and Lae.
Senior community football manager Rex Leka told The National yesterday that teams from Mt Hagen, Kavieng and Buka would miss out on the championships after failing to meet the AFLPNG deadline.
He said the championships were the start of reintroducing the sport at the national level.
“The last time we had the championships was in 2007 and after 12 years, we are reintroducing it,” Leka said. “To reintroduce in West New Britain, where AFL is their No.1 sport, is a big occasion for the country.”
Leka said the championships would be used to select the PNG Mosquitos (national men’s team) and Flames (women) squads for next year’s AFL International Cup in Australia.