Amazing Port Moresby rugby league challenge to be flagship event

By ROBINSON LEKA
THE inaugural Amazing Port Moresby rugby league challenge at the new Moresby South Stadium will be a flagship trial event for upcoming franchises in the nation’s capital, says an official.
Stadium manager and Moresby South Rugby League executive Bagelo Solien said the challenge this year was for the Port Moresby Vipers, however, there was room for more teams in the city to come forward and play at the national level.
He said the inclusion of Southern Blacks and Motu-Koita Lagatois in the challenge were a few examples of teams in the city that had the potential to compete at the Digicel Cup.
“This is the first time we’ve ran the concept,” Solien said.
“It’s an annual event for the Vipers and we’ve decided to brand the trial which is the Amazing Port Moresby concept.
“We’ve had talks about joining for a couple of years now, but we want to get it right before we actually bid to join the Digicel Cup.
“So we will probably be submitting a bid towards the end of the year.
“We’ll be having our usual Moresby South Rugby League competition which starts in March and we’ll be running the Justin Tkatchenko Nines tournament at the end of the year.
“Between the competition and tournament, we’re open to other programmes and events.
“Most of the Blacks players are from the Southern leagues and zone trials.
“We’re building around a group of players in Moresby South.”
Meanwhile, National Capital District Governor Powes Parkop has pledged his support to the Lagatois despite the Papua New Guinea National Rugby League Competition’s rejection of their bid for the upcoming Digicel Cup season.