Dona Minas claim back-to-back Koiari league A-grade title

By ROBINSON LEKA
THE Koiari Ruby League competition concluded its 2021 season on Sunday with the Dona Minas claiming back-to-back titles in the A-grade division following their 19-12 win over the Ice Panthers.
The Minas, who were the 2020 champions under skipper and former PNG Kumul Josiah Abavu, proved too strong against a solid Panthers line-up.
Meanwhile, the Under-20 final between the SMB Broncos and Hanavas was called off during extra time following an altercation between Hanava players and match officials.
League president Victor Mea told The National yesterday that match ended at 4-4 after regulation time with the game moving into extra time.
“The first five minutes of extra time was completed and it was in the second five minutes when the referee walked off because some players from Hanavas kept interfering and touching the referee,” he said.
Mea said Hanavas had been warned previously not to argue with, harass or intimidate officials and once they did it in the final, the referee walked off.
“At this time the match is called off with no winner declared but we will be having an executive meeting and there is going to be a decision handed down to players and clubs involved in what happened.”
Despite an unfinished final, Mea said majority of the season in 2021 was trouble-free with the only disruptions coming from lockdowns imposed because of the Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.
“The entire season was trouble-free and mostly good but the delay in our finals came after the lock downs and restrictions last year.
“We had to reschedule and postpone most of our matches and that led to our finals taking place in the second week of 2022.”