First round of Southern eliminators in Kerema

Sports

SIXTEEN teams are all geared up for the Papua New Guinea Rugby Football League’s Southern Confederate Regional Club Championships in Kerema tomorrow.
The top two sides from the 16 will be decided after a series of eliminators starting tomorrow in the Gulf provincial capital.
Rigo and Port Moresby will host the second and third round of eliminators with the finalists to represent the region at the national club championships on Jan 26 in Lae.
Lining up for the event are defending Southern champions the Hohola Flies of the Port Moresby Rugby League, Pom South’s Badili Storms, Kerema’s Young Tigers, Central’s Aroma Coast West, Koiari’s Rux Tigers, Rigo’s Seida Raiders, Gaire’s JCI Titans, Hiri’s TI Stones, Tauruba  Eels, Motu Koita’s Poreporena Marlins and the champions from the Tubusereia, Kemabolo, Papa, Kiunga and Tei Kariko leagues.
Fixtures: Sat, Nov 12 – Tei Kariko v Koiari, Aroma Coast v TI Stones, Waliya v Kerema Tigers, Koita Cowboys v Seida Raiders, Hohola Flies v Badili Storms.
The Titans, Marlins, Kemabolo, Papa, Kiunga and Eels enter the fray in round two in Kwikila next week.
The opening round of the Southern club champion is expected to attract fans from around the east and west Kerema with a bumper crowd at Kerema town oval.
In the official programme, Gulf Governor Havila Kavo, who supported the championship with K50,000, is expected to officially kick off the championships with Kerema Open MP Richard Medani, Kerema town mayor Jack Nari, PNG Rugby Football League chairman Sandis Tsaka, chief executive officer Bob Cutmore and SP PNG Hunters coach Michael Marum in attendance.
PNG National Rugby League Digicel Cup franchises the Gulf Isapea, Port Moresby Vipers and Simbu Lions are expected have scouts at the games.