Gomis league set for return in 2019

MT HAGEN’S main rugby league competition the Gomis RFL is set to return this season, says interim president Simon Yane and his deputy Obert Wonaik.
The pair said they they were aiming to have 10-12 clubs to make up the competition in 2019 because of the GRFL’s ability to manage a larger competition.
Yane said due to 2017 national elections and other problems that occurred at the Gomis oval they had postponed the competition for an indefinite period.
Yane said after the competition was shelved there was an exodus of the city’s best playing talent to other competitions in the province and other parts of the Highlands region in order to pursue opportunities in the Digicel Cup.
Yane said the Gomis league had a reputation for producing Kumuls and Digicel Cup players over the years.
He said their plan in 2019 was to run a streamlined competition to ensure quality as well manageability.
“The interest is there. We expect clubs that were part of our competition before the 2015 elections to return. Since we are just starting after more than a year out we want to start fresh.”
Yane said the GRFL would hold its first meeting at Tarangau Primary School on Monday at 4pm and he urged old clubs and interested new clubs to attend the meeting.
He said the league executive were planning to trim down the number of clubs to a minimum of 10 and a maximum of 12 clubs to make games more competitive.
He said clubs that met the full requirements as stipulated by Papua New Guinea Rugby Football League (PNGRFL) would take part.
Yane said clubs wanting to take part had to pay the registration and meet the other requirements as the GRFL wanted to avoid chasing up registration payments during the season.
Yane stressed that only clubs based in Hagen would be allowed to participate.