Gulf team confident to make comeback

GULF rugby league is confident of a strong comeback at the regional and national levels after Siouposa Rugby League premiers Isitora Broncos’ second-place finish in last week’s Southern Confederate Club Champions in Port Moresby.
After Siouposa’s championship hiatus, league president Joe Wakiva told The National that Isitora’s successful campaign was a testament to their efforts in exposing raw Gulf talents.
“Itisora Broncos are rural champions but when they came into the championship, they didn’t give up,” he said.
“That is a milestone for the youths from the league this year.
“To be able to defeat the Kwikila Dragons (18-12) and make the final is a big achievement for us.
“The players are happy and despite going down to Port Moresby champions Tarangau (4-18), they managed to keep their heads up and we’re sure that we can do better next time.
“To finish as runners-up in the Southern Confederate is big for the morale of our association.
“We’re happy with the progress we’ve made and we know that we are not far behind other clubs in the region.
“There’s raw talents coming through our league and they’ve now managed to go a step further in showcasing their skills to the rest of the region.
“So this is an indication to the confederate and the Papua New Guinea Rugby Football League that we can provide a player base for teams in the Digicel Cup.”
Wakiva hailed confederate director Gwaibo Mairi for ensuring that their league operated under the new Covid-19 protocols which allowed them to compete in the championship.