Hulia form new league

 By ANDREW ALPHONSE in TARI

THE desire and enthusiasm for playing, watching and following PNG’s greatest game of all, rugby league, has settled in the Hulia valley, Komo-Margarima district, Hela.

While the neighbouring and established Tari, Margarima, Komo and Koroba leagues were yet to affiliate with the PNG Rugby Football League, Hulia league, despite being in their pioneer season, were the first from Hela to do so. 

PNGRFL highlands development officer Joe Tokam accepted the affiliation fees and forms of the Hulia league earlier this month in Mt Hagen. 

Last week, the league had its first meeting at Wabia Primary School to set out their plans and programmes for the 2013 inaugural season. 

During the meeting, Gibson Muli was elected unopposed as its league president with Tape Pulupe as the vice-president. 

Other office bearers include Kevin Tos (manager), David Liyago (treasurer), Henry Peter (secretary), Michael Howard (registration officer), Mark Tape (match committee chairperson), Isaac Libe (selections committee chairperson), John Waya (referees appointment chairman), Jackson Kambali (grounds maintenance supervisor), James Kaloma (league doctor), John Wato (league physiotherapist), Moses Hengene (judiciary chairman), Paul Leo (referees association chairman) and Ken Thomas Tapi (junior league president).

Local MP Francis Potape, who delivered K30,000 recently to kick start the Hulia league, is the league’s patron. 

The six clubs participating in the Hulia league this season are Yagua Sea Eagles, Hulia-Tomalia Eels, Piango Bulldogs, Alua Sharks, Dauli Hawks and Tigibi Raiders.

Potape has vowed construct a proper field for the league at a strategic Hulia. 

The birth of Hulia league only shows the potential the area has in producing some of rugby league’s names in the country like current Hela Governor Anderson Agiru (Air Niugini Souths, Southern Zone and PNG Presidents XIII fame of 1990s), brothers Johnson and Robert  Tia, late John Togola  (Port Moresby Defence and Mendi Muruks), Alex Togola, Kevin Tos, current Hulia LLG president Eric Yawas, former junior Kumul Raymond Tia, current Hela Wigman forward Raymond Haluma and a host of others. 

Tos said the establishment of Hulia league would keep young men away from illicit activities like marijuana and alcohol abuse, lawlessness and other social problems and to participate in meaningful activities. 

Rex Paliako of Tari league congratulated the new league officials and promised to provide them assistance in the management.