Knights claim Kimi league title, focus on discipline

By TONY PALME
GOD, education, rugby league and peace is what Laga Knights, the champions of the 2018 Kimil Rugby League first grade, have been promoting in their community.
The Knights team made up of youths from the Kimi, Komunka, Krange and Kalpa clans of Kulaka tribe beat the Kabs Brothers from the neighbouring Opei tribe of Kimil in the grand final on Sunday.
After a hard-fought 2-0 win against a tough Brothers side, and retaining the shield for the fourth straight year, captain and Waghi Tumbe squad member Steven Pat thanked league president Michael Tee Pau for giving his time and resources to change the community through rugby league.
He also thanked the team sponsor Benjamin Dire, team manager Thomas Max and coach David Yen for their support and mentorship since 2014 when the Kimil league started.
Dire said Kimil was known for ethnic clashes but this had all stopped when youths started playing rugby league.
“As for the 4Ks clans, we have set strict rules against fighting, stealing and doing drugs,” Dire said.
“Our focus is to seek God in our lives and community. We placed emphasis on education for our young people.
“To become disciplined people, we promote and participate in rugby league. These approach has paid dividends. Our community in the 4Ks area has changed.
“We want to become the model community in Kulaka and known as peace makers,” Dire added.
Max said the Knights based their success on discipline on and off the field. “The standards that our team has set has produced some good players. Joe Frank (current Hunters train on squad) and Pat (Tumbe) are Knights products,” Max said.
The team’s junior grades made the finals but lost to the Warriors from Bunum Wo sponsored by Thaddeus Turi, the health programme manager for Jiwaka.
OK Corporation is the major sponsor of OK Raiders, the only team representing Kimil league in the Jiwaka Governor’s Cup.
It won the challenge in 2016 and 2017, and is looking forward to defend it this year.