Kundiawa Warriors’ cause gathers support from fans and MPs

A meeting scheduled for tomorrow between an interim board of Kundiawa Warriors and PNG National Rugby League in Kundiawa will decide whether or not a Simbu provincial team is admitted into this year’s bemobile Cup competition.
Interim Kundiawa Warriors board chairman, Jerry Kapka, confirmed earlier this week a visit of Chairman of PNG National Rugby League (PNGNRL) Board chairman, Don Fox and executives of the bemobile Cup.
Fox will be in Kundiawa with bemobile Cup executives tomorrow to meet with Kapka’s team.
Kapka earlier indicated that a number of important issues concerning the fate of the Warriors re-entrance into the bemobile Cup would be discussed at length during the meeting.
While in the home town of the former glamour team, Fox and the executives will pay a visit to the upgraded Dickson’s rugby league ground which is located right in the heart of Kundiawa town.
A possible settlement of a debt Warriors owed to PNGNRL during the 2007 season and a possible upfront payment of new affiliation fees for the Simbu provincial team to re-enter this year will be discussed.
Members of the interim Warriors board, politicians and rugby league fans in Simbu remain hopeful that the final outcome of the meeting would be favourable for the Kundiawa Warriors.
Meanwhile, Kundiawa-Gembogl MP Joe Mek Teine and Governor Fr John Garia funded K50, 000 each for the upgrade of Dicksons rugby league ground.
Mek Teine secured an additional K50, 000 from the National Gaming Control Board for the upgrade, which has been expended.
Fr Garia’s contribution of K100, 000 was halved, K50, 000 for the maintenance and the other half for theWarriors moblisation.
The upgrade of the league ground and the club house is aimed at Kundiawa hosting some bemobile Cup games for this year.
In the past Simbu has produced Kumuls most recently England-based winger Michael Mark who is a product of the the local league.
Other names in the rugby league circles like Bal Numapo, Wamil Gul, Porian Bal, Roger Kuman, Dinbi Kawagle, Peter Dee, Gore Kaupa, Greg Teine and Goiye Waine just to name a few have sprouted out of Kundiawa Warriors.
The initiative would be to groom more players from Simbu, but the call is now for business houses in the province to support.
If accepted, the next hurdle would be to secure a franchise sponsor for the team to re-enter the semi-professional competition.