Maleos take on Sonix

By MARTHA DERUAGE

AUSTRALIAN Sonix coach Kimberly Kiely says her mixed and men’s netball sides are not taking Papua New Guinea lightly as they line up for the first Trans Pacific Cup netball clash today at the Sir John Guise Indoor Complex, Port Moresby.
“We’re not going to underestimate the PNG Maleos because I think they are going to bring their A game, and I think we are going to have a great challenge with both the men and mixed teams,” Kiely said.
“I want to thank PNG for letting Australia come over and play for the first Trans Pacific Cup.”
PNG Maleos mixed side captain Lua Rikis, herself a former national women’s representative, said it would be a new experience to play Australia in netball, let alone for a mixed team.
“Our training and preparation have gone as well as expected, though it was a bit hard on the women who play in the Port Moresby netball competition during weekends,” Rikis said.
“A lot of the girls in the mixed side have had previous international exposure playing for the PNG Pepes and that should see us be competitive.
Rikis said it was a different story for the PNG men’s team who would be playing their first game together.
“For our men’s side, this will be their first time to play against another national side and it should be an exciting series for them.”
The 30-member Sonix contingent arrived on Monday with Kiely saying her charges had had two days to acclimate and prepare and was excited at the prospect of facing PNG.
“The first day we had a bit of trouble with the humidity, but it isn’t as hot as we thought it so the training has gone really well,” Kiely said.
Australia men’s captain Levi Talolua said both the men and mixed teams were looking forward to playing PNG for the first time.
“With this being the first tour for us, we are happy for PNG to allow us to come here to play and build on the friendship,” Tolalua said.
Tolalua said winning the three-game series was their main objective but not the only one as they were keen to establish a good relationship with PNG netball.
Meanwhile, the Maleos have been hard at work over the past two months getting ready for the series with PNG Mixed and Men’s Netball Association president Adam Parker the driving force behind the series.
PNG mixed team wing attack Barbara Arivusu was keen heading into her first international clash saying the team were both nervous and excited.
The 27-year-old said she wanted PNG to be competitive and to gain from the experience of playing against Australia.
“We know that the Australians are very good, and we’ve been training hard for them.
The Trans Pacific Cup starts today at the Sir John Guise Indoor Complex and ends on Saturday.
Fixtures: Thurs, Aug 30 – 1400 PNG v Australia (mixed), 1600 PNG v Australia (men); Fri, Aug 31 – 1400 PNG v Australia (men), 1600 PNG v Australia (mixed); Sat, Sept 1 – 1400 PNG v Australia (mixed), 1600 PNG v Australia (men)