MRDC 9s set to kick off city league season

By BENJAMIN KOITAKA
The annual Port Moresby Rugby League Nines (POMRL) pre-seasons starts next month with the Mineral Resources Development Corporation (MRDC) Nines.
The tournament from Feb 24 to March 4 at the National Football Stadium is open for 32 men’s teams and 16 women’s sides according to PRL operations manager Meke Maino. The team registration fee is K500 per team but a club that fields two sides could pay K800 (men) or K700 (women).
Maino called on clubs to pay the registration through BSP account 100324653 (account name SP POMRFL).
Registration closes on February 15 Maino said there were six slots reserved for invitational teams — four men and two women.
“We’ve got space for four invitational teams in the men’s competition preferably from Central (Sogeri, Koiari, Hiri, Aroma Coast and Abau), Gulf and Western (Daru, Tabubil, Kiunga and Balimo),” Maino said.
“We’ve got two slots for women’s invitational teams preferably from from the same areas,” he said.
Maino said last year the competition was ran over two weekends but this year it would run for nine days. He said the could always be revised during the competition depending on how teams managed themselves.
Maino said they would not accept more than two teams from a particular club.
“The registration is open now and we’re inviting teams to come forward and register for the pre-season,” he said.
PRL clubs Tarangau (men) and Royals (women) won the titles.
“MRDC was the main sponsor providing the K10,000 (men) and K5000 (women) winners’ prizes and this year they have committed K50,000 in sponsorship,” Maino said.