Mt Wilhelm Rugby League ends season on high note

MT Wilhelm Rugby League ended its competition on a positive note last week with the women’s and Under-20 divisions naming their winners for the inaugural season.
Dekomsi Tigers beat Mt Wilhelm Hawks 7-0 in the U20 grand final while the women’s decider saw BD Rangers pull off a 3-2 upset win over Goglme Panthers at Gembogl Station.
The men’s final ended in a no-contest between the Panthers and DK Royals, but league administrators said a decision would be made later.
The women’s final saw a tight first half with Panthers five-eighth Nikla Konk leading her side against a determined Rangers outfit for a nil-all scoreline at halftime.
Rangers halfback Joan George broke the deadlock midway into the second half with a field goal to lead 1-0. The Panthers responded five minutes later with a penalty goal via Gertrude Konk to lead 2-1.
But the Panthers conceded a penalty which allowed Rangers forward Lyn Ben to slot home the winner six minutes from fulltime.
Papua New Guinea Rugby Football League Highlands Confederation director Joe Tokam and provincial government officials attended the inaugural finals.
Tokam commended the local league for a successfully staging its grand finals as a new affiliate of the sport’s national governing body.
League president Michael Koima said it was the first of more successful seasons.
“I have a lot respect for the governing body,” he said.
“I understand our situation as a new affiliate. I know we have more potential players still out here, so this means we have more work to do.”