Oro join Southern region league

By JACK AMI
THE Popondetta Rugby Football Lea­gue is back on the national scene after 13 years in the wilderness.
The PRFL will affiliate to the PNG Rugby Football League and be involved with the Southern region and not the Northern zone as in the past.
This is good news for players to make their dreams come true as these raw talents have been waiting for 13 years to show what they have.
The league, under the presidency of Anko Vamage, referees chairman Kila Sibolo and schoolboys director Ali Kosky, made their intentions known at the Southern region forum in Port Moresby last week.
They said with the K200,000 allocation from Oro Governor Gary Juffa they were raring to get back into the league scene.
Former Kumul rake Roy Heni is the treasurer, the secretary is Gibson Kunkena and vice-president Jeffrey Mea.
Juffa is supportive of the resurrection of the league and sees that the players benefit as an affiliated member of the PNGRFL.
In the past international matches, the Great Britain Lions and Southern Zone trails were played at the Popondetta rugby league oval.
One player who made a name for the province in the late 1990s was John Gabisini, who was selected for the Southern Zone and played the British Lions in Popondetta and Port Moresby.
The oval was neglected in the late 1990s due to poor management and vandalism by nearby squatters.
It is now being rebuilt with the backing of Juffa.
Four clubs – Sangi Hawks, HOPPL Tigers, Medics and M4M Bulldogs – compete in the A grade, reserve grade and Under-19 divisions this season.