PETE’S PUNCHLINE

The National Sports

  • While shutting down key players from the opposition is an often used tactic in sports, the targeting of Port Moresby Vipers veteran Ase Boas by Hela Wigmen players in Sunday’s Digicel Cup minor semifinal went over the line. It was reprehensible. Those hits were so late even a blind guy could see what the Wigmen were trying to do. “Play hard but play fair” is the motto followed by professional sportsmen in a contact sport like rugby league. Unfortunately, the Wigmen put winning a football game ahead of fair play, their integrity, and a player’s safety. I hope it was worth it.
  • The Wigmen will now play the Gurias in the preliminary final this weekend. Watson Boas will be playing in the halves for the Gurias. What will the Wigmen do to him?
  • In a perfect world, the Wigmen get beaten by the Gurias and slink back to their house to think about winning a title. Most likely though, they’ll try the same tactics and who knows, they might get through to the grand final. But karma is a female dog and the Tigers will give them a buzzcut.
  • If Edene Gebbie is fit and ready to go, he should be in the Tigers’ 17. Something is not right here. Either the coach has a problem with Gebbie’s attitude and perhaps his listlessness or Gebbie is just not fit – meaning he’s overweight and slow. Or, the coach is being loyal to the players who took the team to the finals and have been working hard since day one. Regardless, shouldn’t Gebbie be seeing some game time, at the very least, as he is a national representative and the World Cup is next year.
  • Do people not realise an apparent conflict of interest occurring when the company belonging to the head of the organising committee for a major event is getting contracts to build infrastructure for the said event. Where is the oversight here? Why are the people who know better turning a blind eye to this?
  • Love Kumul great John Wagambie’s take on how PNG rugby league can progress. He says we don’t need the NRL to develop world-class players, we can do it right here with a truly national comp like the Digicel Cup or some such iteration. While this may seem like a pie in the sky and some may scoff at such comments, let’s remember that it’s not whether you reach the target or not but your attitude.
  • LeBron going strong. Lakers in five.
  • Guys, I got the hat-trick: South Sydney, Collingwood and Aston Villa – all winners. The most impressive performance would have to be Aston Villa’s 7-2 humiliation of Liverpool, hah. Oh man, that was worth all the years I’ve backed Villa. It felt just like Souths’ 60-8 thrashing of the Roosters two weeks ago. And what about them ‘Pies? Sorry Steve, your Eagles got clipped by the Black and Whites. – PGTP ([email protected])