Pirates set for c’ship

Hosts Lae eyeing national club title

NORTHERN champions Pirates hope to make home advantage count when they face New Guinea Islands (NGI) premiers Kokopo Tuff Brothers in the national rugby league club championship in Lae tomorrow (1pm kick-off).
The winners book their place in Saturday’s final at the Lae Rugby League (3pm kick-off) while the losers battle for third place in the curtain-raiser (1pm).
In Thursday’s second fixture Southern champions Brothers Kama Coffee Brothers face Highlands premiers Kui Raiders (3pm) for the remaining spot in the final. The losers vie for third place.
Papua New Guinea Rugby Football League (PNGRFL) chairman Sandis Tsaka said the visiting teams would arrive in Lae today.
He clarified in a statement that it was an elimination event and not a pool or round-robin tournament.
“The clubs were drawn out of a hat with Lae to play Kokopo in the first game followed by Mt Hagen and Port Moresby in the second on Thursday,” Tsaka said. “Again, the winners play for the Mineral Resources Development Company (MRDC) Shield while the losers play for third.”
He said the four clubs would have a day off for recovery on Friday before suiting up for Saturday’s playoffs.
Tsaka thanked the four confederates — Southern, NGI, Highlands and Northern — for holding eliminations to determine their winners.
He commended MRDC for supporting the championship.
“On behalf of the PNGRFL board and everyone involved in the game, I thank MRDC for their support to reviving the concept,” Tsaka said.
Tsaka urged those in and around Lae to turn up and support their teams.
“There will be exciting football on show from these untapped talent at the club level,” he said.