PRL season start hit by unpaid fees

Sports

By MELTON PAIS
THE Port Moresby Rugby League’s 2017 season is scheduled to start this weekend but games will be affected with several clubs yet to registering their players.
PRL operation manager Meke Maino said the games of the season are supposed to start today at 1pm at the National Football Stadium (oval two) but if clubs did not pay the fees by lunchtime today, the opening round would be greatly affected.
Maino confirmed that while clubs had already affiliated the players registrations (seniors, women and U20s) had only been completed by five of the 14 clubs that make up the competition.
“The other nine haven’t paid in their registration fees for their players and that is not only unacceptable but unfair to the other clubs even though they had been reminded repeatedly,” Maino said.
He said most of the referees had not paid their registration fees as well.
“Only three referees have registered,” he said.
“All the referees who are taking the games this weekend must be registered.”
Maino said all 14 clubs had affiliated but player registration was the problem.
“They have to register in order for PRL board and PNGRFL to recognise them as players of PRL,” Maino said.
“All the clubs who haven’t registered their players have only today and the fees have to be paid into PNGRFL account by 11am as games are scheduled to start at 1pm.”