Rugby league competition makes inroads in Hela region

FOR the first time, Tugupa rugby league in the Komo-Margarima district, Hela, started their off-season competition.
League coordinator John Tukai said there were six new clubs from Komo and Hides Valley of the PNG LNG Construction site willing to participate.
The six teams are Inane Warriors, Hides (4) Raiders, PK Panthers, Komo Jets, Timala Eels and Piripi Tigers.
Tukai said the local community would like the competition to go ahead despite continuous tribal fights in the area.
The competition has also attracted workers at the LNG construction site in Hides (4), Komo International Airport and Nogoli.
He has challenged the youths to take ownership of the competition.
Tukai, who is a former patron of Porgera rugby league in Enga in the 1990s, is one of the experienced officials in rugby league. He was one of the persons behind the establishment of rugby league in Porgera.
Some of the players in the league have broken in the national and international ranks playing in franchise clubs and the PNG Kumuls.
He will put a letter of expression to the PNG Rugby Football League (PNGRFL) highlands office to assess and recommend for the league to be an affiliate of the national body.
It will ensure players in the league be given an opportunity to participate in the zone trials and other competition sanctioned by the PNGRFL.