Teams vie for K18,000 – The National

By ZACHERY PER
MORE than 30 teams are battling for K18,000 in prize money in the Simon Sia Super Nines rugby league tournament in Goroka this week.
Tournament director Benjamin Filele said 32 teams from the eight districts of Eastern Highlands and four from other provinces had been placed in eight pools. The tournament kicked off yesterday and ends with the finals on Friday.
“After two days, the bottom-16 team bows out and the top half proceed to knockouts tomorrow (Thursday),” Filele said.
He said from the 16 remaining sides, the bottom-eight teams would also bow out and the teams that topped their pools would play in quarterfinals on Friday.
“A prize money of K1,000 will go to the final eight teams before they continue to play for the K10,000 on the same day (Friday). Having already secured K1,000, the winners bag K4,000 to make it K5,000 as the first prize,” Fiele said.
He said the second-placed team would pocket K3,000 plus the K1,000 for a total of K4, 000.
The third-placed side gets K2,000 on top of their K1,000 to make it K3,000 and the fourth gets K1,000 on top of their K1,000 for a total of K2,000.
“The Simon Sia Super Nines is into its third season with a total of K18,000 in prize money on offer this year,” Fiele said.
“I am happy to run the tournament which will give us an opportunity to scout for raw talent to be selected to make the Lahanis train-on squad for the Digicel Cup next season,” he said.
He thanked 32 teams coming in board including EMR Limestone and Mt Wilhelm Dragons from Chimbu, Morobe Gogunas from Morobe and Madang’s Jojo RD Fox.
Lahanis owner Simon Sia also expressed delight at the chance to continue his sponsorship of the tournament.
He thanked the management of the National Sports Institute (NSI) and director Janet Gimots for allowing the tournament to be played on the ground.
Sia has also pledged to continue his sponsorship of the Lahanis next season.
Teams: Pool A – CPL Norths, Detti Crusaders, EHSP, Gama Bulls; Pool B – Zaukave Falcons, Tokano Brothers, BOC Bullets, Mimalo Side; Pool C – SK Titans, EMO Brothers, Harlequins, Eastern Bulldogs; Pool D – Glover Vikings, 13W Comsat Brothers, gdh Brumbies, Genoka Giants; Pool E – Naio Badges, Morobe Gogunas, Ufeto LLG side, EMR Limestone; Pool F – 5-Mile Spartans, K92 Ants, Henganofi Team One, Asaroka Muddiesp; Pool G – Jojo Red Fox, Okapa Select Side, Henganofi Team Two, Aiyura; Pool H – Yonki Dam Pirates, Mt Wilhelm Dragons, Mambu Roots, Piswara Eels.