Technical officer Kua highlights potential of rugby league in Gembogl

RUGBY league in Gembogl, Chimbu, has the potential to develop talented players, says Mt Wilhelm technical officer John Ambane.
Ambane said the recent affiliation of the Mt Wilhelm league under the Papua New Guinea Rugby Football League (PNGRFL) would create a pathway for players to higher levels of the game.
“Mt Wilhelm is a unique place where they have a good crop of talented players,” he said.
“They have the size but they need an avenue to expose their talents, so the affiliation of their league is one step in the right direction for them.
“It will give a big boost to the people there to further develop and expose their talents and bring them onto the national and international scene.
“One big advantage for players in Gembogl is that they’re located in an area with a high altitude where the air is very thin and players have big lungs which is crucial to their endurance.”
League president John Kua said the affiliation gave players a better chance of being scouted for bigger competitions or tournaments.
“A good number of our players who’ve left home to play in Lae and Port Moresby have gone onto play in the Digicel Cup,” he said.
“But that’s for the ones who are living in the big centres and the affiliation of the league will help to bring out more. “Players like Noel Joel who played with the Lae Tigers and eventually progressing all the way up to the SP Hunters.”
Kundiawa-Gembogl covers the Mitnande and Niglkande local-level government areas.
The local government areas cover a population of around 50,000 people.