Tkatchenko congratulates performance of 9s team

SPORTS Minister Justin Tkatchenko has congratulated the Papua New Guinea rugby league 9s team for winning gold on Sunday against Samoa.

PNG had an unbeaten run during the two-day competition against Samoa, Tonga, Solomon Islands, Fiji and the Cook Islands.

He said the gold medal win showed Papua New Guinea’s standing in the Pacific in terms of its development.

Tkatchenko said in the past five to six years, the sport (rugby league) was a complete waste of time and was not working; it was mismanaged and was in court. 

“Now we have a professionally run team through the SP Hunters in the Intrust Super Cup who are showing the rest of the Pacific who we are when it comes to rugby league.

“When we play Fiji, Tonga and Samoa in world cup matches, the situation is we are not playing them, we are playing NRL. Ninety per cent of their teams are NRL players.

“This shows from the 9s competition. When we play a true Fijian or other Pacific teams that have no influence of NRL players, it clearly shows that PNG is the best.

“PNG is right up there without those imports coming in to make them look good. 

“I’m very proud of how the rugby league boys performed.”

Tkatchenko said he was confident the Hunters would make the semi-finals of the Intrust Super Cup and hopefully host the match at the Sir John Guise Stadium in Port Moresby.

Tkatchenko said  coach Michael Marum had proved that he was a coach of a different level and deserved a medal.