Warriors remain hopeful of inclusion

By PATRICIA KEAMO
SIMBU Warriors are hopeful of a positive response from the Papua New Guinea National Rugby League Competition (PNGNRLC) regarding their bid to join the Digicel Cup this year.
They were understood to be the final team to submit their bid last month for a spot in the country’s premier rugby league competition after a two-year hiatus.
Franchise official Teine Korokoi told The National that competition manager Stanley Hondina inspected their home ground in Kundiawa early this week.
“He (Hondina) was quite impressed,” he said.
“We are expecting a positive feedback.”
Korokoi said a group of volunteers and the club’s interim board had taken the lead in giving their home ground a facelift with funding from the Chimbu government.
Previously sponsored by the provincial government, the Warriors have welcomed Waghi Food Processor as their sponsor.
In 2019, their bid was rejected because they didn’t meet PNGNRLC’s requirement of having a standard home ground.
This year, the team have met the major requirements of the competition – a corporate sponsor and a standard home ground.
Meanwhile, Korokoi said they are awaiting confirmation from PNGNRLC before proceeding with their district rugby nines competition to select a 30-man squad and submit the list before the end of this month.
“We want to select the best players for the Warriors,” he said.