West club to stage trial

THE Port Moresby West rugby league club will stage a trial on Friday for Under-19 players in the Port Moresby Rugby league 9s competition.
Club president Manu Lofena will not rely on the 15 senior players as most of them have been selected for the Prima Tamake Gulf Isapea franchise team.
He said that affected the club in the past as it had missed out on the playoffs last year.
Lofena is confident in the youngsters who have come a long way from the South Settlement league and U19 division in the past two seasons in the Pom league.
Players like Jimmy Nia, basketball converts Muri brothers Apia, Purari, Jack Daniel, Tope Mitaharo, Kelie Lesi Benson Lapun, will feature this year.
The team will miss the services of Isapea Jason Koivi, Maloni Palani, Moore Evara, Andrew Luke, Joseph Turia, Jacky Moses, Junior Aria, Samson Pirika, Lawrence Tu’u and Josiah Koivi.
Lofena said they were training under head coach Joshua Kouoru and his assistant Tuksy Karu, who had taken a new approach with discipline and commitment.
“We are now prepared for improved results in the 9s and Pom league competition,” he said.
“We are looking forward for the Pom 9s with a good mixture of talents to try out against the other established teams,”Karu said.