Digicel Cup 2015-PNG National Competition

[mikail-eagle]

Papua New Guineas National Domestic Competition "The Digicel Cup" kicks off this weekend.

The competition was officially launched last Saturday.


League launches 2015 season
Source:
The National, Monday April 13th, 2015

THE 2015 Digicel Cup season was launched on Saturday night in Port Moresby.
Important guests at the launching included Papua New Guinea National Rugby League chairman Sudir Guru and the naming-rights sponsor’s new chief executive officer Maurice McCarthy.
Sports Minister Justin Tkatchenko was not able to attend because of other work commitments.

Guru said the cup was still the biggest sporting event in the country with a large following and this year the competition to be bigger and better with the re-entry of the Waghi Tumbe.

This year marks the fifth consecutive year for the mobile telecommunications service provider to be the semi-professional competition’s major sponsor, with the PNGNRL recently signing a contract with the firm for a K2.4 million sponsorship for 2015 and 2016.

Guru acknowledged former chief executive officer John Mangos, who supported the top-tier domestic rugby league competition in 2011 and he was looking forward to the partnership being strengthened over the next two years.

He said it was a challenge every year to manage the competition, organising travel and accommodation for the teams on a weekly basis but with good corporate support, the job was made easier.

McCarthy said it was any honour to support the country’s leading rugby league competition for another season.

He said his firm’s objective in supporting sport had always been a priority.

The competition will kick off this weekend with 11 teams.

Teams: Agmark Gurias, Mt Hagen Eagles, Hela Wigmen, Port Moresby Vipers, Simbu Lions, Enga Mioks, Mendi Muruks, Goroka Lahanis, Lae Tigers, Gulf Isapea, Wahgi Tumbe.

 

[mikail-eagle]

Round 1 games for this weekend.

1. Rabaul Gurias vs Gulf Isapeas – Kokopo
2. Goroka Lahanis vs Lae Tigers – Goroka
3. Wahgi Tumbe vs Simbu Lions – Minj
4. Mendi Muruks vs Mt Hagen Eagles – Mendi
5. Enga Mioks vs Hela Wigmen – Wabag

Port Moresby Vipers have the bye

 

[mikail-eagle]

Thought I'd just give some information about the 11 Teams that will make up this years competition.

1. Hela Wigmen ( 2014 Premiers)
Team from the Oil and Gas rich Highlands Province of Hela.
Team Colours: Red & Gold
Number of Premierships: 1
Entered the Competition in 2009
Home Ground: Tente Oval, Mendi
Well known former players : Charlie Wabo

2. Rabaul Gurias (2014 Runners-up)
The only Team from the Islands Region and are based in Kokopo, East New Britain Prov.
Entered the competition from the beginning in 1990.
Team Colours: Green & Red Stripes
Number of Premierships: 5
Entered the Competition in 1990
Home Ground: Kalabond Oval, Kokopo
Well known former players : Menzie Yere, Dion Aiye, Lucas Solbat

 

[mikail-eagle]

3. Lae Snax Tigers (2014 Minor Premiers but chocked in the finals)
Team from PNG's 2nd largest city of Lae in the Morobe Province.
Entered the competition from the beginning in 1990 as the Lae Bombers with a name change in 2012
Team Colours: Orange, Black & White
Number of Premierships: 2
Entered the Competition in 1990
Home Ground: Lae, Rugby League Oval
Well known former players : John Okul, Karl Raymond

4. Enga Mioks
Team from the Highlands Province of Enga.
Team Colours: Green, Black & Orange
Number of Premierships: 1
Home Ground: Aipus Oval, Wabag
Well known former players : Roger Laka, David Loko

 

[mikail-eagle]

5. Port Moresby Vipers
Team from the capital city, Port Moresby.
Team Colours: Gold, Black & Red
Number of Premierships: 5
Entered Compeition: 1990
Home Ground: Loyd Robson Oval, Port Morsby
Well known former players : Marcus Bai, Elias Paiyo, Akuila Emil, Tuksy Karu

6. Goroka Lahanis
Team from the Eastern Highlands Province.
Team Colours: Red & White.
Number of Premierships: 4
Entered Compeition: 1990
Home Ground: NSI Oval, Goroka
Well known former players : Stanley Gene, Makali Aizue, Tuiyo Evei

 

[expansionist]

Thanks Mikael - I really appreciate your depth of knowledge on PNG rugby league and the time you take to post this info for us!

 

[Foreign Legion]

Some great pics

 

[mikail-eagle]

Thanks guys. Got 5 more Teams to put up.

 

[mikail-eagle]

7. Mendi Muruks
Team from the Southern Highlands Province.
Team Colours: Black & White
Number of Premierships: 4
Entered Compeition: 1990
Home Ground: Tente Oval, Mendi Town
Well known former players : Joseph Omae, Larsen Marabe, Jessie Joe Parker

8. Mt Hagen Eagles
Team from the Western Highlands Province.
Team Colours: Blue & Yellow
Number of Premierships: 2
Entered Compeition: 1990
Home Ground: Kagamuga Showground, Mt Hagen
Well known former players : David Gomia, James Kops, Rodney Pora

 

[mikail-eagle]

9. Simbu TNA Lions
Team from the Simbu Province. Previously called the Simbu Warriors.
Team Colours: Green & Black
Number of Premierships: 0
Entered Compeition: 1990
Home Ground: Dickson Oval, Kundiyawa, Simbu Province
Well known former players : Bal Numapo

10. Gulf Isapea
Team from the Gulf Province but plays games out of Port Moresby.
Team Colours: Blue, Black & Red
Number of Premierships: 0
Entered Compeition: 2012
Home Ground:Loyd Robson Oval, Port Moresby

 

[hutch]

Awesome thread, thanks for all of your effort mikail-eagle.
Am I pushing the friendship if I could ask for a map of png showing where abouts the teams are located? Would be great to see the geographical spread.

 

[East Coast Tiger]

Two teams out of mendi is a surprise.

 

[mikail-eagle]

Awesome thread, thanks for all of your effort mikail-eagle.
Am I pushing the friendship if I could ask for a map of png showing where abouts the teams are located? Would be great to see the geographical spread.

That is actually someting I have always wanted to do. I will get to work on it. Stay tuned.

 

[mikail-eagle]

Two teams out of mendi is a surprise.

Mendi is the major Township in the Southern Highlands Province. In 2011 the Province was split into 2 with the creation of the new Hela Province.

The new Hela Province entered its own team (Hela Wigmen) into the competition in 2012. The creation of this new team weakened the Mendi Muruks as the playing roster was just about split in half.

And the Wigmen have also continued to play out of Mendi Town because Tari which is the major Township in Hela Province does not have a rugby league field that meets compeition standards.

The distance between the 2 towns is less than an hours drive.

 

[mikail-eagle]

Maps of PNG.

Map:1

This map shows PNG and Australia below it. Probably how most of you see it.

Map 2

This is the whole PNG Map showing all 22 Provinces and their boundaries. Out of the 22 Provinces, only 11 of them are represented in the National Competition.

The 11 Provinces that have teams in the Digicel Cup are: (using the numbers on the Map)

From the Southern Region:

The Southern region is made up of Provinces numbered 1, 7, 10, 13, 16 and 20.
Only 2 Provinces from this region have a Team in the Competition.

Province 20- That is the National Capital District. That is basically Port Moresby.
Home of the Port Moresby Vipers.

Province 7- That is the Gulf Province. The Major Town of Kerema is about 7 hours
drive from Port Moresby. However, the Gulf Isapea play all their home
games out of Port Moresby.


Northern Region:
TheNorthern region is made up of Provinces numbered 5, 8, 11 and 19.
Only 1 Province from this region has a Team in the Competition.

Province 11- That is the Morobe Province. With PNG's second largest city of Lae.
This is the home of the Lae Snax Tigers. Travel to the Highlands
Provinces can be by road or Air.

Highlands Region:

The Highlands region is made up of Provinces numbered 2, 3, 6, 15, 17, 21 and 22.
All these Provinces have a Team in the Competition.

Province 2- Simbu Province. Home of the TNA Lions. Travel to Port Moresby or
Kokopo is only by Air. Travel to the other Highlands Provinces and to
Lae is by Road.

Province 3- Eastern Highlands Province. Home of the Goroka Lahanis. Travel to Port
Moresby or Kokopo is only by Air. Travel to the other Highlands
Provinces and to Lae is by Road or Air.

Province 6- Enga Province. Home of the Enga Mioks. Travel to Port
Moresby or Kokopo is only by Air. Travel to the other Highlands
Provinces and to Lae is by Road or Air.

Province 15- Southern Highlands Province. Home of the Mendi Muruks. Travel to
Port Moresby or Kokopo is only by Air. Travel to the other Highlands
Provinces and to Lae is by Road or Air.

Province 17 - Western Highlands Province. Home of the Mt Hagen Eagles. Travel to
Port Moresby or Kokopo is only by Air. Travel to the other Highlands
Provinces and to Lae is by Road.

Province 21 - Hela Province. Home of the Hela Wigmen. Travel to
Port Moresby or Kokopo is only by Air. Travel to the other Highlands
Provinces and to Lae is by Road or Air.

Province 22 - Jiwaka Province. Home of the Waghi Tumbe. Travel to
Port Moresby or Kokopo is only by Air. Travel to the other Highlands
Provinces and to Lae is by Road or Air.

The Islands Region.

The Islands region is made up of Provinces numbered 4, 9, 12, 14 and 18.
Only 1 Province from this region has a Team in the Competition.

Province 4 - East New Britain Province on the Island of New Britain is the home of
the Rabaul Gurias. Travel to and from their main town of Kokopo is all
by air.
The PNG Hunters are for the moment also based here and
play their games out of the Gurias home ground of Kalabond.

 

[paulmac]

Mikaili has PNGs love for RL spread to the Solomon Islands or West Papua?

 

[mikail-eagle]

Round 1 Results

GURIAS 22 ISAPEA 18 (Kalabond)
TIGERS 28 LAHANIS 12 (NSI)
LIONS 22 TUMBE 14 (Jiwaka)
MIOKS 18 WIGMEN 14 (Johnson Siki)
MURUKS 28 EAGLES 16 (Keviame Oval)

Bye: Pom Vipers

Points Ladder

1. LAE TIGERS
2. MENDI MURUKS
3. SIMBU TNA LIONS
4. RABAUL GURIAS
5. ENGA MIOKS
6. PORT MORESBY VIPERS
7. GULF ISAPEA
8. HELA WIGMEN
9. WAGHI TUMBE
10.MT HAGEN EAGLES
11.GOROKA LAHANIS

 

[mikail-eagle]

Match Reports

http://www.thenational.com.pg/?q=node/86231

Tigers run over Lahanis away
Source:
The National, Monday April 20th, 2015

THE Lae Tigers beat the Goroka Lahanis 28-12 in a classic second half performance at the National Sports Institute in Goroka yesterday, in the opening round of 2015 Digicel Cup competition.

Tigers hooker Noel Joel grabbed two tries, one in each half, to secure the Morobe side the win.
Conroy Matmilo, Pasu Avani and Justin Olam were the other try-scorers.

Lahanis, with the home crowd behind them, managed to score one try in the first half through debutant Philemon Kimisive.

Seasoned campaigners Felix Tatsim and Francis Takai scored their side’s only points in the second 40.
After a brutal opening set, Eastern Highlander Matmilo crossed for the Lae men following an attacking set. Five-eighth Charlie Simon missed the conversion for the Tigers to take a 4-0 lead.

The Lahanis fought back through experienced trio Micah Soboni, Casey Frank and Supa Kokote, while Ismael Avute, Waisy Joe, Bernard Tatsim and Francis Takai tried hard.

The Tigers’ absorbed the pressure and struck back with a try to Joel, who ran 40-metres untouched to score after he was set up by Bernard Lama.
The Tigers went 10-0 up.

The hosts worked hard to get play deep into Tigers’ territory and winger Kimisive crossed the line following good lead-up work by halfback Frank.
Avute missed the conversion and the Lahanis trailed 4-10 at halftime.

Two staunch Lahanis supporters Members of Parliament Wera Mori (Chuave) and Police Minister Robert Atiayafa (Henganofi) added flavor to Lahanis camp by donating K50,000 each to the team at half time but this match was not going to won with wads of cash but plenty of hard work.

Five minutes into the second half, Joel crossed over for his second try giving his side a comfortable 12-point lead. The Tigers lifted their intensity and kept up the heat on the home side with Avani scoring the try that all but broke the Lahanis resolve.

The Lahanis scored a consolation try before full time after Kimisive set up fullback Takai for an unconverted try.

 

[mikail-eagle]

http://www.thenational.com.pg/?q=node/86232

Mioks start campaign with win over defending champions

Source:
The National, Monday April 20th, 2015

THE Enga Mioks came home strongly to beat defending champions Hela Wigmen 18-14 in the opening round of the Digicel Cup in Wabag yesterday.

It was Kevin Inagafa’s miracle try in the final minute that gave the home team and its fans a reason to smile after the match looked destined for a 14-14 draw, with neither side looking likely to break the deadlock with four minutes remaining.

The visitors started the match with a try to winger Paul Dickson to take an early 4-0 lead.
The best the home side could come up with was a penalty in the 20th minute, which five-eighth Solomo Pokari slotted for his side to trail 4-2.

Pokari then scored and converted his own try for the Mioks to be 8-4 in front, nine minutes later.
The Hela side, led by former Kumul and Agmark Gurias star Larsen Marabe, hit back in the 38th minute through No.6 Rodney Tenza to level the scores at 8-8 at half-time.

In the second half, the Mioks outstanding halves combination of Pokari and Towari Kenake and Tiger Emere and Leon Cletus in the centres paid off with Inagafa dotting down for an unconverted try to reclaim the lead 12-8.

Marabe played a captain’s knock, fearlessly taking on the Mioks defence and leading the run metres for the visitors.

He was supported by strong efforts from Watson Repo, Allan Anton and Andrew Ipi in the pack. The pressure resulted in a try to Wigmen’s Jojo Brandi under the post as they got back in the lead 14-12.
The last five minutes of the match was a test of strength by both sides as they engaged series of sets where defences where tested to their limits.

It was fitting that the deadlock would be broken by a mistake — and an opportunistic piece of play — and Inagafa provided the match-winner.

 

[mikail-eagle]

http://www.thenational.com.pg/?q=node/86314

Crocs show bite

Source:
The National, Tuesday April 21st, 2015

GULF Isapea coach Ted Vere is impressed with his debutants, who faced a strong Agmark Gurias side before going down 22-18 in Kokopo on Sunday.

Vere said out of the 17 players, only three were from last season’s team, while the rest were new-comers to the semi-professional level.

He said the referee on two occasions denied them quick plays in the crucial stages and they had to step up in their attack and combination in the halves.
“We are on bye this weekend so it will be a good time to work hard and train as a team and polish up on our weakness before playing Port Moresby Vipers in round three,” Vere said.

He said they did not get the little things right in the first half and they copped three tries from the home-side, who led 18-0 at halftime.

In the second stanza, hooker Aaron Paul scored a double under the black dot from the dummy half which caught the opposition off-guard.

Seasoned players captain Bernard Goma, Jojo Forova, Junior Arova and Dickson Wallen tried to match up with their rival’s big guns Albert Patak, Edward Goma, Boas Ruru, Chris Jerry, Pidi Tongap, Jimmy Peter Jr and Joe Bruno on the park.

Isapea chairman Jacob Ivaroa and selectors Laipen Wallem and Norris Selu were impressed by the performance.

Ivaroa said the team was put together after three trial matches, trained for only five days before the game and the show was a great effort to start off the season.

He said the result was better than their last three seasons’ against the Gurias.