PNG ATTITUDE

PNG to host ICC regional cricket trophy

Papua New Guinea will host the International Cricket Council East Asia Pacific Cricket Trophy tournament in June next year. The tournament is a qualifier for the ICC Under-19 World Cup to be held in Kenya in 2010. PNG are the current regional champions having won the last tournament in Vanuatu in 2006. After that win, PNG qualified for the World Cup in Malaysia earlier this year and was placed 12th.

“We expect very strong squads from Vanuatu, Fiji, Japan and Indonesia,” ICC regional development manager, Mathew Weisheit, said in Port Moresby to identify improvements to ovals and facilities, which will need to be brought to international standard.

Cricket PNG general manager Andrew Knott said they were proud to host this prestigious event. “This is the second time an ICC tournament has come to PNG and we are confident of putting on a very professional display,” Knott said.

“This tournament encourages community participation, an increase in young boys and girls playing cricket, so any assistance from the Government and corporate companies to be a part of this prestigious event will go a long way for our cricketers and the country in the region and the world,” he said.

World cup trip a boon for PNG

Papua New Guinea may have lost its three qualifying matches in the rugby league world cup but its visit to Australia for the championship has been anything but disappointing. Not only has the side won plaudits for its style and tenacity of play but it now looks like winning a ride into the Australian national competition, with prime minister Kevin Rudd agreeing to establish a Port Moresby-based team.

In a stirring pre-game speech before PNG played Australia last night, PNG prime minister Michael Somare said his Government had committed $20 million to the project. He also revealed details of a recent meeting with Mr Rudd at which the Australian PM pledged his Government's assistance for the project.

"You'll be very pleased to know that Kevin Rudd, my brother from Australia, has spoken and Mr Rudd has agreed that the Australian Government will support us with the upgrade of sporting facilities," Somare said. "You can rest assured we will have the facilities required for us to have a team, a professional team, that people can devote their time to, who will represent our country.

"It is very important for you to know the prime minister, the high commissioner to Canberra and everyone back in PNG, we are all with you."

It is likely any PNG-based NRL team would play at least three seasons in the Queensland Cup competition before being admitted to the premiership.

Source: ‘PNG has support of Rudd’ by Dan Koch, The Australian, 10 November 2008

Kumuls trounced by NZ in world cup

The Papua New Guinea Kumuls were comprehensively defeated by New Zealand 48-6 in yesterday’s rugby league world cup match on the Gold Coast. The Kumuls now need to defeat Australia – which would be an extraordinary upset - to reach the semi-finals of the competition.

Despite making a shaky start to the second half, when PNG came back with a try by teenage winger David Moore, New Zealand scored nine tries to one and made. New Zealand had won its previous 10 matches in a row against PNG since the Kumuls’ only win, 24-22 in Port Moresby, in 1986.

Moulding the Kumuls was a tough task

From Richard Jones in London

A number of Papua New Guinea's rugby league players were reduced to tears this week when they met former Melbourne Storm winger Marcus Bai. Regarded as close to a 'God' by PNG aficionados of the sport. Bai is a much larger character these days compared to his glory days when he played on the wing for the Storm.

Kumuls' coach Adrian Lam said the waterworks were more "tears of joy" when Bai introduced himself to the Kumuls at training. "We welcomed him with open arms. Some of my players regard him as close to a God --- even though he's more the shape of a backrower than a winger these days," Lam said, with a smile.

Former Brisbane Broncos and Australian Test prop Gorden Tallis said he also saw some tears in the eyes of Kumuls' players. "When they walked out onto the surface at the Gold Coast's Skilled Park a few of them were teary-eyed," said Tallis. "They said they felt humbled to be on the same grass graced by a star like Scott Prince - something as a player you take for granted."

Lam conceded he'd been handed a tough task, moulding the 24-strong Kumuls squad into a cohesive unit. "Many of them have never travelled overseas before and there are a few who can't read or write. And some of them can't speak English. So it's an experience for them, especially playing in a World Cup."

Lam said even though the Kumuls went down to England by just 10 points in their opening fixture last weekend, they needed to continue with their intensity against the New Zealand Kiwis on Saturday. "We've got to back up our performance. There's no doubt the bigger Kiwis will try and bully my boys. They are obviously disappointed with their last result (a 30-6 flogging from Australia).

"So we will have to try and keep our composure and hope that the bounce of a the ball and the referee's calls go our way," the PNG coach said.

NBC helps boost Moresby rugby league

My former employer, I was the first director of policy and planning there in the seventies, the PNG National Broadcasting Corporation, is seeking to boost the chances of a PNG team competing in Australia’s National Rugby League competition by ensuring Port Moresby has a sporting stadium of international standard. This is one of the criteria the NRL mandates to allow new teams into what is one of the world’s toughest sporting contests.

The concept of having a team in the NRL has been raised by PNG Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare and the NBC, through its new television station, the National Television Service (NTS), has been the first organisation to help the Papua Rugby League upgrade its current playing ground with a K10,000 donation to conduct a feasibility study.

“The intention of Sir Michael is to put a team into the NRL and, in order for that to happen, we have to put our plans together and have the figures and facts correct before the groundwork begins for a new stadium,” said PRL chairman Solomon Ravu, who believes the partnership PRL has with NBC will go a long way to make that concept a reality.

Kumuls qualified to join NRL: Meninga

Australian rugby league legend Mal Meninga has told officials that the Kumuls are the game's sleeping giant and the Melbourne Age reports the PNG national team could continue its charge to gain a place in the NRL competition in the clash with New Zealand at the weekend.

The Age says that PNG's bold display against England in it's World Cup opener surprised many people, but not Meninga, “who believes the flamboyant Kumuls should be taken seriously and considered down the track for a place in the NRL”.

And in an article headlined ‘Kumuls gunning for Kiwis’ the Herald-Sun says that “New Zealand's ordinary Cup debut against favourites Australia gives [the Kumuls] hope of qualifying for the finals from the pool of death provided they can reproduce their committed effort.”

Meanwhile, RICHARD JONES writes from London: New Zealand selectors have made three changes to the side that will face the Papua New Guinea Kumuls on the Gold Coast on Saturday night. Crushed 30-6 by Australia in their opening rugby league World Cup fixture last weekend, the Kiwis retained under fire Wigan scrum half Thomas Leuluai. However New Zealand coach Stephen Kearney dumped Dene Halatau while centre Krisnan Inu comes in for the suspended Steve Matai. Also into the Kiwi side is hooker Isaac Luke and second rower David Fa'alogo. Luke and Fa'alogo are expected to start Saturday's game on the interchange for New Zealand.

Leuluai was heavily criticised for his poor performance against the Kangaroos' Jonathan Thurston. The Aussie playmaker starred in the big win over the Kiwis less than 48 hours after the violent killing of his uncle. Kiwi coach Kearney has kept faith with Leuluai for the crucial clash against the Kiwis, opting to give the former Auckland Warriors playmaker another chance on the big stage.

‘Papuans’ worthy opponents: England

From Richard Jones in London

England rugby league captain Jamie Peacock obliquely praised Papua New Guinea's first game performance at the 2008 World Cup in comments published in Monday's London press. While insisting the Lions would improve on their come-from-behind 32-22 win over the Kumuls, Peacock said the PNG players had proved dour opponents.

"They were worthy opposition but I have to say the World Cup is not won in the first game. We know there are areas where we need to improve vastly and I think we're used to that in (England's) Super League. Improving on your performance from the week before is vital in our games at home."

Trailing 12-6 after 28 minutes the fired-up Kumuls stung England with three tries before half-time to lead 16-12 at the break. St Helens winger Ade Gardner added to his first-half try and Leeds winger Lee Smith completed a hat-trick on debut as the Lions took advantage of a tiring Kumuls' outfit.

Papua New Guinea's lack of match fitness was commented on by sports writers in London's Sunday papers. Ed Hughes, writing in the Sunday Times, said ‘the Papuans’ tired in the final 15 minutes. The habit of referring to the Kumuls as 'the Papuans' is common among English sports writers covering this World Cup.

Papua New Guinea's next pool game is against New Zealand at the Gold Coast this Saturday.

Game shows Kumuls worthy of NRL berth

Papua New Guinea has emerged as a force in world rugby league after a scintillating display of champagne football in the World Cup against the English Lions in Townsville.

And the Kumul's powerful and skilled performance showed why PNG should be invited into the Australian rugby league competition, which they would adorn like the colours of their national flag grace their guernseys and their  play. This is a first rate team, with a fluidity and creativity in style that is very exciting to watch.  They would add 2,000 to the gate wherever they played in Australia.

Although England won 32-22, this was a match that – but for a couple of controversial refereeing decisions and a few unforced errors – the Kumuls could have taken.

Trailing the Kumuls 12-16 at half-time after leading early, England faced the possibility of an embarrassing defeat. But the Kumuls were unable to maintain the same intensity in the second half, and were not assisted by the run of the ball.

PNG coach Adrian Lam - and what magic he has worked on this team - criticised several decisions by referee Shayne Hayne, including a disallowed try for a forward pass: “That was devastating. It would have put us 10 points ahead if we had got the conversion. That was a real hurt but we hung in there. A couple more decisions going our way and it's game on.''

An emotional Lam is confident the Kumuls can cause an upset over the Kangaroos or Kiwis. “Tonight we showed we are a young, courageous and spirited side and I couldn't be prouder of the way the guys played,'' Lam said. “Tonight was a little bit about getting some respect back from the world of rugby league.”

An AAP reporter at the match commented: “World Cup contenders England were expected to make easy work of the underdog Kumuls, but they were made to fight all the way before securing the win. Despite the loss, PNG will be buoyed by their opening effort, having really threatened one of the top rated teams in the tournament.”

While the Kumuls head to the Gold Coast to face the Kiwis at Skilled Stadium next Saturday, Australian rugby league administrators should head to the board room to work out how the Kumuls can be injected into the national rugby league competition. Last night they showed they're ready - and we should be ready to invite them. It would do wonders for the game in Australia and in PNG, the only nation where rugby league is lauded as the national sport.

Time for the NRL to get as creative in the smoked filled rooms as the Kumuls showed they are on the field. A correspondent to this blog has called them warriors - they are indeed Warriors, with a capital W, and a great tribute to the sporting prowess of Papua New Guineans.

Visa problems maroon PNG players

From Richard Jones in London

In a blow to the Papua New Guinea rugby league team’s preparations for the World Cup, half of its squad was marooned in Port Moresby this week because of visa issues, flying in the face of the Australian Government’s commitment earlier this year to resolve one of the major problems that have been bedevilling the PNG-Australia relationship.

Papua New Guinea coach Adrian Lam has predicted a finals finish for England in rugby league's World Cup, which kicks off in Australia tonight. In London's The Times, arguably the world's most famous newspaper, former Wigan Warriors' scrum half Lam said England had a great chance of winning the Cup.

"I think England has a great chance of not only reaching the final but also of winning the whole thing," he said. "The English game has been chipping away and personally I think the brand of football in the Super League is more watchable than (Australia's) NRL. England intend to play to those strengths. If they can do that, maybe the era of Australian dominance will be ended. Certainly the game needs it," said the PNG coach.

Australia has won the World Cup final on every occasion it has been contested since 1975. Great Britain beat the Aussies in France in 1972 - the last time the Kangaroos have been beaten in the final.

Lam's team faces England in Townsville on Sunday in a game which will be televised live into the United Kingdom on Sky Sports 2. Previewing the match for The Times from Townsville, Christopher Irvine said half the Papua New Guinea squad had been marooned in Port Moresby last week because of visa problems.

"But a combination of (England) Super League veterans, NRL young guns and indigenous PNG players determined to thrust themselves onto the global stage will make the Kumuls no pushovers," he said. "Stanley Gene burst onto the scene at the 1995 World Cup and the Hull Kingston Rovers loose forward of indeterminate age - he is 'officially' 34 --- has been part and parcel of the British game since then."

"Professional players get around 60 pounds a match in PNG, which compares with the annual weekly wage there of 5-6 pounds," Lam told Irvine. The PNG coach added that the clash with England "was more than just a game" for his players. "It's the chance to showcase their talents and possibly command a good wage overseas. That's what Stanley did, and there are more Stanleys waiting in the wings."

The PNG coach singled out England forward Gareth Hock's temperament as something which England coach Tony Smith (an Australian) would have to watch. Lam pinpointed Hock's talent during his time at Wigan, but Hock was suspended in July for five club matches for grabbing a referee's arm. "He was wild when we were both at Wigan and he's no doubt wild now," said Lam "He was someone I felt had a huge future, but there can be a bit of ill-discipline with him."

How tonight's teams line up -- England: P. Wellens, A. Gardner, M. Gleeson, K. Senior, L. Smith, K. Pryce, R. Burrow; J. Peacock (capt), J. Roby, J. Graham. G. Hock, G. Ellis, K. Sinfield. Interchange: A. Morley, M. Fa'asavalu, D. McGuire, D. Wilkin.

Papua New Guinea: J. Wilshere (capt), G. Kepa, J.J. Parker, T. Maori, D. Moore, R. Griffin, K. Peters; M. Alzue, P. Alton, T. Exton, N. Costigan, J. Nightingale, S. Gene. Interchange from: R. Pora, G. Moni, J. Chan, C. Wabo, N. Kolo, A. Kui, M. Yere,

Referee: S. Hayne (Australia).

England league team wary of Kumuls

From Richard Jones in London

Papua New Guinea has been handed a tough assignment in this weekend's first round fixture in the 2008 rugby league World Cup. The Kumuls have been matched up against England in Townsville for their World Cup opener.

Rugged forward Adrian Morley, the England vice-captain, was asked for his thoughts on the match - and an overview of the World Cup - by reporters for London's Metro paper, one of two free morning giveaways in the UK capital. "Papua New Guinea should be a relatively easy opener for England, shouldn't they," Morley was asked. "No, not at all," replied England's enforcer. "We will have to be at the top of our game and can't afford to be complacent. We don't know much about them and will have to give them our fullest respect or else we could come unstuck.

"We also have to remember they will be more used to the hot, humid conditions although hopefully we will have acclimatised by then. But if you start looking ahead to the other teams down the line you will run into difficulties," said Morley.

The prop forward or second rower played for the Sydney Roosters for five years in Australia's NRL. Currently he's on the Warrington Wolves' roster in England and has also played with the Leeds Rhinos and Bradford Bulls. To simulate the north Queensland climate Morley said the England players had completed conditioning in heat chambers in preparation for Townsville.

"I think we will be very well prepared," Morley said. "People adapt in different ways. No one is the same, so it's difficult to judge how each individual will come to terms with the changes to their body," the big forward added.

Morley said he'd enjoyed watching August's Olympic Games from Beijing. "The success of British athletes made me enormously proud and I especially enjoyed taking money off my Aussie teammates when we won more medals overall than they did."

Adrian Lam, Kumuls & the RL World Cup

The Rugby League World Cup is nigh and the Papua New Guinea Kumuls – facing daunting appointments with England (Saturday 25 October), New Zealand (Saturday 1 November) and Australia (Sunday 9 November) – say they're ready to fly. Gimanama Crowdy spoke with PNG coach Adrian Lam [left] about the Kumuls prospects.

Gima - How do you rank the PNG Kumuls amongst the other Pacific teams?

Adrian - We’ve improved so much over the past two years as a playing nation; it’s incredible. We’re as good as any, which is a credit to our local SP Cup competition that our 24-man World Cup squad has more resident players than anyone in the world.

G - Why are Australia, New Zealand and England in the same pool?

A – We were told that they didn't want anyone else to be in that pool apart from PNG because there wouldn't be blow out scores. We argued that the pool was unfair but since then we’ve accepted it and have knuckled down to prove everyone wrong that the pool is far from decided on who will go through.

G – How will you stay alive in this 'Pool of Death'?

A - We need to have an undying belief in each other. And we must be fully committed to the team. We need to have an uncompromising attack and defence and maintain the PNG fighting power till the end of the game.

G – How would you summarise the calibre of the local and overseas players in the PNG team?

A - I think the squad will be very competitive. It has a good mixture of internationals and resident players. Last year I created the ‘PNG Origin' game, played once a year, where we pick an international team from outside PNG and fly them to PNG for the game. The first time this game was played in 2007, the internationals won 29-28 after it was all locked up at fulltime 28 all.

G - What would you like to say to Papua New Guineans living in Australia?

A – We’re excited to see you and very happy you’re getting behind the team. Get out to all our games and scream the house down. I know a lot of family of myself and all the players are going so it should be unbelievable.

G - Finally, what thoughts do you have about the development of PNG rugby league?

A – I’m right behind the PNG juniors and the new development programs set up to advance our future stars. We have the largest and fastest growing schoolboy numbers in the world and I feel that’s where can improve in the future.

The Kumuls games will be played in Townsville (England and Australia) and on the Gold Coast (New Zealand). Before the first game against England there’ll be a Meet the Kumuls dinner in Townsville on Tuesday 21 October – organised by the local PNG wantok community. Tickets are $60 per head or $500 for a table of ten. Contact this blog if you’re interested.

PNG team mooted for ARL berth

PNG rugby league officials have been in Sydney this week lobbying for a PNG club team to compete in the Australian competition in 2014. Now that’s a fair way off, but what a boost it would be to the only nation where rugby league is considered the national game.

Federal Parliamentary Secretary for Pacific island Affairs, Duncan Kerr [left], said talk of a PNG club in the NRL was a positive sign of new found Australian PNG relations. “Sport brings people and nations together,” he said. “Personally, I think it would be an exciting and positive step and it could only further strengthen the friendship between our two countries.”

My old mate, ABC Pacific correspondent, Sean Dorney [right], a tenacious halfback who captained the PNG rugby league side around PNG’s Independence in 1975, observed it was about time the NRL took PNG seriously. “There really is a wealth of untapped league talent in PNG,” he said.

While Australian Rugby league officials welcomed the proposal, they said there was no immediate expansion strategy. That’s a shame since officials from most Sydney teams are quick to admit there are too many clubs in the harbour city and the sooner the game is further decentralised the better.

And could there be a more creative - and exciting - move than to bring a PNG team into the contest?

Thanks to Paul Oates for tipping me off about this story on the Ex Kiap website.

Boxing: Martin Beni put PNG on the map

Richard E Jones

The PNG House of Assembly rose early on 26 September 1974. Chief Minister Michael Somare shelved his plans and drove the short distance to Port Moresby’s Sir Hubert Murray stadium to see PNG boxing hero Martin Beni contest an international bout. The 23-year-old motor mechanic from Waima village matched against Colin Cassidy, the Australian lightweight champion.

Fight promoter Phil Harris had worked feverishly leading up to the big night. His loudspeaker van touring Moresby’s suburbs and neighbouring villages urging people to support Beni in his most important bout. On fight night 9000 patrons turned up.

Beni started the fight without apparent nerves and set a brisk pace. By the third round, though, Cassidy was on song. Three stinging rights from the Australian had ‘The Chief’ Somare squirming in his ringside seat. Towards the end of the third, Beni took a Cassidy uppercut before landing a right to the body and a shot that started a Cassidy nosebleed. The hometown fans sensed an improvement. Beni was now consistently landing overhand lefts and rights to Cassidy’s head.

The Australian looked wobbly as the fifth began and ran into a battery of Beni punches but summoned a last burst of energy mid-round. He trapped Beni in the corner and landed a flurry of body punches. Then Beni landed five chopping rights on the Australian’s jaw. Cassidy slumped to the canvas, clinging to the ring’s bottom rope. The roar of the crowd drowned out the sound of the bell.

A savage 60 seconds awaited the Aussie lightweight champion in the sixth. Beni’s short arm blows hammered Cassidy but this time there was no bell to save him. He crumpled forward on his knees and his head fell to the canvas. The referee counted him out as the crowd roared its delight. Beni was on his way to a Commonwealth ranking in pro boxing.

So, just 12 months before independence from Australia was proclaimed, Martin Beni had put PNG on the sporting world map.

[With thanks to Mike Ryan and staff at Australia’s old Fighter magazine]

Richard Jones’ full account of this historic moment in PNG sport will be published in the next issue of Una Voce, the magazine of the PNG Association of Australia.

Keating takes over athletics in Qld

David Keating OAM (ASOPA 1961-62) has been elected to the prominent office of chairman of Queensland Athletics, capping an outstanding career as an athlete and in athletics administration. The organisation David chairs started as the Queensland Amateur Athletic Association way back in 1894 and in addition to its development role, its job is to ensure Queensland is well represented at Olympic and Commonwealth Games. Bill Welbourne (ASOPA 1962-63), a distinguished athlete himself, congratulated David, adding: ¨I always tried to avoid the administration, so good luck.”

Bill himself is now back in training. He ran a record in the 300 metres hurdles at the Pan Pacific Masters 18 months ago and is thinking of one last hurrah at the World Masters in Sydney next year. “But age is catching up,” says Bill, “and I sustained a bruised heel last weekend at the Nathan track. I’m limping, so it will put me out for the rest of the season. Oh well, it’s back to golf!”

Smokin' Joe's Moresby encounter

Richard Jones

The Muhammad Ali movie Ali starring Will Smith rekindled some old PNG boxing memories for me. There will be sports nuts among our ASOPA membership - that straggly line of greybeards who tottered down Brisbane streets to board the riverboat three months ago - for whom this piece might spark some recall.

In the mid 1970s Muhammad Ali's greatest opponent Smokin’ Joe Frazier and entourage visited Port Moresby. They were in town for a few days and Joe went a few exhibition rounds at Sir Hubert Murray Stadium. His opponent that night was James ‘Digger’ Annand, a noted rugby league player for DCA.

The fit, blond Annand towered over the former world heavyweight champion who was of stocky build but with enormous thighs (he had to have specially tailored boxing shorts).

Digger poked out long, left leads as the ex-champ bobbed and weaved. Mercifully Joe didn't throw the famous left hook which sent Ali sprawling to the canvas in their first bout: the 1971 world championship at Madison Square Garden.

The Moresby stadium was packed on that balmy evening more than three decades ago. As the ring announcer, I recall a number of Papua New Guineans bursting from their grandstand seats, pushing through the security cordon and throwing a few choice words Frazier's way from ringside. "Joe Fraz-ee-yah. You not in the same class as Muhammad Ali,'' was the refrain before the interlopers were hustled away. Frazier might have been a great fighter, but for the PNG boxing fans, Ali was their man.

Winning swimming was tough in PNG

Richard Jones

PNG produced many fine athletes during the 1960s and 70s, but few swimmers of note. Unlike disciplines such as track and field, weight lifting, the football codes, softball, boxing and even lawn bowls where leading competitors mushroomed, the ranks of top class swimmers were decidedly slender.

Prime among those late sixties aquatic competitors who did excel in the pool were breaststroker Toby Tovitolon, freestyler Oala Moi and the Mae Verave sisters from Marshall Lagoon in the Central District. Tovitolon captained the PNG swim team at Moresby’s South Pacific Games in 1969.

Since then there have been a number of outstanding swimmers representing PNG at international meets, not least Ryan Pini who won gold in the 100m butterfly at the Melbourne Commonwealth Games in 2006.

It was always a surprise to me that PNG didn’t produce more local swimmers of note. On any given day in the country’s coastal areas, scores of children of all ages could be found leaping in and out of the sea.

But pool swimming demands real discipline. Countless hours of training. It’s a demanding sport and, as I wrote in a Post-Courier feature in December 1976, perhaps the required strict training regimen discouraged many potential PNG swim stars.

Dedicated coaches can train youngsters in basic stroke skills and techniques, even for something as demanding as butterfly swimming. Once those techniques have been mastered thousands of laps need to be swum so that fitness and durability can be built up. The long, hard training grind might have been just too much for many aspiring PNG teenagers.

Reflections on the ‘75 Guam games

Richard Jones

The 1975 South Pacific Games were held in and around Agana, the capital city of Guam in the American-controlled island chain of Micronesia. A last gasp gold medal from the women’s softball team took PNG’s gold medal tally to 22 but the top two nations were New Caledonia and Tahiti with totals of 102 and 94 medals, respectively.

Top individual performers for PNG were distance runner John Kokinai, who garnered three gold medals and a silver, and swimmer Charlie Martin, who finished with no fewer than eight medals. In boxing, Western Samoa and American Samoa took home the lion’s share of the 11 gold medals on offer, but PNG boxers did well with two gold and two silver.

Edward Seeto (flyweight), Sibona Oka (featherweight) and Geoffrey Hui (lightweight) won gold medals for Papua New Guinea in the weightlifting. The golf also proved to be a bonanza for the PNG team. Dick Smith – not to be confused with the retail electronics wizard - won the individual archery gold for PNG. The PNG men’s doubles combination won gold in the tennis, a competition which was hard hit because of wet weather.

Edited extract of a fuller account of the 1975 Guam Games, which can be found in the December edition of the PNG Association of Australia’s ‘Una Voce’ magazine.

Photo: Dick and I enjoy the sunshine as 'Lady Brisbane' approaches the Story Bridge in the fair capital of the Sunshine State.

The hard men of the Papuan rugby league

Richard Jones

Joe Morris was a front row forward from Moresby rugby league days. He’s responded to an article I wrote for Les Everett’s www.australianrules.com.au website in the following terms about some of the great rugby league players who played in Port Moresby in the sixties:

Digger Annand’s given name was James and he now owns a bottle shop in Newcastle. I was a member of the DCA side that won in 1966. Barry Kenny, also in the side, later played for Queensland. Mark Harris, a bruiser from Konedobu, ended up playing for Easts, then NSW and Australia. So there were some greats that played in that comp.

John Kaputin [pictured, now Sir John and secretary-general of the Brussels-based African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States] was a great player a nice bloke too. He helped us in a riot one Friday night I’ll never forget. We were playing Konedobu and John was playing. We flattened one of the Kone players and the crowd erupted and were storming the fence around the field. John jumped the fence got hold of the loudspeaker and gained control. It wasn’t nice. We had heaps of SP beer in the club that night.