The AFL development program in PNG is underway for 2018.
AFL PNG senior football community manager, Rex Leka, said the last 12 months have been really good for the fraternity with plans to improve the sport in other provincial centres.
AFL PNG has certainly made some great headlines in 2017 when Mosquitos capped off the year by defending and winning their 2014 premiership title in the International Australian Football League Cup, against New Zealand.
“It was a really good sign of the code moving forward. I hope we can make it 3 in a row in 2020,” Leka said.
This year preparations are underway to improve AFL matches for Seniors in centres outside Port Moresby.
“So far only the Port Moresby competition is active. We are looking at Lae, Kimbe and Hoskins while Bialla is trying to get back on as well. East New Britain is another one we hope to run seniors competition.”
Leka said the Seniors competition program started in Mt Hagen but needs to get off the ground in the other centres.
He said they would like to introduce it in Kavieng and hopefully, that can be achieved by the end the year.
Meantime, the Mosquitos have been nominated as the Team of Year in the 2018 SP Sports award.
They are up against the SP PNG Hunters and the U19 Garamuts.
AFL PNG received three nominations: Team of the Year, Male Athlete of the Year featuring Hagewo ‘Ace’ Oea, and Women’s Coach of the Year for the PNG Flames, Jonathan IIa.
(Hagewo ‘Ace’ Oea in action – Picture: AFL PNG Facebook page)
