Agmark Rabaul Gurias

Moide and fellow Central Dabari player, John Simbiri, have settled in well and were making good progress since joining the Gurias training squad over the past 4 weeks.

According to Gurias management, players’ welfare and family is priority and they respect Moide’s decision.

While Moide’s departure would be a loss for Gurias, there is a strong possibility PNG Hunters pocket dynamo Sailas Gahuna might be joining Gurias camp as early as this week.

It is understood Gahuna has left the Hunters and is headed to Kokopo.

Also back in camp is Gurias prodigal son, Stanley Olo, and Solomon Pukare who were recently released from the 2020 SP PNG Hunters original training squad.

For young Moide, it has always been his childhood dream to play for the East New Britain franchise.

The Gurias are now back into serious training with one thing in mind; to regain some lost pride after they were bundled out in the first week of the finals last year by arch rivals, Hela Wigmen.

The Gurias piled on the points in a hot afternoon at the National Football Stadium.

Terry Wapi opened the scoring in the opening minutes, converting his own try for a 6 – 0 lead.

Wesley Batari scored nine minutes later, accelerating through a gap in the Isou 30 metre off the scrum to extend their lead 10 nil.

The Isou received a penalty in the Gurias 30 metre and opted for a penalty kick for a 10 – 2 score line.

In the 30^th minute, Eliakim Lukara showed speed and elusiveness to score in the right edge for a 14 - 2 lead at the break.

The Gurias registered a 26-12 victory in the Digicel Cup round 13 match today.

The win came at a cost for the Gurias, who suffered a number of injuries at the hands of the aggressive Wigmen.

The round 13 Digicel Cup clash was a curtain raiser for the Hunters’ round 16 encounter against the Sunshine Coast Falcons.

3 minutes into the match and the Gurias recorded 6 points, thanks to Philemon Taim and Solomon Pokare.

It was a horror start from the Vipers with a knock on in the first play of the match.

The Gurias made them pay through quick hands that allowed an unmarked William Aquila to fly in for the first points.

With the wind in their sails, the Gurias added more points when Brian Gispe put a grubber in a gap for a flying Eliakim Lukara to pounce on.

Two unsuccessful conversions from Elipas Pidik put the score at 8-0 after twenty minutes.

The city boys applied some pressure in the back end of the first half and came close to crossing the line on several occasions.

The 20 participating teams will do battle from January 26-28, 2018.

The NGI Super 9s is an annual event from which only the best are drafted into the Agmark Rabaul Gurias train-on squad.

There will be a total of K85,000 in prize money up for grabs during the three-day tournament.

1^st place: K50,000

2^nd place: K20,000

3^rd place: K10,000

4^th place: K5,000

Registration is K3,300 per team and will close on January 12, 2018.

(Loop file pic)

The classy Lae Snax Tigers' halfback slotted through a 91st minute golden point field goal to beat the Agmark Rabaul Gurias 11-10 in this afternoon’s grand final at the Sir John Guise Stadium.

It was thrilling, unbelievable, heartbreaking and historic, which kept the crowd of thousands cheering all afternoon.

There was some scrappy football from both sides in the opening exchanges with the match being played up the middle of the field.

It was the Gurias who found their feet first.

It will be the four time minor premiers from Lae up against the Rabaul boys who are playing in their fourth consecutive grand final.

“We’re not going to change much in our game plan. Preparation is key. We just need to work on our preparation leading into the game,” said Tigers coach, Stanley Tepend.

Both sides met in last year’s grand final with the Tigers edging out the Gurias 14-8 in a thriller. Expect no less tomorrow.

The early part of the first half was played in the Wigmen's half. Consecutive penalties to the Gurias brought them within striking distance and they looked certain to score.

A charge down from Gurias halfback, Stanley Olo on the forty meter line saw him re-gather the ball and race away to score on the wing in the 13th minute.

The game will kick off at 3pm at the PNG Football Stadium, Port Moresby.

“We need to cut down on our errors because teams score off our mistakes.

“The Gurias have a different style of football. They have the speed and we have to contain that,” said Wigmen coach, Roderick Puname.

“We just have to go back to basics. We have to make sure to defend, hold on to the ball and keep attacking,” said Gurias coach, Steven Nightingale.

The winner of tomorrow’s game will go on to play the Lae Snax Tigers on September 9 in the grand final in Port Moresby.