National Football Stadium

National Stadium set for grand opening

The stadium will play host to the trial match between SP PNG Hunters and New Sales Wales Cup Penrith Panthers.

It will be officially opened by Prime Minister Peter O’Neill at 5:35pm with the match official kick off at 5:45pm.

The K170 million infrastructure looks ready with red and gray colored seats at the north, south and eastern stands sitting a total of 10,000 people.

The main grand stand has 3184 seats and canopy roofing.

The green playing turf is ready for the players with perfectly trimmed grass.

Teams take time off training before trial match

The home team had a morning walk and is now relaxing in camp at the PNG Institute of Public Administration while the Panthers are based at the Holiday Inn Hotel.

PNG Rugby Football League chief executive officer Bob Cutmore said it is tradition that teams take time off from training to prepare mentally and maintain team spirit before a game.

He said both teams did well in their captain’s run yesterday at the NFS and are focused and looking forward to the match.

They’ll make their way to the stadium at 4pm.

Panthers jet into Moresby

The team looked frivolous and fortified to face the SP Hunters tomorrow night.

“Despite the short notice, we have taken weeks of training to go on head to head with Hunters as we know they are a tough team to play against,” says Penrith Panthers coach Steve Georgallis.

Georgallis added that we have watched the SP Hunters play in the Queensland Cup and I it is going to be a very hard-hitting challenge for my boys here in Papua New Guinea because it’s their home, it’s their town and it’s their country and they will be very passionate.

Hunters name squad to face Penrith Panthers

Coach Michael Marum has started with an experienced side as he works towards finalising his team leading up to the Intrust Super Cup season.

Included in the squad for this weekend are key players Stargroth Amean, Thompson Teteh, Adex Wera, Ase Boas and Adam Korave.

All SP Hunters players including the newcomers are endeavouring to impress to ensure they make the final squad of 25 players to gain the Intrust Super Cup at the end of season 2016.

New faces include Benjamin Hetra, Justin Olam, Philemon Kimisive, Tuvi Lepan and Nickson Borana.

Tkatchenko: New stadiums available to all

Tkatchenko brushed aside recent media reports of the facilities being too expensive and not available for the people to use.

He said PNG is lucky to have these facilities that are for the people, including the grassroots and to ensure that the people have access to these facilities all the time.

“We are building these facilities for our people to use for our local sports so at the end of the day, the facilities are for the people and they will be available for the people at all times,” he said.