The merit squad for the Women’s Division have been released after selections were made following the recent National Nines Championships in Port Moresby.
|
Name |
Confederate |
|
1.Joanne LAGONA |
Southern |
|
2.Lisa-Marie ALU |
Highlands |
|
3.Belinda GWASAMUN |
Highlands |
|
4.Martha MOLOWIA |
Southern |
|
5.Lyiannah ALLEN |
Highlands |
|
6.Lila MALABAG |
Southern |
|
7.Delilah AHOSE |
Highlands |
|
8.Regila WILFRED |
Highlands |
|
9.Rosewita KAPO |
Southern |
|
10.Gloria KAUPA |
Highlands |
|
11.Bethshiba ALOI |
Southern |
|
12.Leilah KEROWA |
Southern |
|
13.Susan YOL |
Southern |
|
14.Veronica WAULA |
Southern |
|
15.Michelle JOHN |
Northern |
|
16.Tere KINIWI |
Southern |
|
17.Freda WAULA |
Southern |
|
18.Lorraine TARAO |
NGI |
|
19.Doreen WILLIAM |
Southern |
The squad will head into a monitoring program that will include an extended squad of 25 players from each Confederate that participated in the Confederate Nines.
Potential players that took part in the Confederate Trials and are part of the women’s game across our affiliates but missed out on playing in the Confederate Nines have also been considered and will be part of the extended regional squads.
“We are giving the girls a second chance by putting them all in this monitoring program,” said PNGRFL Women’s High Performance Coordinator, Della Audama.
“The women’s game is a strong and emerging game globally and as such we are adamant that due consideration and support needs to be provided,” said PNG Rugby Football League Chief Executive Officer, Stanley Hondina.
The PNG Orchids are currently ranked fourth in the world, and with a World Cup looming in five months’ time, it is within PNGRFL’s interest to prepare for the international event.
“We do not have a semiprofessional competition for the women like men’s Digicel Cup and the Hunters, this model of monitoring and training fills in that gap. Therefore, we are supportive of the program and committed to assist in preparing our girls well for the RLWC at the end of the year,” said Hondina.
“We are confident that we have a good coach in Ben and briefly his attendance to the short Nines Championships was evident, he knows what he wants to do and also knows where we are with the female game here in PNG,” added Hondina.
PNG Orchids Head Coach, Ben Jeffries expressed his appreciation of the commitment and passion displayed by the females over the recent National Nines Championships.
“I certainly went away post tournament excited to be working with the PNG Orchids and one of the most pleasing aspects was the ability to see the females play some free-flowing footy post covid barriers with plenty of passion and that’s something we’ll try to bottle once we start playing together as a group,” Jeffries said.
He said the extended squads from here will endure plenty of education going forward not only to assist this year’s World Cup players, but also all staff and future groups post tournament, so that the PNG Orchids become a recognized force within International Rugby League.