Lae Snax Tigers

Lau playing multiple roles

Since making his debut at the end of the 2023 QRL season, Lau put in more hard work to earn his spot back in the  Paul Aiton s final 30-man squad for the 2024 season.

The PNG Hunters are blessed to have the quality and brand of roving outside back Joshua Lau who can fit into multiple roles on any given day. Lau has played fullback, centre, winger, hooker, halfback and five-eight for his club Lae Tigers, before making his debut for the Hunters in Round 8 last year and played five games under his former coach Stanley Tepend.

Recruitment drive for Lae Snax Tigers

Tigers coach, Noel Zeming, said the current and new players looking for a spot in Tigers colours must convince selectors through their performances in the Pawa 9s tournament.

The Lae Biscuit Pawa 9s, formerly known as Snax 9s, is a three-day tournament that will run from the 14th to the 16th of December at the Lae Rugby League Oval.

Food ration and transportation for teams during the course of the tournament will be provided for by the tournament management, with the continuous support from Lae Biscuit Company and Prima Smallgoods.

Tigers up for challenge

This match will be the final preliminary final of the 2023 Digicel ExxonMobil Cup Competition. The winner of the match proceeds into the grand final to play the EPG Enga Mioks, while the loser bows out of the competition.

This highly anticipated match kicks off today at 2:50 p.m. at the Santos National Football Stadium.

But one of Morobe’s very own, Sonny Wabo has reminded the fans that his side is well prepared for the challenge.

Lahanis meet Tigers in prelimary finals

The preliminary final this Sunday decides who gets the right to meet early Cup favorites Mioks in the grand final next Sunday.

From the outset, Lahanis recent back-to-back wins against star studded teams, Hela Wigman and Agmark Gurias, had merit and could be the real deal. They are the giant killers of semifinals footy.

They are up against the sleeping giants, and a benchmark of the competition Tigers, who’ve been there, done that and know what it takes to bounce back and rise to the challenge when it really counts.

Mioks book first spot

Booking the first grand final spot after overcoming a strong challenge from Lae Snax Tigers on Sunday, has again reaffirmed their determination to go one better, after falling short to Lahanis in 2018.

After a scoreless but frustrating first half for both teams, Mioks had points in them but squandered their chances. While the Tigers had their work cut out for them, somehow held their line well to repel the Mioks' onslaught for a scoreless first half.

LCA supports Lae sporting teams

Member for Lae and chairman of LCA, John Rosso, said they have been supporting the franchise with K50,000 per annum.

“We will also be the major sponsors of the Lae City Football Club and the Lae City Dwellers. We have sponsored them K50,000 before and we will also continue the sponsorship.

“These are Lae teams so we will continue the sponsorship.

“We cannot support every single team in Lae but we will support representative sides and, where necessary, different codes. We don’t have the money to support individual teams.”

Sharks partner up with leading PNG Brand

As stated by Sharks CEO Dino Mezzatesta, this association with Lae Biscuits is a ground breaking partnership and is set to be of great benefit to both organisations.

“The Lae Biscuit Company have been long time supporters of rugby league in PNG and we thank Ian Chow and Lae Biscuits for considering the Sharks as a viable partner as they look to spread their wings into the Australian market,” Mezzatesta began.

Top of the table clash

Both teams have earned their stripes on merit to get to where they are but this is the defining moment that will decide who becomes the outright competition leaders, will it be Mioks or Tigers?

What's even more exciting about Sunday’s blockbuster is it has got a bit of grand final feel to it, as both teams have put in a lot of preparations and hard work to make it count come game day. 

From the coaching perspective, Tigers rookie coach and former PNG Hunters goal kicking guru Noel Zeming is no slouch filling in the big shoes this year and has done remarkably well so far. 

Tigers tear down Hagen Eagles

In round 3 of the 2023 Digicel ExxonMobil Cup in Lae, Tigers cemented their reputation, scoring their first try two minutes into the match through second rower, Nicky Aure.

A missed conversion left the points at 4-0 until a penalty kick by the Eagles two minutes later closed the gap by two points.

Sensing a weakness in the away team, the Lae outfit pummelled their defense until their efforts paid off with five-eighth, Mark Tony, breaking through six minutes into the match.

Halfback Simon Arana successfully converted the try for a scoreline of 10-2.

Gurias Hand Tigers First Loss

The halftime the score was 10-8 in favour of Gurias. There was a big turnout at the graveyard, the Kalabond field today was just the motivation the Gurias needed and eventually paid off, handing Lae Snax Tigers their first loss of the season.  
 
With only 8 minutes into the game and former Guria, Emil Benjamin scored the opening try unconverted to give Tigers an early lead 4-0. Gurias replied with an unconverted try of their own through a Saki Peter to level the score at 4 all.