The Magpies have return to the Colts Oval with fresh new faces after two years outside of the premier Port Moresby Australian Football League (AFL) competition and just last weekend saw the football club from Gerehu had their first match of 2022 Moni Plus AFL season during the opener.
According to the club’s Founder Mr. Bruce Sovara, the team had to cancel its participation in the competition when the COVID-19 pandemic broke out in 2020.
There were a lot of disturbances brought about by the measures and restrictions put in place during that period of time that saw the club unable to get back into the competition.
Nevertheless, after a long break from the competition the club is back with new players replacing the older ones that have stepped out of the sport or moved on to other clubs. “We had to start all over again.
Most of the players are new and come from all over Gerehu from stage one to stage seven who have come forward after we put out a notice to any interested boys who want to play with the club,” said Mr. Sovara.
Mr. Sovara himself is a legend in the game and he aims to shape up the boys to be a formidable team in the city competition.
He is a Papua New Guinea (PNG) representative himself having played with the Mosquitoes men’s national team for the 2002, 2008 and 2011 International Cups and has a lot of experience and skills that he can pass on to the young guns.
Meanwhile, the club for the time being has put in a team for the men’s A- reserve grade and the focus now is to put together a women’s team as well.
A notice for interested girls to be part of the club has already gone out and the club is expecting some good response.