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Welcome to World Footy News Friday, April 19 2024 @ 09:33 pm ACST

PNG footballers return from AFL Under-16 national Championships

Oceania

AFL media press release :
Eleven Papua New Guinean teenagers who played in the South Pacific AFL team have returned home this week.
















Harry Kambuou, #12
















Ori Nilmo, Scott Johnson, Daniel Giteau, Luke Savere, Hosea Wartova, Tamata’ane Rai, Michael Macca, Harry Kambuou, Jeconiah Peni, Ben Tirang and Peter Lavong (all aged either 17 or 18) were members of a 30-player South Pacific team that represented the best Under 18 talent from AFL academy programs and competitions that are conducted throughout the Oceania region.

The squad was coached by Australian David Lake, who coached the South Pacific side in both 2010 and 2011.

The players travelled to Sydney, Australia, to compete in the 2012 NAB AFL Under-16 Championships from July 7 to 14. The championships included eight state teams and a World XVIII team.

Other nations represented in the South Pacific are; Vanuatu, Nauru, Solomon Islands, New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga.

The South Pacific team won two out their three matches against the Flying Boomerangs’ (an Indigenous youth team) and the World XVIII.

This was the third South Pacific team to compete in the NAB AFL Under-16 Championships.















Ori Nilmo, #3



















For the record, South Pacific had the following results :
Round 1

Lost to6.1.(37)12.7.(79)17.12.(114)20.16.(136)
WA NW1.1.(7)3.3.(21)5.5.(35)7.7.(49)
Round 2
Defeated2.2.(14)7.6.(48)10.9.(69)16.14.(110)
Fly Bmrgs3.0.(18)6.2.(38)10.3.(63)11.3.(69)
Round 3
Defeated2.3.(15)7.4.(46)11.5.(71)14.7.(91)
World XVIII2.0.(12)3.1.(19)4.5.(29)6.9.(45)

South Pacific top goal scorers for the tournament were :
Toutai Havea (Tonga) 8; Luke Savere (PNG) 6; Shem Tatupu (NZ) 5; Scott Johnson (PNG) 4; Jonah Eoe (Nauru) 3.
Regular in the best players were :
Kade Riddell, Shem Tatupu, Brock Messinger (NZ), Scott Johnson and Michael Macca (PNG)
The South Pacific MVP was awarded to Shem Tatupu, son of former Warriors Rugby League player, Tony Tatupu. Shem is a Hawthorn international scholarship player, who stands about 195 cm and weights in around 105 kg.
It should be noted that the Div 3 best and fairest (the Mark Browning Medal) was awarded to Hugh Curnow from the World XVIII team.



















Temata'ane Rai, #9; Daniel Giteau, #5; Michael Macca, #10