Origin heroes help PNG RL
Ex-Origin greats help Cowboys
FORMER Origin Greats (FOGs) have rescued Chemica Cowboys from withdrawing from the SP Cup competition by offering A$50,000 (K113, 843.35) to provide them with a secure ground to host their home games.
FOGs are headed by former State of Origin greats Mal Meninga, Wally Lewis, Gavin Allan, Allan Langer, Chris Close, Gary Belcher, Trevor Gillmeister, Gene Miles and Greg Oliphant.
The chairman of the PNG Rugby Football League Sir Bob Sinclair said Meninga and Miles will be in the country for 2-3 days to help erect the fence and to host a fundraising dinner at the Kimininga Lodge to go towards the development of the new field.
The funds raised will go towards erecting a steel cladding fence at the Mt Hagen showground where the home games will be hosted in the coming semi-professional competition.
The funds were secured after Sir Bob personally negotiated the need with FOGs.
He said Western Highlands Governor Paias Wingti on Wednesday made a commitment to give K50,000 for the fence.
Sir Bob said he was grateful of the assistance provided by both the FOGs and Governor Wingti adding that a secure oval will not only be used for rugby league but other sporting events as well.
?I am very delighted to see that the Cowboys are back in and I really appreciate the support by FOGs and Wingti,? he said.
?I told them (FOGs) that I didn?t want to see Chemica Cowboys out of the SP Cup like the Rabbitohs in the NRL games and that Mt Hagen is in dire need of funds for a secured oval,? he told The National yesterday.
Chemica Cowboys indicated early this month in a meeting with PNG Rugby Football League chairman Sir Bob Sinclair and chief executive officer Jeff Wade that they will withdraw from the SP Cup competition if they do not play their home games in Mt Hagen.
