Hela Wigmen to boycott 2014 Digicel Cup grand final

The HGDC Kemele Hela Wigmen will be boycotting the 2014 Digicel Cup grand final after the venue for the grand final have been shifted from Lae to Kokopo. The 2014 calendar of PNGNRL has initially stated that the grand final was supposed to be played in Lae after the premier rugby league venue for inter-city cup grand final, the PRL was demolished for reconstruction. We were notified early this week that the venue has now been changed to Kokopo.

All those reasons enumerated by PNGNRL for a venue change relate to operational and/or management issues which falls within their responsibility as the responsible body for the code. Wigmen is not trying to change the venue. We have every right to play on a neutral venue as being Lae. It is nothing more nothing less but what has been agreed and approved by the PNGNRL. It is arbitrary to change the venue now at the expense of Wigmen and its many followers.

Grand final are always played in neutral venue. Wigmen not going to give in to what I see as elements of favoritism and biasness. This is unhealthy for the growth, development and popularity of the code of rugby league in this county. Wigmen is prepared to face the consequences of this decision in the name of fairness and transparency. Why are we going to Kokopo to play a Kokopo based team in a grand final of a semi-professional competition in this country? We have spent so much resource and we cannot end this competition in an anti-climax. We want to play in a neutral venue. We what PNG to see who the real champions of 2014 is. We cannot be dragged around like a rag doll. Hela Wigmen is not a Lae based team. We are based 700km away from Lae. There are a lot of Gurias supporters in Lae and the highlands region who will be travelling up. We are calling for fairness and transparency.

If PNGNRL cannot handle security, Wigmen will do it if that is what PNGNRL are concerned about. Lae has recently hosted the major semi-final with Lae Snack Tigers with no incidents whatsoever. Lae has hosted international fixtures. Lae is the second biggest city in PNG and a very diverse city. What is wrong with us playing in Lae? We do not what to be marginalized. We can manage with the help of all stakeholders of the game. This is the biggest spectacular event of our sporting calendar of the year. We want our supporters to come in to watch at a neutral venue and we will ensure that it is safe and trouble free. The Wigmen board including its sponsors have unilaterally agreed that we will not be playing our grand final in Kokopo hence we urge the PNGNRL to reconsider and rescind its decisions for the sake of fairness and in the best interest of rugby league in PNG.