Gurias end 14-year wait, down Muruks 26-14 to claim 2026 PNG Digicel ExxonMobil Cup title

 Gurias end 14-year wait, down Muruks 26-14 to claim 2026 PNG Digicel ExxonMobil Cup title

The East New Britain Agmark Rabaul Gurias are the 2026 Digicel ExxonMobil Cup premiers after holding off a determined PRK Mendi Muruks outfit 26-14 in Sunday's grand final at the Santos National Football Stadium in Port Moresby. The result delivers the Gurias their first title since 2015 and settles a rivalry that had been simmering since the two foundation clubs last met in a decider back in 2012, when the Kokopo-based side also came out on top.

 

The Muruks led at the break, 14-10, after a first half in which the Southern Highlands side looked the sharper of the two teams and threatened to add a maiden Digicel Cup crown to their name. Coach Roderick Puname's side had gone into the match carrying the disappointment of last year's grand final loss to the Lae Snax Tigers, and that unfinished business appeared to be driving them in the opening 40 minutes.

However, the Gurias regrouped after the break and outscored the Muruks 16-0 in the second half to close out the contest and lift the trophy. It capped a finals campaign built on resilience, with head coach Wartovo Puara Jnr's side having survived an elimination final against Kroton Hela Wigmen before grinding out a tense 20-18 preliminary-final win over newcomers Kandes Rugby League Club to book their spot in the decider.

The Gurias' title defence leaned heavily on the experience brought back into the squad this season by returning trio Mark Alunga, Terry Wapi and Emmanuel Alfred, all of whom rejoined from the Lae Snax Tigers. Captain Wapi's composure under pressure had already been a feature of the Gurias' finals series, and it again proved decisive as the side weathered the Muruks' early push before taking control after halftime.

For the Muruks, the loss extends a premiership drought that stretches back to their 2012 grand final defeat to the very same Gurias outfit. Puname's men had finished the regular season as minor premiers and looked set to go one better than last year's runner-up finish, but were unable to replicate their first-half form after the break.

The victory hands the Gurias their seventh premiership in franchise history and reaffirms their status as one of the powerhouse clubs of Papua New Guinea rugby league, adding a fresh chapter to a rivalry with the Muruks that now dates back three decades, including previous grand-final meetings in 1996, 2007 and 2012.