AFLPNG gets equipment’s

Australian High Commission Counselor, Tim Bryson (Center) surrounded by staff and students of Boroko Primary school holding on to some of the AFL footballs.

By FIDELIS SUKINA

A container load of sporting equipment which includes footballs Jerseys, and training equipment donated by Australian Rules football teams will be issued to 11 centers around the country.

The equipment was shipped across to PNG from Brisbane Australia by the Australian High Commission through funding through a direct Aid Program grant.

Aussie Rules as it is well known is a sport that Australians have invented and love as the name suggests and has become a sport that Papua New Guineans also love and the generosity from the Australian High Commission in PNG was much appriciated 

Australian High Commission Counselor, Tim Bryson, was present at a ceremony at the Boroko Salvation Army School to donate the equipment to AFLPNG.

Ekonia Peni Director AFL Junior and Community Development in PNG Ekonia Peni were there on behalf of AFLPNG to receive some of the equipment on Thursday at the school.

Bryson said the equipment will benefit more than 40,000 participants in the country and added that PNG and Australia had a great connection through sports.

Australian High Commission Counselor, Tim Bryson handing
 over some footballs to Ekonia Peni Director AFL Junior and
Community Development in PNG 

“The Australian High Commission is honored to help AFLPNG and its youth development program which has 45,000 participants throughout PNG, we hope the equipment from Australia will help extend the program and encourage participation.

“PNG is a country and AFL is a unique game PNG is the only place that loves and plays the sports Australians love, we share a common bond through sports we don’t only love sports but we love the same sports Netball, AFL, Rugby Union, Rugby Leauge and Soccer,” Bryson said.

Peni said the equipment would be shipped out to other provinces as well and encouraged the students to embrace sport as a way to live a healthy life.

“Playing sport is a way to keep healthy I played AFL till the age of 42 and that has helped me face up to challenges in life and students and AFL lovers should be thankful for to the Australians for helping the young people that play AFL, these equipment will be shipped out to Lae and from there up to the Highlands, we will also give some to Kimbe, Rbaul, Kavieng and The Autonomous Region of Bougainville,”. Peni said