The Gerehu Magpies showcased their strength against a strong team, the Gereka Bombers, in the Grand Final on Saturday, August 17, 2024, at Colts Oval in Port Moresby. The challenge ended in a draw and both teams were awarded winners.
The Magpies fought valiantly for the coveted title of the POMAFL Cup. They were consistent and dominated the first three quarters of the match and appeared to have secured the win.
However, the final quarter proved to be highly competitive, with the fast-finishing Bombers making a strong comeback and scoring 6 goals to tie the game at 70-70.
Club founder, Rachel Talania, commented on the team's performance, saying that she was proud of their effort.
"They did exceptionally well. The Magpies led in the first quarter with 14-9 points, the second quarter with 36-31, and the third quarter with 57-32,” she said.
"In the last quarter, the Bombers came back strong, scoring 6 goals to even up the scores with our boys.”
Mr. Talania, the 'Mother of Magpies’ considered her boys as champions, despite drawing against the Bombers.
“They are young, talented, and can compete against strong teams. We have proven to the Bombers that we are a force to be reckoned with,” Mrs. Talania said.
"All the boys are young and they performed admirably. We will return even stronger next year."
She acknowledged that their performance throughout the season was exceptional and emphasised that despite the tie, her boys are always champions because of their hard work and dedication.
Mrs. Talania accepted the result and viewed it as a motivation to come back bigger and stronger next season.
The Gerehu-boys had an outstanding season and made it all the way to the grand final. A young team with many young players showed courage and determination, defeating other top teams in the season.
The unexpected draw was a second tie in the competition's history, with the first being between the Koboni and West Eagles in 1999.
The fiercely competitive Aussie Rules display concluded with both the Magpies and Bombers being declared dual-champions.
The total prize money of K2000 was split evenly, and the cup was awarded to both clubs to share for six months each.
Meanwhile, the A-Reserve Grand Final saw the University Tigers defeat the Lamana Dockers with a 39-38 scoreline to claim the premiership.
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