Port Moresby Netball Association (POMNA) held off Abau to a 20-10 margin in the 2024 National Netball Championship Premier Division Grand Final on Friday, September 20th, at Rita Flynn Courts in Port Moresby.
These two sides met in last year’s championship decider and Abau broke POMNA’s premiership hopes. Scared by the defeat in 2023, POMNA flexed their muscles from the get-go and stamped their authority throughout the three-day championship to reclaim their title.
Abau fielded a strong side, mostly made up of the POMNA premier players, while the POMNA team also had a few experienced Pepes. It was a very tough and competitive match that had the fans screaming their lungs out and rooting for the two heavyweights.
Led by veteran Pepes shooter Jacky Lahari, upcoming Pepes mid-court Waisame Andrew, and the tournament’s top-scorer and seasoned campaigner, Elina - the POMNA girls went full throttle and took the national championship by storm.
Coach Mona-Lisa Laka said losing last year’s championship to Abau made her girls work extra hard this year, which showed how enthusiastic they were in snatching back the premiership.
“We were so hungry for this one. We are thankful for the 15 girls who brought the title back on our home turf. We are very excited and happy about the result,” coach Laka stressed with a beaming smile.
“We knew who we were up against because obviously, the Abau team is made up of probably ninety percent of POMNA players, who come from the premier clubs.
“We knew it wasn’t going to be easier for us, so we had to make sure that we strategically placed our players and targeted the main playmakers for Abau to ensure that we were ahead from the start in the grand final.
“It was a sweet victory for us because they beat us last year. I was coaching and it didn’t go down well. So, getting the win today means a lot. I’m just over the moon.”
Besides the Port Moresby-based teams, East New Britain, Lae and Milne Bay flew into the nation’s capital to participate in the three-day tourney. POMNA looks forward to defending their premiership trophy next year.
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