The Talania brothers are aiming to win the 2024 MoniPlus Port Moresby Australian Football League (POMAFL) competition for their club, the Gerehu Magpies. The Magpies will meet the Gereka Bombers in the Senior Men’s Grand Final on Saturday, August 17th.
The PNG AFL sensations, Balthasar and Bartholomew Talania, expressed confidence after their team (Gerehu Magpies) defeated a strong side, the West Eagles with a 46-42 win in the preliminary final on Saturday, August 10th, 2024, at the Colts Oval in Moresby.
“We, Gerehu Magpies, have come a long way. So the hard work and tireless effort of the boys put into training day-in and day-out have reaped the success of winning the semifinals. We are happy that we all, as a team, contributed to the team’s victory,” said Balthasar, the big brother.
“It's difficult to express the feeling I have today. I am confident that the grand final next week will be a very nice and competitive game. Our brothers from the Gereka Bombers are very tough contenders, as well as our boys at Gerehu Magpies, who are strong. We are looking forward to this entertaining grand final match.”
The former Biantangs said they were focusing on winning the coveted title and making their parents, management, coaching staff, the team, and the fans happy. It takes a team effort to win a battle and for the brothers, their brotherly bond and communication on and off the pitch will be their pillar to conquer.
“When we are on the field, we will communicate well with the team players and showcase our best performance to achieve the grand final victory,” stated the younger brother, Bartholomew.
Balthasar also shared similar sentiments: “As brothers, communication is the most important thing. We have been playing together since 2013 and we have that strong bond in how we play and communicate on and off the field.”
The sons of club founders, Mr. Bruce Sovara Talania and his wife Mrs. Rachel Talania, are keen to win the biggest game of the season when their team face off the Gereka Bombers on Saturday.
“Whether we win or lose, it doesn't matter but we have managed to stand strong and come this far, and we will maintain that attitude as we aim for the grand final,” stated Bartholomew.
“We look forward to hopefully winning the grand final and bringing the cup home to mummy and daddy.”
He also thanked the club’s head coach and his wife who invested their time and support for the team in their quest and wanted to make them happy.
The brothers acknowledge that they do make errors in their fight against the Eagles and will polish up their performance in the decider.
“We will work on improving our mistakes and train hard to come back better,” said Bartholomew.
Bartholomew said they trained at the Garehu Field for their maiden games and noted that they had faced many challenges at the beginning of the season. He said despite these downfalls, they stood strong and managed to overcome those challenges.
The Talanias also touched a little bit on their background in AFL, stating that their dad Bruce Talania, who was a former PNG Moskito, had taught them the skills of the games in the early stages of their careers.
“I started my career in 2013 and have played since. It was a long journey. Thanks to my dad, through him, I learned many skills of the game,” said Bartholomew.
“As mentioned, our dad is a PNG representative player and has taught us the skills of the game. Now my brother and I play together for the Magpies, which is a good thing for our family and the club,” added Balthasar.
The Talania brothers and the Gerehu Magpies are looking forward to their battle against the Gereka Bombers in the 2024 Senior Men’s POMAFL Grand Final on Saturday, August 17th.
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