- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
Yesterday, The Age published an article acknowledging Papua New Guinea’s win in an International Cup (IC) semi-final against the USA, focusing on the incredible journey of David Meli and the tragic circumstances of the sudden death of his father and Papua New Guinea team manager Peter Meli, on the eve of the IC.
In recognition of what Papua New Guinea will try to achieve at the MCG this Saturday in becoming the first team to win the IC a second time, I would like to focus some attention on the role Meli had played over the past 25 years in bringing Australian football back to some prominence in Papua New Guinea, a role which deserves some form of acknowledgment from the AFL, especially at this difficult time for the Meli family.
As Emma Quayle states so eloquently, Australian football had a huge following and participation base right up to 1975, when Papua New Guinea gained independence from Australia, at which time, the public servants and teachers all moved back home.
For the next 25 years, the game was left to its own devices, whereupon it experienced a gradual decline with no fresh input from the governing body in Australia right through the 1980s.
Meli was introduced to the game as a child, and into his adult years, worked assiduously to keep the flame burning.
As a 32-year old, he helped Papua New Guinea achieve a respectable runners-up to Ireland in the inaugural IC in 2002.
Since that time he had nurtured his son, David, to such a standard that he is currently signed by Essendon as an international scholarship holder.
An incredible aspect of Meli’s work was the capacity to bring, often antagonistic groups from different parts of the country together to play footy and form a national team.
In what will be a tough contest on Saturday at the MCG against Ireland, both seeking to win a second IC, David Meli will be seeking to continue the good work of his late father.
I would hope that the AFL would be able to recognise the efforts of the Meli family in re-establishing Australian football in Papua New Guinea, in particular, by giving generously to the AFLPNG’s trust fund in aid of the whole family.
All the best to David and the Mosquitoes this Saturday.
Who’s in your ultimate team? Pick the best team and compete with other fans for daily prizes on Draftstars. For the best odds on the game try out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Think. Is this a bet you really want to place? Set a deposit limit.