Exhibition Match Exposes Raw Talent

The Western Province Rugby League hosted an exhibition match between the Fly River Warriors, Port Moresby Vipers, and Central Dabaris on Saturday, 14 March 2026, at Sir John Guise Stadium.

An initiative of Western Province Governor, Honorable Taboi Awi Yotoi, supported by his administration and the local MPs, aiming to expose the raw, emerging talents in the province.

Western Province featured two teams: Western Reds and Western Yellow that competed against the Dabaris’ junior team and the Vipers’ senior team.

Despite going down to the Dabaris’ development side (30-16) and the Vipers’ senior men’s team (32-10), the Fly River Warriors learned a lot from that experience. 

A local derby match between the Dabaris and Vipers in rainy conditions saw the two sides produce a spirited encounter that showcased flashes of brilliance, ending the grudge game in an evenly-contested 14-14 draw. 

The Warriors, Dabaris, and Vipers came out with intent, trading strong attacking plays and solid defensive sets throughout the contests. The players exchanged brutal hits, showed promising combinations, and sharp executions while entertaining the fans.  

For many players from the Fly River Warriors, it marked their first time competing outside the province, with the exhibition fixture being described as a proud milestone and memorable occasion, especially for the visiting teams.

The trial fixture created opportunities for emerging talents from Western Province to showcase their skills, while providing valuable preparation for the Dabaris and Vipers ahead of their DEM Cup campaign, highlighting key moments and standout efforts.

Fly River Warriors coach Godfrey Luke explained that the result wasn’t their main focus, noting that they aim to see the selected players from Western Province showcase their skills and compete against well-established players in the city.

“They are a bunch of raw talents from the village. I’m a development coach, so I’m more involved in developing emerging players,” he said.

“To get the boys from the village to the city and put on a performance like this is impressive. I believe there is more untapped potential out there in the villages.

“It’s about us creating pathways and mentoring these raw talents, and expecting the players to put into practice what we taught them.”

Governor Taboi Awi Yoto, who made the trip possible for the players, was on the ground rooting for his boys from the kickoff to the final whistle. Despite the outcome, he was impressed with the talent on display. 

The Warriors were also backed by a large and passionate group of supporters who filled the grandstand with loud chants, proudly waving the Western Province flag, bringing color and energy to the matches. 

The organizing committee thanked the Fly River Warriors for taking part in the Exhibition Trial and commended the players for displaying great sportsmanship throughout the fixture. They also acknowledged the Dabaris’ and Vipers’ players for their participation.

Western Province is aspiring to have a team participating in the Digicel-ExxonMobil Cup (DEM Cup) in the near future. This trial serves as a yardstick to prepare the team to compete at an elite level.