PNG Mosquitoes Win Team of the Year Award at SP Sports Awards

Papua New Guinea’s Australian Football League (AFL) national team, the Mosquitoes, claimed the Carbine Clube Team of the Year Award at the 33rd SP Sports Awards on Saturday night, June 14th, 2025, at Crowne Hotel in Port Moresby. 

Following their impressive outing last year at the AFL Pacific Cup where they snatched the inaugural title, the PNG Mosquitoes were nominated for the annual prestigious SP Sports Awards this year, ultimately being crowned as the Team of the Year. 

Speaking retrospectively, the Mosquitoes bagged their first Team of the Year Award in 2015 and a decade later, they scooped their second award and anticipate winning more awards in the future.

PNG Mosquitoes coach Douglas Lai was overwhelmed with the result, stating: “I’m elated for this win. And to win this award the second time, it’s just an awesome feeling. I’m over the moon.”

Despite not having proper facilities to train the players over the years, the ‘Mozzies’ do not make excuses but continue to produce positive results for the country by winning international titles and making their presence known globally. 

“The greatest challenge we have faced all these years is not having a better facility for PNG AFL. I just hope the PNG Government wakes up and supports the code that continues to deliver the best results at every international level it has contested in,” Lai expressed. 

While the PNG Mosquitoes look forward to making their mark in the upcoming international events, coach Lai has challenged the PNG AFL Commission to pull their socks up and organize national events to keep the code interesting at the national level.