Tigers Roar to Premiership Glory

The Lae Snax Tigers outclassed the PRK Mendi Muruks with a commanding 36-16 victory in the Digicel-ExxonMobil Cup Grand Final to claim the coveted title on Sunday, 14th September, 2025, at Santos National Football Stadium in Port Moresby.      

In a high-stakes decider, the Tigers stamped their authority in the early proceedings of the contest, registering 4 unanswered tries and keeping the Muruks at bay to take a comfortable 24-6 lead at the interval. 

The eventual champions (Tigers) struggled to maintain their rhythm in the second half, especially in the first 20 minutes, with simple ball-handing errors and ill-discipline, but their line defense was impenetrable. 

On the contrary, the Muruks had a few chances to fight back but shot themselves in the foot, which saw the Tigers find their groove in the last 20 minutes to ice the game, clinching their 5th premiership. 

Tigers’ coach Noel Zeming, who took the reins three years ago, tasted his first premiership as a coach, expressing overwhelming joy and crediting the players for accomplishing their mission for this season. 

“It’s a mixed feeling - I’m really emotional and excited at the same time because we put in a lot of hard work, commitment, and sacrifice to win the grand final. Winning the title after 3 years is special, especially during PNG’s 50th Independence Anniversary,” Zeming said.

Coach Zeming acknowledged the club owner and major sponsor, Ian Chow, for his unwavering support over the years and thanked the fans and families for sticking with the team through thick and thin.

He also dedicated the premiership win to Morobe’s political icon, the late Governor Honorable Luther Wenge, who passed on recently after battling an illness for some time. 

With their robust academy system, the Tigers keep churning out talented players every year and continue to be a force in the semi-professional competition.

The Lae-based franchise won the DEM Cup in 2021, and three years later, they came with all guns blazing and reclaimed the elusive silverware.