Sadly the Papua New Guinea team has been struck by tragedy on the eve of their International Cup defence.
Scott Reid, the Chairman of AFL PNG Ltd has informed us that Peter Meli, the Team Manager and a member of the 2002 International Cup side and father of current player David Meli, was killed in Port Moresby after a send off function for the Mosquitoes squad on Saturday night.
The incident occurred where he and several PNG players and staff were held up and Peter was stabbed and died in hospital later that night.
Walter Yangomina, the National Manager Development was with Peter at the hospital. Peter was dropping off PNG players after a send off BBQ for IC2011.
His son David Meli is a scholarship list player with Essendon and was expected to star for PNG at the upcoming Cup.
It's a shocking thing for the PNG footy community. It's early days but the thought is to award the Peter Meli medal to the best PNG Mosquito of the Cup, and that the medal will commemorate Peter by being awarded at every International Cup in future.
I'm sure the entire international footy community join with us in passing on their sincere condolences to the PNG camp and especially the Meli family.
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