Goldthorpe to taste PNG's league fervour

By Steve Zemek in Sunshine Coast Daily

Former NRL player and Noosa captain coach Noel Goldthorpe. Nicholas Falconer

NOT many things fazed former St George Dragon Noel Goldthorpe during his playing career.
But even he expects stepping on to the field in front of 10,000 rabid rugby league fans in Papua New Guinea this weekend will be an eye-opener.
Noosa-based Goldthorpe will pull on a pair of boots once again when he turns out for the Australian Legends team to take on the PNG Legends at Port Moresby's Lloyd Robson Oval.
The 13-man code is the national sport in the Pacific nation and its people treat the game with a religious fervour.
There are stories of Australian sides being mobbed upon touching down in the country. During this year's match between the PNG national team and the Australian Prime Minister's XIII, fans queued for hours outside Lloyd Robson Oval before an estimated 15,000 people packed into the 2000-seat stadium.
Outside, gunfire was heard as police attempted to turn away the thousands of disappointed locals.
It will be Goldthorpe's first visit to the country and the former Noosa Pirates captain-coach says he does not know what to expect
"They love rugby league. I was speaking to Brad Tassell, who is organising it, and he was telling me that the last time they had the game, Les Davidson was speaking to one of the locals and he knew more about Les than Les knew about himself," said Goldthorpe, who played 182 NRL games and made three appearances for NSW.
"We're unsure what to expect. I'm sure it's going to be an eye-opener."
Goldthorpe, will be joined by Caloundra-based former Storm five-eighth Scott Hill in the Legends team.
They will play alongside some of the modern greats of the game including Petero Civoniceva, Paul Sironen and Cliff Lyons.
Australian Legends Team
Robbie O'Davis, Darren Albert, Scott Hill, Matt Geyer, John Hopoate, Julian O'Neill, Noel Goldthorpe, Martin Lang, Jamie Goddard, Petero Civoniceva, Paul Sironen, Bryan Niebling, Scott Sattler, Justin Loomans, Cliff Lyons, Sid Domic, Stuart Kelly, Leo Dynover, Sean Hoppe, Jamie Feeney. Coach: Max Krilich.