By GABRIEL KATUHO
Mendi Muruks and the Morobe Kandes will battle in the Grand Final Qualifiers on Sunday at the Santos National Football Stadium to earn their spot in the 2026 Digicel ExxonMobil Cup competition grand final.
The two teams have performed exceptionally well in this year’s competition and finished first and second respectively after round 18.
Muruks under the leadership of Coach Rodrick Puname have claimed the minor premiership after defeating Hela wigman 36 to 26 during round 18-the last round of the Digicel ExxonMobil Cup competition season 2026.
After claiming the minor premiership and finishing off Digicel ExxonMibil Cup competition season as the competition leaders, Muruks would meet the Madang based team, Kandes Rugby football Club.
Kandes finished off the season by claiming the second place after a huge 42 to 16 victory over Waghi Tumbe at the Ron Albert Oval in Madang earlier this month.
Muruks played 18 games, gained 26 points from 13 wins and five loses with no draw while Kandes collected 26 points from 11 wins, six loses and four draws to claim the second place.
Now the two teams will be battling for the grand final spot in tomrrow’s Grand Final Qualifiers match at the Santos National Football Stadium at 3:00 pm.
PRK Mendi Muruks who lost to Lae Snax Tigers with 36 points to 16 during last year’s grand final are setting their eyes on grand final with one purpose, determination, courage and experience from the last season, making them a better side to watch out for.
For the Kandes, the narrative is different. They never tasted finals. They were the newly introduced franchise in the Digicel ExxonMobil Cup competition season 2026. Spearheaded by former PNG Kumuls and Hunters Coach Stanley Tepend, Kandes became one of the top performing team despite its inaugural season.
Kandes inclusion in the competition brought competition to the whole another level, forcing franchises like Lae Snax Tigers who won the 2025 Digicel ExxonMobil cup to move out of top six.
The winner of the two teams qualifies for the Grand-Finals while the looser goes to challenge the winner of Mt. Hagen Eagles and Rabaul Gurias in the preliminary finals.