Muruks top DEM Cup ladder after round 6

Muruks players celebrating a try scored by winger Sylvester Bulu (Image: PNGNRLC)

The race for the 2026 Digicel ExxonMobil Cup premiership has turned into a critical drag challenge.

A dramatic Round 6 weekend of high-scoring shootouts, defensive masterclasses, and narrow escapes has left the PRK Mendi Muruks and Moni Plus NCDC Pom Vipers clear at the top of the competition ladder.

Following a grueling round of rugby league action across the country, both heavyweights sit neck-and-neck on 10 competition points, with the Muruks maintaining the absolute peak of the table courtesy of a superior points differential.

The weekend’s most bruising encounter unfolded at the Santos National Football Stadium in Port Moresby, where the Moni Plus NCDC Pom Vipers dug deep to secure a crucial 12-10 victory over the Kroton Hela Wigmen.

Meanwhile, the Muruks kept their spot at the top of the ladder by defeating the Gas Resource Central Dabaris 26-12 at the Lae League Ground. The victory was fueled by a brilliant hat-trick from Sylvester Bulu, who crossed the stripe in the 21st, 46th, and 64th minutes.

A vocal home crowd at the National Sports Institute in Goroka was treated to an absolute classic, though it ended in heartbreak as the visiting Asila Waghi Tumbe escaped with a narrow 26-24 win over the Bintangor Goroka Lahanis.

The Morobe Kandes hosted Enga Mioks at the Ron Albert Oval in Madang *(Image: PNGNRLC)*

In the highest-scoring clash of the weekend back in Port Moresby, the ENB Agmark Gurias unleashed a dominant attacking showcase to overwhelm PRK Gulf Isou 38-26. Isou fired the opening shot with a 3rd-minute try via Jack Peter, but the first half belonged entirely to Gurias star Ephron Achim. Achim tore the Isou defense apart, crossing for an incredible four tries on the day, including a first-half hat-trick in the 7th, 17th, and 39th minutes.

Rounding out the weekend's action, Kandes Rugby League Club secured an 18-8 victory over the NPL Enga Mioks at Madang's Ron Albert Oval. Kandes relied on early tries from Jayden Nuampo [11th], Henry Marai [14th], Kadum Mais [26th], and Joseph Martin [29th] to outlast the Mioks and retain 3rd place on the ladder.

Down in Lae, the Wamp Nga Mt Hagen Eagles bounced back into the winner's circle by grounding the winless Lae Snax Tigers 24-10. Kicker Isaac Paun proved instrumental for the Western Highlands outfit, crossing for a try in the 32nd minute and landing four vital conversions to offset a double from the Tigers' Johnson Chan.

The action doesn't slow down next week, with a massive slate of Round 7 fixtures scheduled for May 23–24.

Headlining the upcoming blockbusters is a monumental Sunday afternoon clash at the Lae League Ground, where the table-topping PRK Mendi Muruks will host the 4th-placed Kroton Hela Wigmen in a match that could reshape the top four.