Tigers boost

THE Lae Tigers will get the benefit of their PNG Hunters contingent with the players being given the green light to line up for their Digicel Cup side in the Melanesian Cup clash against the Nadi Aviators at Lawaqa Park, Sigatoka, Fiji on Feb 18.
Hunters coach Michael Marum will release David Loko, Junior Rop, Anderson Benford and Noel Joel.
The Inaugural Melanesian Cup was won by the Agmark Gurias, who beat Fiji’s Sabeto Roosters 42-2 last year at the Sir John Guise Stadium, Port Moresby.
2016 champions Lae travel to Sigatoka to face an Aviators team made up of players from four clubs in the Fiji national rugby league competition.
The Tigers coached by Stanley Tepend earned the right to play for the Melo Cup after beating the Gurias 14-8 in the Digicel Cup final last year at the SJGS.
Marum said he was happy to release Rop, Benford, Joel and Loko to help the Tigers as they try to keep the cup in PNG with a win on enemy soil.
“We have given the thumbs up David, Junior, Noel and Anderson after Stanley Tepend and PNGNRL chief executive Stanley Hondina made a request for their release,” Marum said.
Wide-running second-rower Loko, who has some ball-playing ability, and goal-kicking hooker Joel are key man for Tepend and featured prominently for the Lae side in tgheir run to the finals last year.
The four also played in the PNG Prime Minister’s 13 last October and made the final cut of Marum’s squad for 2017.
The Tigers who started training on Jan 3 will travel down to Port Moresby and spend several days with the Hunters set up as they make final preparations with the help of Marum and his staff at the National Football Stadium.
Marum said the Hunters felt obliged to help the Digicel Cup premiers as they would be representing the country as its champions.
The Hunters helped the Gurias before their Melo Cup match in 2015. “We did the same last year, when Gurias played the Sabeto Roosters.”
The four players will miss the Hunters pre-season fixture against the Northern Pride in Cairns on Feb 18.