30 for cup camp

By HENRY MORABANG

THE Papua New Guinea Rugby Football League and Team Kumuls yesterday announced the second camp will take place in Goroka from April 29-May 2.

Kumuls general manager Matthew Natusch said the Team Kumuls squad for camp two was: Josiah Abavu, Felix Tangue, Albert Patak, Adex Wera, Jason Tali, Tiger Emere, Richard Kambo, Thompson Teteh, Matthew Puke, Elijah Riyong, Dion Aiye, Chris Jerry, Israel Eliab, Ase Boas, Wesley Mohokule, Roy Kela, Charlie Wabo, Wartovo Puara Jnr, Gonzela Urakusie, Enoch Maki, Sebastian Pandia, Esau Siune, Benny Pamunda, Larsen Marabe, Joe Bruno, Mark Mexico and Wellington Albert. 

Natusch said all players would be con­tacted by manager Kera Ngaffin to update them on their travel details and other information. 

The second camp follows a successful Team Kumul’s high performance camp in Lae earlier this month. 

Both Team Kumuls director of rugby league (Mal Meninga) and director of coaching (Adrian Lam) have been impressed with the attitude and willingness to learn and implement new concepts by local player during the first camp. 

They acknowledged Digicel Cup franchises for allowing their players the opportunity to be involved in such an elite programme. 

“It can only benefit further the game of rugby league in Papua New Guinea. We are looking forward to getting the guys together again to see how they’ve gone with the concepts that were introduced to them in Camp One,” Meninga said. 

“It’s about a change of attitude, a change of focus, of really putting in … not just for yourself but for your team and ultimately, your country. 

“It’s about looking at the bigger picture, outside the lines of the football field. 

“Players who don’t meet these guidelines will be excluded from Team Kumul’s World Cup preparations.” 

Lam said: “It was an eye opener for many of the players. After being tested and assessed, they have been sent away with specific goals and targets that they must reach in areas such as personal fitness specific to their role on the football field, their body weight and fat levels, their attitude and their commitment … there was a lot of education on things like diet, hydration, correct weight programmes and recovery for the players. 

“On top of this we were looking at honing the ability they already have and introducing new skills.” 

“With Team Kumul and the high performance programme, we are continuously trying to get our national players to a level they have never been before, raising themselves and the bar to an NRL level like in Australia.”  

Meninga and Lam indicated they wanted to build on the concept of having young schoolboy footballers involved in the camp. 

In Lae, the Team Kumul coaching staff and players ran a coaching clinic for the Northern Zone representative schoolboy players. 

“In Goroka we are hoping to run a similar coaching clinic on the morning of Thursday, May 2, with as many of the local schools and schoolboys as possible.” 

High performance coach Neil Dunkley wants to reinforce that the players will be re-tested on specific criteria to monitor their training and progress. 

“Part of this process is to give players targets that will improve them as athletes. This will mean that throughout the course of the year different players will be rotated in and out of the squad as we build up our base before we head into our end of year matches and then World Cup selection.” 

The second camp follows a successful Team Kumuls high performance camp in Lae earlier this month. 

Both Team Kumuls director of rugby league (Mal Meninga) and director of coaching (Adrian Lam) have been impressed with the attitude and willingness to learn and implement new concepts by local player during the first camp. 

They acknowledged Digicel Cup franchises for allowing their players to be involved in such an elite programme. 

“It can only benefit further the game of rugby league in Papua New Guinea. We are loo­king forward to getting the guys together again to see how they’ve gone with the concepts that were introduced to them in Camp One,” Meninga said. 

“It’s about a change of attitude, a change of focus, of really putting in … not just for yourself but for your team and ultimately, your country. 

“It’s about looking at the bigger picture, outside the lines of the football field. 

“Players who don’t meet these guidelines will be excluded from Team Kumul’s World Cup preparations.” 

Lam said: “It was an eye op­ener for many of the players. After being tested and assessed, they have been sent away with specific goals and targets that they must reach in areas such as personal fitness specific to their role on the football field, their body weight and fat levels, their attitude and their commitment … there was a lot of education on things like diet, hydration, correct weight programmes and recovery for the players. 

“We were looking at honing the ability they already have and introducing new skills.” 

“With Team Kumul and the high performance programme, we are continuously trying to get our national players to a level they have never been before, raising themselves and the bar to an NRL level like in Australia.”  

Meninga and Lam indicated they wanted to build on the concept of having young schoolboy footballers involved in the camp. 

In Lae, the Team Kumul coaching staff and players ran a coaching clinic for the Northern Zone representative schoolboy players.