Albert gets plays U20 match

 THE pace of the game has proved to be a reality check for Kumul rugby league forward Wellington Albert.

Albert playing for the Penrith Panthers in his first Holden Cup (U20) trial match against the West Tigers said the game is faster than he is used to.

The Panthers lost 44-14 at Kirkham Oval, Camden on Saturday.

Albert who made an instant impact in an in-house trial match and training in his first two weeks, was made to work harder than he is normally accustomed to when he came off the inter-change bench.

The rangy Southern Highlander said he made a couple of line breaks and an offload that led to a try, but was not enough to make an impact on the end result.

“I was strong in defense but the game in general is faster than I expected which took a lot out of me,” he added.

“This is just the challenge I like and has given me the drive to work harder,” he said.

“It’s the first trial game and it has already shown me areas where I must improve on so that it becomes second nature to me,” Albert added.

In regards to the trial win to the PNG Hunters against the Northern Pride, Albert said it is positive news and made the point that they are PNG’s national football team and people should be wary of how they make their respective comments in the media or on social network sites.