Peter given second shot

By ISAAC LIRI
FORMER Hunters and PNG Kumuls second rower Brandy Peter has only this week to prove his fitness.
PNG Hunters coach Michael Marum spoke highly of the 25-year-old earlier this month as an experience forward who had been impressive over the past three seasons for the club, however his fitness level had denied him a Hunters contract this season.
The Southern Highlander failed fitness tests during pre-season which saw him dropped from the squad before a chance with the Souths Logan Magpies also fell through.
Despite that, Marum and the Hunters management have given Peter a four-week fitness programme which he will have to pass by the end of this week to determine whether he signs on with the SP-sponsored side or drop back to the Digicel Cup.
Peter made his Kumuls debut in the test against Tonga in Lae in 2014 and has been one of the Hunters best over the last two seasons.
“Brandy is finding it very difficult to get back to the fitness level he was at before,” Marum said.
“He did tests in the past weeks and he passed it with a low score but also showed signs of improvement.
“If he doesn’t pass it then we will tell him to go back and start with the Digicel Cup.
“With his pace, I am disappointed and I have spoken to him and he understands the importance of fitness.
“In the previous weeks he really pushed himself so hopefully if he keeps doing that, he’ll come back into the side.
“Brandy is one of the players we are looking at because we know he has quality having played for PNG already he has the experience but the first thing we want to do is to get his fitness right,” Marum said.
“Brandy is doing his final tests this week so hopefully he passes it and gets back into the squad and there is a lot of work for him to come back into the side.
“We don’t want to set a bad example here and bring him in without successfully completing the tests because that will just create a lot of issues with the past players too.
“We want to make sure we help him out and make sure he passes his tests and then we can go from there,” Marum said.
With the Kumuls squad for the May 6 test against the Cook Islands set to be named this week, Peter will not be considered given he has not played competitively since the Q-Cup finals last September, however the World Cup remains a possibility provided he can get back into the Hunters.