Evergreen Goro eyes 2021 World Cup

By JACK AMI
PAPUA New Guinea Orchids prop Brenda Goro had to make the transition from playing in the centres to the front-row and she had to do it in a short space of time.
But the 30-year-old had enough grit and confidence in her ability and was one of her side’s best at the Rugby League Women’s World Cup in Sydney earlier last month.
“For me this is something I will treasure as I have gained a lot of experience as the oldest player in the team,” Goro said.
“People might say that I’ll be too old for the next World Cup (2021) but that all depends if I’m still playing or not.
“I feel good right now and I have nothing to lose.”
Goro may be a late bloomer but the Chimbu native has experience as an elite athlete in powerlifting, weightlifting and club and provincial played basketball.
Playing rugby league was just another opportunity to challenge herself and to see if she had the ability to be a representative player.
Goro said playing in the backs was a great way to transition into the sport but after making the national squad she was given a new challenge — switching to play in the physically demanding role of prop.
“They decided to move me to prop because I have the size and height and I play that style and also to get some of the faster girls to play in the centres,” the unselfish Goro said.
“This meant that I had to work overtime and adjust into the position with the extra load upfront in the hit-ups.
“It had taken me time to adjust and familiarise myself in the position but in training I picked things up quickly.
“In the forwards, there’s a lot of work to be done, more than the backs.
“You have to make the metres and then defend the middle of the field every set.”
Goro said the Orchids only disadvantage was that they were practically first timers at international level and the side had only played together in two warm-up matches heading in.
She admitted that despite playing their hearts out they had lost to the better sides.
“We started off well in the opening minutes of those games but lost our footing as they progressed.
“For me and all the girls it was a lifetime experience at our first tournament.
“There’s a lot that we have to work on in future for international matches at home and overseas.
“This is just a beginning for us, the more international games we have the better and smarter we get,” Goro said of the team’s performance.
“The next World Cup is in 2021 and my challenge to the current Orchids players and others coming through is that the door is open.
“Anyone who is good enough and proves themselves has the right to represent PNG.”