Former PNG Kumul Goive passes away

**Lawrence Goive (left) and Eric Aba at the Sir Danny Leahy Oval in Goroka**
**after the Papua New Guinea** **Kumuls’ Test match against** **France. – facebookpics**

By PARKER TAMBUA
GOROKA Lahanis great Nigel Hukula paid tribute to fellow Papua New Guinea Kumuls legend Lawrence Goive who passed away last week after a short illness.
The former SP Hunters assistant coach told The National on Tuesday that the Kefamo villager, from Goroka, Eastern Highlands, was one of his role models when they were at the Lahanis from 1999-2004.
Hukula described the Kumul No.205 as a workaholic forward who always left everything on the pitch.
“Goive started playing a few years ahead of me at the Lahanis,” he said.
“I joined them in 1999.
“He was my senior and I looked up to players like him and Tarzen Malaguna.
“Goive was a leader at the Lahanis, and a workaholic on and off the field.
“He took the time to teach me the Lahanis culture and I learned a lot from him in the early stages of my rugby league career.
“I remember him and Malaguna playing for the Kumuls in a Test match against France in Goroka in 2001.
“I made it to the Kumuls a few years later.
“But Goive has been a great character all his life, so it’s a shock to hear of his passing.”
Goive’s Kumuls debut was special as he got to play in front of his family, tribesman and home fans at the Sir Danny Leahy Oval in Goroka, where they beat France 34-24.
Fellow Kefamo villagers in Malaguna (Kumul No.201) and Eric Aba (Kumul No.204) were also part of the side.

Lae Bomber Lawrence Goive (left) attempting to tackle Masta Mak Ranger Johnson Kuike during a Bemobile Cup match (now the Digicel Cup) at the Lloyd Robson Oval (now the Oil Search National Football Stadium) in Port Moresby. Goive had a short stint with the Bombers before he retired in 2011. – Nationalfilepic

Goroka players Nime Kapo and the late David Buko were also in the team.
Hukula said he and fellow Lahanis and Kumuls legend Glen Nami would organise all contributions from club great
Port Moresby Vipers forward Thompson Teteh, who made his Digicel Cup debut with the Lahanis, also took to social media to pass his condolences.
Teteh said Goive was one of his role models when he was growing up in the Eastern Highlands capital.