Get behind us this weekend

Hello all our PNG Rugby League families! Welcome to this week’s 13th edition of Coach’s Corner in your favourite rugby league newspaper — The National.
The PNG LNG Kumuls have assembled in Sydney since Monday night in preparation for the Oceania Cup Pacific Test against Samoa on Saturday night.
We are staying at the Novotel Hotel in Parramatta, Sydney, and the team are settling in well. Lachlan Lam’s withdrawal due to a wrist injury was another setback. This follows the withdrawal of Justin Olam on Sunday night.
Lam’s Sydney Roosters teammate Bernard Lewis has been called into camp as his replacement. Benard has been in our squad pool and on the radar for the past two years.
I have faith in the team despite these setbacks. Moses Meninga and James Segeyaro have been cleared by the QRL judiciary and are cleared to play. They will do the job for PNG when they wear that coveted red, black and gold jumper. Nene Macdonald, Justin Olam and Lachlan will join us in camp tomorrow and spend time with their team mates until game time on Saturday.
James Segeyaro will captain the side. He captained the team at this corresponding game last year against Fiji. He is a good leader. He talks and motivates the players. All the players respect him. I have kept that faith in him to lead us on Saturday night. The final team line up will be confirmed tonight.
Presentation of jumpers will take place on Friday. They know the importance of this game. It is not a one-off Test match like previous years.
We are in Pool B of the Oceania Cup with Samoa and Fiji. The winner advances to Pool A next year to join New Zealand and Tonga.
Our last meeting with Samoa was in November, 2013 during the RL World Cup in England. PNG lost 38-4.
The Oil Search PNG Orchids are under the watchful eyes of Nigel Hukula and are focussed on doing well against Fiji.
We are grateful for the continued partnership with NGCB. This was announced before we left Port Moresby on Monday. NGCB has been with Team Kumul since this new Board was established in 2013 and the SP Hunters since Day one when we entered the Qld ISC competition in 2014.
It was a great comeback by SP Hunters in the win over Tweed Heads Seagulls on Sunday.
We are in the second round of matches and still have a lot of work to do from the lessons learnt in the first round. Terry Wapi was again outstanding.
He was the obvious Pacific Palms Man of the Match. His selection into the PNG LNG Kumuls squad was a surprise to himself only when PNGRFL chairman Sandis Tsaka informed the Hunters players after the Media Conference on Sunday.
Patrick Morea was awarded the CPL player of the match. He was everywhere when he came off the bench.
The Melanesian Trust Services Ltd (MTSL) Best back award went to Nicky Hasu while the MTSL Best Forward was given to Kevin Appo.
A big thanks to Pacific Palms Properties, City Pharmacy Ltd and MTSL for your partnership. These incentives inspire the team to do well.
Apart from the players on Kumuls duties, the rest are having a break. Spend quality time with your families. We re-assemble next Monday to prepare for the Round 15 Channel 9 game against Northern Pride in Cairns.
It is sad to see that the actions of one man has costed the Enga Mioks from hosting their home games in Wabag for the remainder of the season.
Violence against anyone is condemned and should be discouraged by all of us involved in rugby league — players and officials.
I have been saying all the time that whether you are a spectator, player or official and are thinking of disrupting or causing violence at a game because your team loses or don’t like a refs decision or whatever the reason, stay home.
Don’t spoil it for our mothers, sisters, children and families who are out there to enjoy a game of rugby league.
The Coca–Cola National Schools Regional Championships for Northern Confederate kick off in Lae tomorrow. Northern Confederate covers East and West Sepik, Madang, Ramu and Kainantu and have produced many top players.
Plenty more talent will be on display over the next two days at the Lae Rugby League grounds.
On behalf of all players and officials in PNG and overseas, I extend our sincere condolences to wife Dorothy and children and their families on the death of her beloved husband and their loving father and bubu Alois Tobata last weekend. He was a great administrator and we thank him for his contributions to our game in East New Britain, the New Guinea Islands Region and PNG. Rest in Peace – Alois Tobata.
Finally, keep those views and comments coming to Hunters Forum on email: [email protected]; We value them.
Until next week , play safe, play hard and play by the rules in your chosen sport. And be a good supporter of your team.
Cheers from a very cold Sydney.

Mikz