Gurias ahead of the game

Normal, Sports
Source:

The National, Friday 12th April, 2013

 MICHAEL Marum may not freely admit it but the Agmark Rabaul Gurias are a team on the rise.

Normaly a low-key individual with a humble but focused demeanor, the Gurias coach may already know what many in the PNG rugby league community are slowly realising that he is the best Digicel Cup  coach – and has been for several seasons now.

Proof of his nous was none more so evident then when the former Kumul forward took his squad on three-match tour of North Queensland earlier in the year.

His side returned to a heros welcome in Kokopo after going unbeaten, with the highlight of the visit a 29-22 defeat of Queensland Intrust Cup side the Northern Pride – the feeder club of NRL’s North Queensland Cowboys.

It is fair to assume that given the standard of football exhibited weekly no other Digicel Cup team could have equalled that winning ratio. 

But that success was only a fraction of what Marum and his management not to mention staunch rugby league backer Agmark have accomplished over the past seasons.

It is fair to say East New Britian and by extension New Guinea Islands rugby league are in a boom period, with the annual pre-season nines competition and the local regular season churning out Digicel Cup-quality players at an impressive rate. Kumul rake Wartovo Puara Jnr is a perfect example of this successful growth.

Credit must go to where it is deserved and the Gurias set up need to be congratulated for their development systems and committment to improving league from the ground up.    

Marum could be at the forefront of the next league dynasty.