Hunters back in the grind

Sports

By PETER PUSAL
SP PNG Hunters coach Michael Marum is confident his side can defend the Q-Cup rugby league premiership title this year.
Despite losing several experienced props in the off-season and dropping two senior backs to the Digicel Cup, Marum remained positive about his side’s chances of going back to back in 2018. Backs Israel Eliab and Bland Abavu have been left out by Marum with the 44-year-old mentor saying the pair had missed the first half of training last month.
“Israel and Bland missed training last month and they have been left out of the squad,” Marum said.
“They’ll have to go back to the Digicel Cup and work their way back from there. We have rules and expectations and they know that so they have to be disciplined, committed and professional,” Marum said.
The pre-season squad returned to camp yesterday with nine Kumuls to start training for the first time since PNG were knocked out in the quarter-final against England.
“We’re aiming to go back to back this year. We’ve lost a few props like Wellington Albert, Esau Siune and Henry Wan but we have guys who have proven themselves and they’ll step up,” Marum said.
“We’ve got Enoch Maki and Stanton Albert who have the experience and then there were new boys like McKenzie Yei, Kennedy Ben and Dilbert Isaac and our academy player Muka Peter Kulu so there are players who can replace those that have left us.”
Siune, who was a foundation Hunter retired along with back-rower David Loko, at the end of last season but has stayed on as part of Marum’s staff. Wan returned to PNG after a sexual assault charge last May in Sydney which kept the talented Kumul prop sidelined for the year with the Western Highlander only returning last November.
He is expected to play in the Digicel Cup before being considered for the Hunters.
Last year’s vice-captain Albert signed on with English Super League club the Widnes Vikings post world cup.
Marum added his pack still had the quality and size to be competitive in 2018. “We’ve got Adam Korave back, Moses Meninga and Nixon Put had great debut years while Willie Minoga and Rhadley Brawa were good for us as well,” the coach said.
The Hunters 32-man squad assembled yesterday and will have their medical checks today before start training on Saturday.
Marum said he was wary of the fact that his side would be targeted by teams as defending champions and he was adamant his side would rise to the challenge.
Previous year’s champions Burleigh Bears (2016), Ipswich Jets (2015) and Northern Pride (2014) all had poor post-premiership seasons but Marum said he was expecting all teams to be tougher propositions given their offseason recruitment and the influx of NRL Under-20 talent after the scrapping that tier of football.
The Hunters squad will be trimmed down to 28 at the end of the month before playing a preseason match against the Brisbane Broncos at the NFS on Feb 24.