Improving but more work needed

Hello there all out SP Hunters and rugby league families and friends! Welcome to the 10th edition of Coach’s Corner where we discuss the PNG Hunters, PNG Kumuls and anything you wish to know, thanks to our newspaper partner — The National.
Through this column, I can discuss any concerns and questions, which you can send to [email protected], and will attend to them. We value your comments and views as the players and staff read them. These comments encourage them to perform better knowing they are being followed.
Fourteen year old Stanley Tom, winner of The Liklik National draw your favourite Hunter’ competition was thrilled to meet his favourite player Junior Rau after the game on Sunday.
He was presented with a ball and poster signed by the players and an autographed picture of Junior. Stanley gave Junior the original of his winning drawing. Stanley did the ‘Coin Toss’ and the Magpies captain gave him a shirt. You brought us some luck and we won. Well done and keep going to school, Stanley.
The players especially the new ones learned a lot from the win. A lot more improvement is needed in some areas of our game. We still have a lot more work to do.
They know patience and consistency are also recipes for success but the signs are there for the better.
The return of Sailas Gahuna and Terry Wapi’s debut performance were impressive. Both added that little spark in attack.
Terry was cool under the high ball and was rewarded with the Pacific Palms Man of the Match award while Sailas took out the CPL award.
The MTSL best back was awarded to Justin Yoka and MTSL Best Forward award to captain Moses Meninga. Thanks to Pacific Palms, CPL and Melanesian Trust Services Ltd for the incentives. They motivate the team play better and win.
Young Roy Elison has joined us from Mendi Muruks. He is settling well and is adapting to our training regimes and structures.
We are half way into the season and take on reigning premiers Redcliffe Dolphins on Saturday evening in Brisbane. We have met on 10 occasions since 2014 with five wins (four at home and one away which was the very first game the SP Hunters played in 2014), one draw and four losses (one at home).
The team is motivated and inspired to win the Stan Joyce Cup from the Dolphins and bring it back home since our last loss in Redcliffe in 2017 and the two last year.
The Stan Joyce Cup, honouring SP Brewery boss Stan Joyce, has been played for annually since that first ISC win against Redcliffe in 2014.
Stan hails from Redcliffe and am told there will be a big delegation of SP and their customers attending the game.
We have spoken about this within the team and we owe it to Stan who is retiring soon, to win it for him.
On a sad note, on behalf of all the players and coaching staff in PNG and overseas, I extend our sincere condolences to late Dikana Boge’s wife, children and their families on the passing of her husband, dad and grandfather.
Yesterday, we presented his Kumul No.20 jersey at his Hanuabada home. The funeral service will be held at 1.30pm at Hanuabada. Thank you for the memories and may he rest in eternal peace.
To end this week’s column, a big congratulations to all the 2019 SP Awards winners for their achievements and success in 2018. Big thanks to guest speaker Kerri Pottharst for coming by for the captain’s run on Saturday and inspiring the boys and attending the game on Sunday. But the biggest thanks must go to Stan Joyce and SP Brewery for hosting the 27th SP Awards .
Next Wednesday is the first State of Origin so support your favourite team in good ways and if they lose, please don’t resort to violence!
Until next week, play fair, play hard and play by the rules.

Cheers Mikz
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