It was a reality check

By KEVIN TEME
THE Telikom PNG Kumuls arrived quietly at the Jackson Airport yesterday afternoon to prepare for the second match against the Vodafone Fiji Bati this Sunday at the Lloyd Robson Oval in Port Moresby.
The 24-12 loss in Mt Hagen on Sunday was clearly a big disappointment for coach Adrian Lam and  his side with most players in a sombre mood upon arrival.
The match also gave the Lam coached side a reality check on where the team they stood.
“We truly need a reality check on ourselves and it also showed that PNG is still a little bit behind on the level of rugby league in the country.
“The government needs to invest more money into the game to develop this code.
“I will also talk to the PNGRFL board after the AGM this month in Lae to emphasise more on the junior development programme and start building them up for the future,” Lam said.
Lam could not hide his disappointment saying handling errors and a low completion rate were some of the factors that contributed to the loss.
However, he said the team was new and they needed time to improve and build on their performance.
“It’s a new squad and we still have a lot of work to do on all these players.
“These boys are from the local competition and we need more time to rebuild them,” Lam said.
Several fans also noted the mood of the national side on arrival in Port Moresby.
“There was hardly a smile on the players’ faces. “They kept quiet because they did not perform well. “It’s a pity but at least they should have to put a smile on their faces to give some of their die-hard supporters like me confidence that they still can beat the Fiji Bati in their second match,” a Tari fan who was at the airport said.
Former Kumuls halfback Gigma Ongogo, who flew in with the Kumuls shared similar sentiments.
He said the Kumuls performed badly and showed they lacked the fitness for this level of football while their combinations did not work.n From Page 68
“They all kept quiet because they did not do well.
“Rugby league is our national sport but Fiji have beaten us at home and they really need to go back to the drawing board,” Ongogo said.
The Kumuls last beat the Bati in the 2009 series winning both matches played in Hagen and Port Moresby.
Lam said there would be changes for this weekend’s match but he would need to watch the game on video before he deciding on the team for the second test match.
Lam also confirmed that the match has also given him space to identify players to keep on board while some may be dropped from the squad in the build-up to the 2013 World Cup in England.
“We truly let ourselves down and not Fiji.
“We never played for ourselves and the players did not aim up, ma­king a lot of mistakes and making it hard to win the match.
“I was heart-broken and devastated with the result but these things happen.
“What’s done is done but we will work hard for game two,” Lam said.
“The players will need to step up and play for themselves and each other.
“Those who can not cope with the system will miss out,” the coach said.