Jnr Pangogo returns, eyes Kumul spot

By ABIGAIL APINA
HULKING Kumul prospect Junior Pangogo has returned after a year’s absence from the field.
He took leave after suffering a serious knee injury – opting for a full recovery – before resuming his promising rugby league career.
The 26-year-old prop forward, 190cm tall and weighs 106kg, joined the NGIP Agmark Gurias in 2011.
His sheer size, agility and ability contributed to the team’s outstanding performance in the semi-professional Digicel Cup competition that fell short of the premiership.
He also secured a place in the PNG Prime Minister’s XIII who narrowly lost to the high-profile Australian side in Lae that year.
After a successful debut year, the stage was set for the unveiling of a potential Kumul forward, who could become a local superstar of the game.
And then Pangogo disappeared from the rugby league scene without giving notice that he would be taking a year’s leave to fully recover from his knee injury.
His surprising return, was revealed by Gurias coach Michael Marum early this month when announcing his training squad for the 2013 Digicel Cup season.
Pangogo, of Morobe and East Sepik parentage, began playing rugby league as a 17-year-old for N4C Panthers A grade team in Kavieng, New Ireland.
He later switched codes to play for the Royals rugby union team in Kavieng.
Pangogo completed Grade 10 at Utu High School in New Ireland in 2004 and later attended Port Moresby Business College in 2009 to study accounting. He left college in his second year of studies to pursue a rugby league career.
Pangogo is the youngest in a family of five. His Morobean father, Elias Pangogo, was a former police officer who passed away in 2008 and his Sepik mother, Dominica, is a nurse at Kavieng hospital.
In an interview with The National this week at the Gurias’ Kalabond home ground, Pangogo said he had fully recovered and was ready to resume his rugby league career.
“I am excited to be back with the team in Kokopo, it feels good,” he said.
While he is looking forward to playing with the reigning Digicel Cup premiers, Pangogo will be using the competition to regain his form and capture the attention of the national selectors for a place in the Kumuls’ World Cup team.
“I am anticipating on making it back into the Kumuls team this year and I will work hard for my spot in the squad,” he said.
Coach Marum confirmed during training that he and his team management were happy to have Pangogo back with the team.
He said the Gurias were also preparing for their trial matches in Australia next month.
Marum added that Guria players Wartovo Puara Junior, Albert Patak, Dion Aiye and Rodney Pora would join the PNG Residents XIII training camp in Port Moresby on Jan 27 prior to departing for Sydney for their trial matches at the Cabramatta Nines tournament on Feb 2 and against South Sydney Rabittohs at Redfern on Feb 9.