Kumuls named for 9s

The National Sports

BRISBANE Broncos hooker James Segeyaro is expected to captain the Papua New Guinea LNG Kumuls at the Rugby League World Cup Nines in Sydney, Australia, from Oct 18-19.
Hela Wigmen centre Stanford Talita is the only fulltime Digicel Cup player named in Michael Marum’s 16-man squad. Announcing the national sides yesterday, PNG Rugby Football League chairman Sandis Tsaka said the Kumuls and Oil Search Orchids (women) players were selected on form and performance, with most having just completed their season.
Orchids executive committee chairman Ruth Waram said the team were selected on agility and speed.
“We may still be finding our feet in the 13s game but this shorter version will suit our style and athleticism, which we naturally have,” Waram said.
Waram said the team would be coached by Bagelo Solien.
“He did a good job with the women at the Pacific Games and against the Brisbane Broncos women’s team last month so I have every confidence and support in him,” Waram said.
Kumuls executive committee chairman Sudhir Guru said Marum and the national selectors had picked a strong team and “they will do us proud in this shorter version”.
Only four nations – Australia, New Zealand, England and PNG – are competing in the women’s tournament.
Twelve nations are competing in the men’s tournament with the Kumuls in Pool A alongside Australia, New Zealand and the United States.
England, France, Lebanon and Wales make up Pool B while Pool C has Tonga, Fiji, Samoa and the Cook Islands.
The Kumuls and Orchids will assemble in Port Moresby on Monday.
The tournament will be played at Bankwest Stadium – home of the Parramatta Eels.
Kumuls: Stargroth Amean (Barrow Raiders), Watson Boas (Barrow Raiders), Edwin Epape (Wynnum Manly), Edene Gebbie (Wynnum Manly), Lachlan Lam (Sydney Roosters), Kyle Laybutt (Townsville Blackhawks), Bernard Lewis (Sydney Roosters), Garry Lo (Hunters), Rhys Martin (Leeds Rhino), Justin Olam (Melbourne Storm), Nixon Putt (North Devils), Daniel Russell (North Queensland Cowboys), James Segeyaro (Brisbane Broncos), Jedidiah Simbiken (Redcliffe Dolphins), Stanford Talita (Hela Wigmen), Terry Wapi (Hunters).
Orchids: Elsie Albert (UNRE Cowgirls), Catherine Anjo (Hohola Flies), Heather Ario (Gabutu Dragons), Lekiellia Brown (Wentworthville Magpies), Shae-Yvonne Dela-Cruz (Easts Tigers), Carol Francis (Gabutu Dragons), Shirley Joe (Eriku Panthers), Janet Johns (Hanuabada Hawks), Roswita Kapo (Paga Panthers), Sera Koroi (Goodna Eagles), Ua Ravu (Leeton Greens), Jacobeth Wake (Royas Ramu League), Joyce Waula (Blackswan Royals), Veronica Waula (Royals), Angelo Watego (Capalaba Warriors), Josephine Wong (Nightcliff Dragons).

11 comments

  • why not give the digicel cup players a shot at an international level.I know we want the best team but our local boys are more capable of any task and also display raw talent on world stage.Time in time out, our overseas base players don’t produce the result we want on the grass roots level, we want aggression& physicality in both defense/attack . Overseas players are playing for their own social status within their own respective clubs and not the country most of their time.

  • This selection looks quite okay with a majority of overseas base players but I think a mixture of local speedsters in the likes of digicel players will add flavor to the combination.

  • Great team. The Digicel cup players failed badly during the Pacific Games therefore don’t deserve to be in the mix. Talita deserves his chances plus our NRL and english based kumuls.

  • Congratulations to those players selected to represent us. Make us Proud

    My comment below is not challenging this selection but only a suggestion on how can we make this selection better and interesting.

    With the new format after the introduction of PNG Hunters club, I noticed that before any Digicel cup player gets the chance to represent their country, they should first get selected to represent Hunters first, in other words there is not way they (Digicel Cup Players) can get a chance to represent their country. From my personal opinion I see this process as bottleneck or suppression of our Digicel Cup Players. Why can’t we introduce a 9’s competition by end of every season where Digicel Cup teams can compete together with PNG Hunters team to select a team to compete in such NRL 9’s competition. This will bring out the best in all the teams competing and at the same time give the players, sponsors and us the supporters our money’s worth. We are trying to get the game to the grassroot level, so it would also be part of promoting the game. Venue of the game can be in central areas like Hagen, Enga, Menid, Jiwaka, Goroka, Lae or Madang.

  • I hope to see that some of the rugby league heroes has been name in the squared like,Justin Olam, James Segeyaro and Edene Gebbie. Trust em stap boiis……………good luck…………

  • All these players selected are backs except for one forward in Nixon Putt. I guess the selection was based on Current performances and experience overseas. Well attack and defense are the two component of the game which the selectors failed to consider. Fast, mobile aggressive forwards likes of Meninga, Stanton Albert and Minago should in the mix. England and Australian 9s teams have big forwards. I am wondering how our light backline will defend our line against giant forwards like England captain James Graham and Tom Burges or Top NRL Prop Haas?

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