Kumuls veteran Maki brushes off retirement

By PARKER TAMBUA
KUMUL veteran Enock Maki says he has not retired from rugby league and he will play for two more years in the Digicel Cup despite missing out on SP Hunters pre-season squad selection.
The 31-year-old 2017 Intrust Super Cup winner told The National yesterday that he was determined to make his final appearance in the national team in the upcoming Rugby League World Cup in England before hanging up his boots.
“I am not old and I did not retire because I know I still have a couple of years remaining before I can call it a day,” said Maki, who has played eight tests for PNG.
“I’m thinking of joining a team in the Digicel Cup but I can’t confirm which team I will be joining next year.
“My body is fine and I look forward to enjoying the remaining years of my career,” the prop said.
Maki, who graduated from the University of PNG with Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science in 2015, said he aimed to play consistently in the national semi-professional competition in the lead-up to the world cup.
“I don’t want to get ahead of myself and talk about the world cup at this stage but nothing is impossible, anything can happen,” he said.
“My goal is to continue what I do and that is to train hard, look after my body and get my mental fitness in the right direction.
“I just have to be consistent week in week out and if I play well and to the standard required by the Kumul selectors and head coach Michael Marum then I can still make it.
“But right now my focus is on Digicel Cup.”