Late Kumul inspires young gun

Vane keen to build on Ottio’s rugby league legacy

By MICHAEL PHILIP
THE late former Kumul and SP PNG Hunters winger Kato Ottio has been his inspiration and motivated him to play rugby league while growing up in his home village of Maupa in Rigo, Central.
This is the story of 19-year-old Vane Manuma who recently broke into the Central Dabaris final 25-man squad for the 2024 season.
Coming through the Dabaris junior system, it is only a matter of time for the 192cm utility who weighs at 95kg to make his debut in the semi-professional Digicel ExxonMobil competition this year.
“I do understand, rugby league is our national sport and at every level competition there is a tough decision in terms of selection,” Manuma who plays in the centre and second row told The National.
“For me personally that interest to play rugby was a secret because I did not want my family to know about it.
“All the motivation and inspiration to continue push harder came from late Kato. I looked up to him as my role model.
“I always told myself that I’ll play harder to one day be like him representing the country at the national stage. That journey wasn’t easy for me.”
Manuma’s world turned upside down four years ago when his father passed away. He was a 16-year-old attending Aroma Primary School.
“That was a big loss to my family especially for me,” he said.
“I wanted to prove to him that yes I can play rugby and can make it all the way into the semi-professional rugby league competitions. Decisions were tough for me. I made up my mind to leave school and stayed out for a while.
“I built more interest in playing rugby being outside of school. I played back home in our local competitions.”
Manuma joined the local competition and was scouted by the Dabaris to join the team’s development squad.
“They took me down to Port Moresby and I found myself playing for the Dabaris development squad competition the Skel Rice Cup,” he said.
“I was slotted into the Under-16 squad in 2021, 2022 U17, 2023 U18 and this year I was in the U19 development squad.
“A big chance came for me when head coach made a slight change releasing a player and that’s when I was given the call-up into the final season 2024 squad.”
Manuma was named in the Central Dabaris extended bench for the round one clash against the Waghi Tumbe in Jiwaka. He did not play in the team that lost to the home team 14-18.
Manuma thanked the Central franchise coaching staff for giving him the opportunity to be in the squad.
The Rigo native, whose biggest dream is to represent the country just like Kato did for SP PNG Hunters and Kumuls and even going further to the Canberra Raiders into Australia’s NRL competition, said he would be working hard to make his debut this year.