Management must shoulder blame

ANYONE who has met Stanley Gene and Gary Juffa will know that both are very passionate men.
Very honourable and very ambitious and maybe a little naive.
They believe in what they do and what’s more they have the confidence and chutzpah to go out and do their bit for the common good.
Gene has had a long and storied career as PNG’s first successful professional rugby league player while Juffa has been at the forefront in safe guarding the country against unscrupulous traders.
Their track records in their fields speak for themselves, and from the outset, it looked like the pair could get PNG rugby league  through a rough patch, the Four Nations.
But that rough patch, which had its origins in 2009, was brought about by  a leadership wrangle involving a faction wanting to wrest control of the country’s rugby league governing board.
It played out for most of the year in the shape of lawsuits and counter lawsuits, claims and counter claims.
To the public, they only served as wasted time and money and detracted from the sport’s real responsibilites – to the fans, the juniors and the rural leagues.
Adrian Lam saw this coming a long way off and, as passionate as he is, was not willing to go down with a sinking ship. Smart man.
Gene and Juffa were not a party to the initial boardroom conflict between the ruling incumbents led by Albert  Veratau and a faction with Madang rugby league executive Bryan Kramer in opposition.
Their (Kramer’s group) main grounds for wanting regime change was mainly unaccounted league finances and the deplorable state of the sport in the country.
Let it be known that this type of charge is common in just about every governed code in the country – except maybe cricket.
It’s not something new. It’s been seen before and no doubt will be seen again.
So, can and, more importantly, should Juffa as the Kramer faction’s candidate for PNGRFL president and consequently Gene, his pick for Kumul coach, bear the brunt of criticism levelled at the Kumuls for an underwhelming Four Nations record?
Yes and no.
Yes, because they accepted their roles and actively set about preparing a Kumul team with whatever resources and time they had.
They knew full well what they were getting themselves into.
No, because this whole PNGRFL saga came about because Kramer initiated the move to oust Veratau thus leading to all the shenanigans we have witnessed.
What did Kramer and co think?
That Veratau and his mob would roll over and oblige them?
Fat chance.
So, in effect, all the individuals who had a part to play and/or contributed in some way to the legal procrastination that took place throughout this year are to be blamed.
That would be in lineal progression Kramer, Veratau, Juffa and Gene.
Like the old saying goes if the shoe fits wear it.