Marum cuts nine more from Hunters 2017 squad

HUNTERS coach Michael Marum dropped nine more players from his pre-season squad including forwards Benjamin Hetra, pictured, Nickson Borana and winger Philemon Kimisive.
The trio played for the Hunters in 2016 with 27-year-old Hetra in particular impressive off the bench in his 16 games.
Borana, who turns 21 next month, had a disrupted season with knee and ankle injuries keeping him out for most of 2016.
Kimisive, 20, played a handful of games mostly on the wing with his size and hard running setting a foundation for what would have been a long term career in the Hunters. Marum’s 33-man squad currently looks nothing like his finals-making 2016 group with only 13 players from last season retained meaning there are 20 new faces for the 2017 Q-Cup season albeit some like David Loko, Noel Joel and Willie Minoga and Stanton Albert are returning Hunters from their 2014 debut season.
A stickler for discipline Marum has instituted a level of professionalism and players who have failed to meet those standards regardless of experience or talent have been dropped.
After three weeks of intense pre-season training the Hunters train-on squad will be cut futher with Marum expected to settle on a final 28 my mid January.
Two PNGRFL academy players – Joseph Mocke (Northern) and Thompson Yakumbu (Highlands) – were added to the 33 after the Goroka camp last week and will join two other academy players from the Southern Confederate in Aidan Arusa and Muka Peter Kula when the Hunters pre-season training resumes in Port Moresby next week.
The other six players released after the Goroka camp were Andrew Ipi, Joe Frank, John Arme Gand, Mafu Kalas, Tau Fitzgerald and William Mone.
Marum said the players would return to their Digicel Cup teams and like the others already released could make their way back into the Hunters team depending on their performances.
He said a final 27 or 28 man squad would be finalised in the next two weeks to take part in the 2017 Intrust Super Cup competition.
“We will keep a few positions open to allow some released players to pick up their form in the Digicel Cup to be included in the Hunters team during the season,” Marum said. The 33-man squad will assemble in Port Moresby on Jan 3.
Squad: Adex Wera, Aidan Arusa, Anderson Benford, Ase Boas, Bland Abavu, Radley Brawa, Butler Morris, David Loko, Eddie Dafa, Edward Goma, Enoch Maki, Esau Siune, Henry Wan, Ishmael Balkawa, Israel Eliab, Joseph Mocke, Junior Rop, Karo Kauna Jr, Lawrence Tu’u, Moses Meninga, Muka Peter Kula, Nixon Put, Noel Joel, Sailas Gahuna, Stanton Albert, Stargroth Amean, Thompson Yakumba, Wartovo Puara Jr, Watson Boas, Wawa Paul, Wellington Albert, William Aquila, Willie Minoga.