Marum to coach PNG

 By JACK AMI

PAPUA New Guinea Hunters coach Michael Marum will guide the Kumuls in the May 7 Test against Fiji Batis at Parramatta Stadium in Sydney, Australia.

PNGRFL chairman Sandis Tsaka made the announcement in Port Moresby yesterday that Marum would only coach the PNG national team for this Test match. 

This will be the first time the 42-year-old of East New Britain and Madang parentage would take charge of the Kumuls. He was assistant to Adrian Lam for the 2008 World Cup, Stanley Gene was coach for the 2010 Four Nations, Mal Meninga and Lam again for the 2013 World Cup, and Meninga for the 2015 Pacific Test. Marum has also trained under top league coach Brisbane Broncos’ Wayne Bennett this year.

Tsaka said the position was left vacant by Meninga and it was best to appoint Marum, who has the credentials to prepare the Kumuls to play the Batis. 

“Fiji is ranked fourth and PNG 14th in the World ranking and it is good to play more Test matches to improve that rankings,” said Tsaka

The chairman said Marum’s appointment was made by the PNGRFL board as the Hunters mentor was the most outstanding candidate who engineered the PNG franchise to the Queensland Cup and was named as the coach of the year in 2014.

The full team will be announced couple of weeks prior to the match. 

After the Test, the Kumul coach position will be advertised for other coaches to express their interest for the national job.

Tsaka said the new coach will take care of a couple of Test matches and the biggest event would be the 2017 World Cup. 

The World Cup is to be co-hosted by PNG, Australia, New Zealand and Fiji. Marum thanked PNGRFL chairman Tsaka for having the confidence in him for the Pacific Test. 

Marum said this was a Test match and his Hunters would not be automatically selected but others like Kato Ottio, Wellington and Stanton Albert, David Mead and James Segeyaro as well as Super league players (UK) would be considered.