Muruks coach happy

By PARKER TAMBUA
MENDI Muruks coach Roderick Puname is happy with his side’s perfect start to the season after their 22-20 win over the Waghi Tumbe at Lae Rugby League Ground on Sunday.
However, a former Muruk himself, Puname said inconsistency continued to be a problem for the Southern Highlands franchise.
The Petroleum Resource Kutubu (PRK) sponsored side were dominant for three-quarters of the game and led 22-8 in the 65th minute before they became complacent and allowed the Jiwaka men to surge back. That final 15 minutes would have caused Puname equal doses of anxiety and frustration as his side allowed back-to-back converted tries that saw Baundo Aba’s men close the margin to two.
Thankfully for Muruks fans and their coach, the side hung on to register their third win on the trot.
Puname told The National yesterday that his men could not allow that kind of fade late in games as they looked to maintain a good standard so far in 2021.
“Our players lost focus and they switched off in the last 15 minutes which allowed Tumbe back into the game,” Puname said.
“Definitely, we dominated the game but we fall asleep in the dying stages and we cannot afford to do that going forward.”