Olam to play

PAPUA New Guinea rugby league fans will see Kumuls centre Justin Olam will play his first ever match in Wests Tigers colours when they face St George Illawarra Dragons in their second preseason trial on Saturday (7.05pm kick-off).
Olam, who played 104 National Rugby League (NRL) games all for the Melbourne Storm since debuting for the Victorian side against the Dragons in round 9 of the 2018 season.
Initially scheduled to make his Tigers debut in round 2 against the Canberra Raiders as per the club’s coaching staff, coach Benji Marshall has changed tack naming Olam to get a match in before the season proper.
The 30-year-old was named in the No.3 jersey by Marshall when the team list was released yesterday.
Tigers had success in New Zealand last week with a gutsy win over the Warriors with Olam rested for that match.
The former Lae Tigers star will line up in the centres alongside Stafford To’a who will also be playing his first game of the year.
With both sides to use 26 players each, Olam is not expected to play the full 80 minutes as Marshall will want to rotate other backs on the extended bench as well.
Fellow Kumuls in Dan Russell and Jack de Belin were also named in the Dragons team. De Belin will start at lock while Russell will come off the bench in the No.26 jersey.
Meanwhile, PNG Prime Minister’s 13 fullback Treigh Stewart continues to impress the Storm coaching staff as he was named in their side for a third straight weekend.
Stewart was named at No.25 in the team that will face Newcastle Knights on Saturday, and he is likely to be rotated with experienced fullback Ryan Pepenhuyzen, while fellow PNG player Xavier Coates will start on the wing.
Other PNG players who will play for their respective NRL clubs this weekend includes Zac Laybutt (Cowboys), Jacob Alick (Titans) and Bailey Biondi-Odo (Bulldogs).