PM salutes Mead for services to Kumuls

PRIME Minister James Marape says outgoing Papua New Guinea skipper David Mead has inspired a whole generation of future Kumuls following a fairytale finish to the veteran’s representative career.
Playing his 15th and final Test match, Mead scored a try in the Kumuls’ 24-14 win over the Fiji Bati at Campbelltown Stadium in Sydney on Saturday night.
“The Kumuls brought PNG together as one nation, one country, one people,” Marape said.
“David has done all of PNG proud.
“The nation watched, spellbound with PNG clinging to a 12-10 lead, as he backed up Lachlan Lam for an emotional try in his final game for the Kumuls.
“We celebrated as one country, one nation and one people as Mead scored that unforgettable try.
“It was a fitting finale and the perfect send-off for a proud PNG son who has worn the red, black and gold for 15 Test matches since 2008 and was our captain for the 2017 World Cup.
“I thank David for his contribution to PNG rugby league.
“I wish him well in his future endeavours and assure him that he has inspired a whole generation of future Kumuls.”
Marape also commended all the Kumuls and new coach Stanley Tepend ahead of the end-of-year World Cup in England.
“You were all our heroes with outstanding performances by man-of-the-match Lam who follows in the footsteps of his father, Adrian Lam, PNG’s homegrown Melbourne Storm star Justin Olam and Test debutant McKenzie Yei,” he said.
“You formed a brick-wall defence in the face of an unrelenting Fijian attack.
“I salute the Fijians for a very good game.
“Congratulations to Stanley and I wish him many more wins for PNG into the future.
“The performance by our boys makes me very confident as we prepare for the World Cup and as we bid for inclusion in Australia’s National Rugby League (NRL).
“I am leading the way to ask the NRL to include PNG in its competition. My Government has appointed an NRL bid board, which is working towards a 2025 NRL license for the 18th team in the competition.
“The performance by the PNG Kumuls against Fiji, in front of a largely Australian audience, shows that we have what it takes to compete in the NRL,” said the Prime Minister.