Robert thanks Kumuls legend

HELA Wigmen rookie and SP Hunters squad member Jeffrey Robert has thanked former dual international Gimapau Keimelo for motivating him to strive for greater heights in rugby league.
Twelve months ago, Robert was an unknown talent who played for Dobo Warriors in the Port Moresby Rugby Football League (POMRFL) competition.
The 20-year-old bumped into the former Papua New Guinea Kumul and Barramundi (cricket) when he was part of a POMRFL select side that went to Kwikila, Central, for the Southern Zone trials.

“When we went for the trials, I had my mind set on making the final Southern Zone squad for the national championship,” the Digicel Cup premiership winner told The National earlier this month.
“There were some Digicel Cup selectors who came to watch us play, so I had to impress them too.
“Keimelo was part of the Southern Zone selection committee and he approached me after three games.
“He told me that I had already made the cut and not to play the remaining matches of the tournament.
“I was excited that I had made the Southern Zone squad.
“It was the first big step of my rugby league career.
“Although making the Hunters squad had always been part of my rugby league dream, I wasn’t expecting things to happen so fast.
“But Gimapau saw my potential and challenged me.
“He gave me his old Kumuls shorts and said ‘son, I’m giving you these shorts, remember it and when you make it to the Hunters or

Kumuls one day, you will return them’.
“That was a big statement.
“From that moment, I realised that I had the potential to achieve my dream and it drove me to work harder.”
Robert is now part of the Hunters 35-man train-on squad.
From Eastern Highlands, the Unggai native said he was aiming to make coach Matthew Church’s 30-man squad which would be named on the New Year.
Robert said if he made the Hunters’ squad, his next goal would be to make the Kumuls.
“I still have Gimapau’s shorts with me, he calls me occasionally to ask for his shorts,” the forward joked.
“I told him that I was almost there (final squad) and I would return them to him soon.”