Rookie Mathew keen to make most of chance

The National Sports
Waghi Tumbe coach Baundo Abba (left) and Jesse Matthew training in Jiwaka last year.

By MICHAEL PHILIP
BEING overlooked by Mt Hagen Eagles for the 2019 Digicel Cup season did not stop Jesse Mathew from playing the country’s premier rugby league competition and making the SP Hunters train-on squad.
Today, he is relishing pre-season training with the South Pacific Brewery-sponsored Hunters after a successful 2021 campaign in which the fullback’s Waghi Tumbe finished as runners-up to Lae Tigers.
The East New Briton has been instrumental to coach Baundo Abba’s Jiwaka side since making his Digicel Cup debut last year.
“As a team, we are proud to have the youngest coach,” Mathew said of former Hunters forward Abba.
“He has been helpful and good to us.
“He has been there with the Hunters, so everything has been smooth.” Mathew kicked off his rugby league career while doing Grade 10 at Hagen Park Secondary School in 2016.
After showing much interest in rugby league, he switched codes from AFL to rugby league and was part of the schoolboys programme.

Tumbe fullback Jesse Mathew taking on the Hela Wigmen defence in the Digicel Cup at the Oil Search National Football Stadium in Port Moresby last season. – Pictures supplied

Mathew received a call-up to join the Junior Papua New Guinea Kumuls the same year after proving to national selectors that he was capable of going up another level in rugby league.
But the 21-year-old decided to forgo rugby league in 2018 and concentrate on his Grade 12 studies which saw him earn a place at the National Polytechnic Institute of PNG in Lae.
However, due to financial constraints, Mathew had to return home and continue playing rugby league.
He was scouted by the Eagles, however, he didn’t play any games in the 2019 Digicel Cup season until last year when Tumbe offered him a space in their squad.
Ironically, Mathew made his Digicel Cup debut against the Eagles in round eight at Minj’s Jonah Amban Oval and was named as the man of the match.
This year, Abba steered Tumbe to an unlikely grand final appearance, but fell short of the premiership against the Lae Biscuit Company-sponsored Tigers.
Nevertheless, it was still a successful campaign, with the flyer’s consistency earning him a spot in Hunters coach Matthew Church’s 32-man train-on squad.
“I thank myself for not giving up in the first place when I didn’t play in 2019 with the Eagles,” Mathew said.
“I continued to train and play in the town competition.
“My commitment over the last two years with Tumbe has given me the chance to push for a spot in the final Hunters squad.
“It’s a great achievement and I’m proud of it.
“I’m now looking forward to digging in at training and continue improving my skills.”
Also from Morobe, Mathew said commitment and discipline were crucial to success.
“It still isn’t over as the final selection is yet to come,” he said.
“I want to play for the Hunters in the upcoming Hostplus Cup season, but I have to put in the hard yards and earn a spot.”