Second chance on offer

By ISAAC LIRI  
IT is not the end for 2016 Hunters players that were excluded from this season’s squad coach Michael Marum clarified.
Losing some experience may be the case when the 29-man squad was announced last week with nine debutants and the return of five former players but the case of the fallen Hunters is simple as Marum emphasised the importance he had placed on fitness.
Marum said given the time that they had (only three weeks to get back into shape) the fitness of players like Brandy Peter, Timothy Lomai and others was below par which gave him no choice but to cut them.
He was impressed with the passion of the new players as they showed their commitment which got them into the side and makes a spot in the Hunters more competitive  heading into their fourth year of participation in the Queensland Cup.
“Before coming back to training their fitness just wasn’t good enough,” Marum said.
“The first thing I asked them to do was if they could not keep up at training then they would have to go back and work hard in the DigicelCup and only then would I consider bringing them back.
“We can’t afford to have any passengers, they’ll only drag the team down,” Marum said.
“Last year in the pre-season we wasted time waiting on some players to get to the required level of fitness. This year with less time to prepare for the 2017 season, we can’t be as flexible. The players that don’t meet the levels when they need to get dropped.”
“It’s more disappointing because as players who have already been through the Hunters system they should knopw better,” he said.
Players dropped from the squad include forwards Brandy Peter, Timothy Lomai and Benjamin Hetra, utility Warren Glare and backs Philemon Kimisive.
Last year’s co-captain Adam Korave was released for personal reasons while fellow co-captain Noel Zeming withdrew to focus on his teaching career.
Meanwhile, Marum, 43, maintained there was still hope for dropped players.
He confirmed that there were a number of spots available for those that who are impressed in the Digicel Cup.
“If they go back and do the right thing, play Digicel Cup and pass their fitness tests, then they can get back in.
“It is up to the players. I made myself very clear in the team briefings that there no one was out permanently,” Marum clarified.