Wigmen wary of Muruks

Wabo warns his men not to be complacent

By ROBINSON LEKA
LAST year’s losing Digicel Cup grand finalists Hela Wigmen have been warned not to be complacent as they head into Sunday’s round-four clash with the Mendi Muruks in Lae (3.30pm kick-off).
Both sides have started the revised season strongly, winning all their matches thus far in the country’s premier rugby league competition.
But Wigmen coach and former Papua New Guinea Kumul Charlies Wabo said form counted for nothing after conceding that all of their wins had been “scrappy”.
“It’s my rookie season as a head coach and I’ve told myself that we can’t keep coming home with scrappy wins,” he said of his side, who sit one spot below the Muruks in third.
“We need to keep working harder as the season progresses.”
Sunday’s 18-8 win over 2018 premiers Goroka Lahanis was one of the more satisfying wins for the inexperienced had coach but the achievement was far from the former rake’s mind.
“My men were not really focused on the game plan,” Wabo said.
“We wanted to settle the game and later move onto our bigger plays.
“We rushed a few of our plays and we dropped a lot of balls which cost us more points.
“I told my men to complete their sets before putting in good kicks.
“I told them that defence was crucial against any side in the Digicel Cup regardless of where the opposition are on the ladder.”
Meanwhile, the Muruks will be banking on the experience of Kumuls forward Stanton Albert and former Cronulla Sharks squad member Mark Mexico to dominate the middle at the Lae Rugby League Ground.
Both sides will be aiming for a win to keep up with ladder leaders and defending champions Lae Tigers, who travel to Port Moresby to face Gulf Isou at Sir John Guise Stadium tomorrow.
The Tigers will want to continue their momentum after defeating fellow title contenders Rabaul Gurias 24-16 at home on Sunday.
Fixtures: Sat, July 24 – Tigers v Isou, Gurias v Cutters; Sun, July 25 – Mioks v Dabaris, Vipers v Eagles, Lahanis v Tumbe, Muruks v Wigmen.