The West New Britain Provincial Government Kimbe Cutters are in the process of finalizing their training squad for the 2024 Digicel Exxon Mobil Cup season.
Regardless of an earlier squad list posted on social media, the coaching team is going through medical and fitness testing before they confirm the squad.
While the club aspires to target and promote young local talents to complement the seasoned players, consistency has been an issue for the club seeing players come and go over the past two seasons for various reasons.
Former PNG Hunters winger and Guria fullback, Albert Patak Junior is now taking charge of the team after he was promoted from head trainer last season to Head Coach this year.
Former coach Lucas Samak now assumes his new role as Team Manager and Hubert Vitolo trainer.
With only two weeks into their training program, Coach Patak said it’s important that players go through proper medical checks and fitness and IQ testing before they start full training. This week the focus is on fitness and condition involving a lot of running with some basic skill drills as well.
For starters they have approximately 25 players mostly local talents getting through their paces whilst awaiting the arrival of other senior boys and several imports expected to arrive in the coming week.
On a positive note, Cutter's versatile player and 2023 centre of the year, Elijah Rotinga’s gunning for a first-choice centre position after impressing Coach Paul Aiton through the pre-season trials. The humble Jiwaka native joined the Cutters in 2022 and has remained loyal to the club since before he got a call-up to the Hunters preseason camp following his masterclass performance in 2023.
Meanwhile, the Cutters will welcome back about 60 percent of their playing group from last year with several young talents mainly from the Kimbe town and the Hoskins area. The new imports include Charles Sul( Isou)Jethro John(Lahanis), Paul Ivan and Kari Peter(Gurias)
Patak has also confirmed that 2023 Goroka Lahanis veteran captain George Buka has decided to stay with the Lahanis.
Returning senior players are Jah Hogan, David Tetefo, Alex Rova, Greg Kondaul, Francis Nasar, Edward Yukil, Richard Mautu, Motex Guri, Victor Anis, and Henry Liliket while Richard Mautu and Dickson Morrison are currently with the PNG Pukpuk 7s training squad.