The Eastern Highlands franchise, the Bintangor Goroka Lahanis, have resumed training in preparation for the 2020 season under new coach and former player, Michael Moses.
Being a former player and part of the Lahanis system, Moses will be assisted by Lahanis veteran and captain, Gonzella Urakusi, with the main focus on reinforcing the team’s culture and standards.
As part of the team’s selection criteria to finalise their 2020 squad, a trial match has been scheduled for the 3rd of February at the NSI. The trial will feature Team Red and Team Brown, comprising development players from the Lahanis Academy program while the regulars will be rested.
With his rugby union background, Coach Moses has also included a number of promising young players from the Eastern Highlands Rugby Union in the trial.
Moses said he started the program in 2017 while working with former PNG Hunters mentor and Kumuls Coach, Michael Marum.
After their fairytale Cup win over Mioks in 2018, the Lahanis went close to making it back to back last year only to be denied by a red hot Hela Wigmen outfit in the second week of the semi-finals.
The Lahanis lost a number of their key players from last year’s team in the likes of 2nd rower Isaac Patrick to the Rabaul Gurias, Jebedi Uruba to Lae Snax Tigers, including PNG 9’s Rep to the Pacific Games Jah Hogan and Norman Brown.
Moses said although the Lahanis had invested a lot in grooming some of these players, they are still products of the Eastern Highlands franchise.
While counting their losses, it is also a gain for the team as they look to promote some of their up and coming talents, picked from the academy program, after the trial match next month.
The Lahanis’ final squad of 30 to 35 will be further assessed and finalised before the competition kicks off in April.
(The Lahanis in the 2019 Digicel Cup competition)