PNG Kumuls coach Michael Marum has defended his selection for the Pacific Cup Test Match saying those are the best representative players PNG has.
He said this when questioned why no Digicel Cup players were not selected in the Kumuls Squad.
Marum said they are sticking with players from the NRL and Queensland and New South Wales Cup competitions given their level of competitiveness.
“We have a standard here, and we’ve won the Pacific Test two years in a row now so it will always be like that, and we can’t go down to that level.
“If you consider the level up there it is too tough. And I respect all the level there but at the moment our focus is on our best players,” said the coach.
“The performance of our Digicel Cup players I’m not questioning it, but if you put two competitions together, it’s totally different.”
Marum said while he respected players from Digicel Cup, the match next week against the Fiji Bati is a one off test and they want the best team on the paddock.
“Digicel Cup, even though they are playing good football there, we can see the performance of the Hunters, most players that we have brought in they are really struggling to step up to the level that we are at.
“There are some players that are playing very well n the team there (Digicel Cup), we’ve asked them to come in for pre-season, some of them pulled out, we’ve asked a few of them during the season, but due to studies and other commitments, we can’t really go and look.
“But again if they are playing well, there are matches at the end of the year that will allow for them to come in and show what they have through the Hunters or Kumuls,” said Marum.