NRL

Australia never trailed in the contest and after an opening 21 minutes in which the match ebbed and flowed, they always enjoyed a lead on the scoreboard, with a double from front-rower Lindsay Collins and the accurate boot of returning winger Valentine Holmes doing much of the damage at AAMI Park. 

While Australia were already 12-6 up when he entered the field in the 27th minute, Harry Grant was the man who kicked the Kangaroos up a notch when the game sat in the balance, while fellow Queenslander Patrick Carrigan was big off the bench too, carrying 16 times for 145 metres. 

Before they departed PNG, Prime Minister James Marape held a formal dinner on Sunday, October 22, and thanked them for their time in PNG and at the same time welcomed Fiji in the country who is set to play PNG LNG Kumuls next weekend at the Santos National Football Stadium.

Named the Ken Irvine Medallist following his 24 tries during the Telstra Premiership season, Isaako's 25th and 26th tries of 2023 gave Michael Maguire's side a commanding early lead that they wouldn't look back from, running away with the contest to secure their first shut-out win on home soil in over two decades.

Whippy made headlines back in 2020 when a video was posted of the then Raiders Jersey Flegg player putting his teammates to shame in the viral gym challenge: The Thor Hammer Barbell challenge.

Since then, the Fijian forward has spent time in the Rabbitohs development system and most recently featured at prop for the Ipswich Jets in the Hostplus Cup.

A naturally gifted athlete, having previously represented Fiji in both swimming and athletics.

Kikau and Koroisau are very important players and their absence will prove critical for the side. However, Batis hooker, Penioni Tagituimua, is confident the team will do well.

Tagituimua said, ‘it is a big loss knowing that Api Koroisau and Villiami Kikau all those players missing the team but it still feels the same. It’s a good feeling knowing some young blocks coming in, especially for the long run.”

The league is keen to make headway sooner rather than later. Hill confirmed that although PNG has a big chance of making the NRL’s expansion team, his focus is on pathways and development of rugby league in PNG, with eyes set for 2025.

He was responding to a 7news report of Thursday, 19 October 2023 that NRL is on the blink of announcing PNG as the 18th team joining the NRL Competition starting in 2025.

“No new information. We are still focused on pathways, development, and getting the right people involved. Exciting times,” said Hill.

Holbrook said Olam is nursing an injury and is likely to sit out the remainder of the Pacific championship campaign. However, the boys from England are expected to be available for the match against Fiji Bati on October 29.

Holbrook said, “I’d love Justin to be playing as he wants to play but at the moment he's doing his rehab down in Melbourne when he picked up the injury in his last game.”

According to The Daily Telegraph, the swap would see the Tigers acquire Olam while the Storm would get forward Shawn Blore in return.

If completed, this would be the second player swap between these two clubs in three years after Storm hooker Harry Grant was loaned to the Tigers for the 2020 season in return for centre Paul Momirovski.

The news of Olam being shipped around by Melbourne doesn’t come as much as a surprise, considering he was in-and-out of the first grade side and wasn’t selected in the Storm’s qualifying final against the Broncos.

Laybutt, who played just six Queensland Cup matches for Sunshine Coast Falcons this season, impressed new Papua New Guinea coach Justin Holbrook when he took on the captaincy role in last month’s Prime Minister’s XIII match.

With Leeds second-rower Rhyse Martin not due to join the Kumuls squad until their next match against Fiji on October 29 after his partner Vanessa recently gave birth to a daughter Mya, Laybutt has again been given the job.

With player of the match Payne Haas and fellow big man Tino Fa'asuamaleaui leading the charge the Kangaroos blew the game open before their rivals had time to settle.

The world champions opened their account in the fifth minute when Haas took a short ball from Isaah Yeo and carried three defenders over the tryline with him to make it 6-0.

Four minutes later it was skipper James Tedesco leaving Izack Tago in his wake on the left edge before Fa'asuamaleaui powered over in the 13th minute and the Kangaroos had a 16-0 lead.