rugby league

Olam game time in doubt

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.”

'We want to get to Aussies' level': Holbrook embracing tough PNG selection calls

Holbrook blooded six Test debutants in his first match as Kumuls coach and they all impressed as the new look PNG team romped to a 46-10 defeat of Cook Islands at Santos National Football Stadium on Sunday.

The Kumuls will be bolstered by the return of England-based stars Edwin Ipape, Rhyse Martin and Wellington Albert, while injured Storm centre Justin Olam may also be available for the October 29 clash with the Bati in Port Moresby.

Tigers, Storm player swap on the loom

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.

'He smashes people': Lam backs Laybutt to lead from front

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.

Kangaroos flex their muscle to slide past Samoa in opener

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.

RUSSELL EXCITED TO BE BACK

2023 has been a remarkable season for the 27-year-old veteran when he made his NRL debut for St George Illawarra Dragons in their round 19 clash against Canberra Raiders.

Although he was part of the 2022 rugby league world cup in the UK last year, coming back to Port Moresby for the Pacific Championships this time around is a home coming for the versatile white Kumul veteran.

Hunt names first Cook Islands squad

Karmichael Hunt named his first Cook Islands squad, having taken over from Tony Iro as head coach.

The Cook Islands are the last team to name their squad for the Pacific Championships tournament, which features six teams split into two divisions. Australia, Samoa and New Zealand play in one division, while the  Cook Islands battle PNG and  Fiji in the other.

The Cooks who play both of their games in Port Moresby will see NRL experience from the likes of Parramatta Eels' prop Makahesi Makatoa and Esan Marsters as well as South Sydney Rabbitohs prop Davvy Moale.

Cook Islands role a special honour for Hunt

During a brief return to the NRL in 2021, Hunt was convinced by his then teammate Alex Glenn to head away to that year’s World Cup with the Cook Islands, a nation he qualified for through his mum Matera who hails from the island of Rarotonga.

But when the pandemic caused the tournament to be postponed, and Hunt stepped away from top-level footy at the end of that season, dreams of a final fling on the Test scene disappeared.

OLAM SUPER LEAGUE MOVE GATHERING PACE

Total Rugby League reported that, with the shortage in outside backs, the club could make a play for Olam who has minimal game time this year at the Melbourne Storm in the NRL. 

With Greg Minikin’s recent departure from the club, the club had Stefan Ratchford and Connor Wrench occupying the Centers for 2024.

Should Olam join the club next year, 2024, he would be a great fit for the club. 

The 29-year-old endured a difficult year struggling to string together the best performance that won him the NRL Premiership ring with the Storm in 2020. 

Seven NRLW stars in PNG Orchids squad

Albert, whose NRLW campaign for Parramatta was limited to just 25 minutes due to a calf injury, will be joined by Raiders hooker Ua Ravu and the Cowboys quintet of Essay Banu, Jessikah Reeves, Sareka Mooka, Sera Koroi and Shellie Long.

The 27-year-old prop has led the way for Papua New Guinea players in the NRLW after moving to Australia in 2020 to join Souths Logan Magpies in the Queensland Cup and before being signed by St George Illawarra.