Picture credit: Supplied
By Jonathan Sibona
Pacific Bowl Champions, the PNG Kumuls has missed the opportunity to secure a spot in the Pacific Cup Championship after facing a heavy 54-12 defeat against the New Zealand Kiwis in the promotion-relegation match at CommBank Stadium.
In a post-match interview, PNG Kumuls coach Jason Demetriou shared his thoughts on their recent performance.
Demetriou opened by acknowledging that the Kumuls may have shown the Kiwis a little bit too much respect early on, which affected their approach and allowed New Zealand to gain early momentum.
However, he noted that the team eventually found their footing, building confidence and creating several scoring opportunities some of which, unfortunately, not capitalized due to dropped chances or disallowed tries. He highlighted that a Kiwi try just before halftime was particularly tough for the team, dampening their momentum right as they were finding their stride.
Assessing the match and the series, Demetriou expressed that while the Kumuls have abundant talent and potential, they still need to develop in areas beyond physicality, particularly in mental fortitude and focus.
He explained, “There’s levels to this game, it’s not about the physicality.” “It’s about the mental toughness, to stay in the moment and own your role.” For some players, this was an eye-opening experience and a learning curve.
Demetriou emphasized that although some players were consistently reliable, others struggled with consistency, which was a key takeaway for the team moving forward.
