By Fidelis Sukina – EMTV Sports, Port Moresby
The SP PNG Hunters will be looking to renew their Queensland in trust Super Cup participation for the next five years.
They are also with a coach, who is off contract; the Papua New Guinea Rugby Football League is yet to name the new coach of the Hunters for the 2019 season and beyond.
SP PNG Hunters supporters and players are eager to find out who their coaching staff will be for the year 2019 and onwards.
The Papua New Guinea Rugby Football League board had a meeting last week, but announcements will be made after Christmas whether they will be retaining head coach Michael Marum and his coaching staff.
“We’ll be making announcements in the next week regarding the coaching, the new coaching structure, and new coach appointed
next week..”PNGRFL Chairman Sandis Tsaka told the media.
Under Coach Michael Marum the SP PNG Hunters had made it to the finals scene three times in five seasons and last year in 2017, won the Queensland Intrust Super Cup Championship
Going forward though, in 2019, the Hunters who have no feeder club affiliations to NRL Clubs will have to look at partnering with NRL Clubs for training and coaching exchange programs.
“We have reached out with a couple of clubs that we have relationships with, we are able to tap into the resources that they have – in terms of upskilling coaches and referees, and exchange of players during the off-season…initially we started off with the Penrith Panthers. We’ve had a relationship with the South Sydney, and even with Broncos.”
But good news, in 2019, the PNGRFL have announced that the SP PNG Hunters will be signing with two NRL clubs who will be helping in coaching and player improvement programs. PNGRFL have not yet revealed the names of the two clubs, they will be known after the management has finalized arrangements.
