RLWC PNG Squad
NRL.com
Papua New Guinea today named a 49-man squad to be spearheaded by Stanley Gene and Neville Costigan for their Rugby League World Cup campaign starting in Townsville in October.
Gene, from Hull Kingston Rovers in UK Super League, will line-up for his third successive World Cup having played in 1995 and 2000; while it will be the first for the former Queensland Origin representative Costigan.
PNG Head Coach Adrian Lam named 27 PNG residents in the squad along with 22 internationals, including four current NRL players, three UK Super League players and five Toyota Cup young talents. The final team of 24 will be named on October 8.
The squad includes the nucleus of the team that drew 24-all with Australia’s Prime Minister’s XIII in October last year.
Townsville will be the Kumuls home away during the tournament as the proud nation battles it out for Rugby League glory in the “Super Pool” against Australia, New Zealand and England.
With three semi-final spots coming from that Pool, a single upset by PNG may be enough to create World Cup history for the Kumuls.
They will open their campaign against England in the first match of the 2008 tournament in Townsville on October 25 before playing New Zealand at the Gold Coast on November 1 and then returning to Townsville to play Australia in November 9.
Lam, who captained PNG in the last World Cup in 2000 when they reached the quarter finals, is not daunted by the challenges ahead and welcomes the “underdog” tag.
“PNG’s slogan is ‘welcome to the land of the unpredictable’ and that’s going to be our team slogan,” he said.
“If you are looking for flamboyant football, that’s what PNG is known for and that’s what you will see given we are the country that will field the most local players.
“We are up against the big three – Australia, New Zealand and England – and we know they are going to be a handful, so we are happy to wear the underdog tag.”
PNG Internationals
Paul AITON Panthers NRL
Macali AIZU Hull Kingston Rovers UK
Jay ASTON Storm NYC (Toyota Cup)
Michael BANI Eagles NRL
Wayne BOND Redcliffe QRL
Tom BUTTERFIELD Broncos NYC
Richard CAMBO Wentworthville NSWRL
Jason CHAN Windsor Wolves JBC
Neville COSTIGAN Raiders NRL
Trevor EXTON Ipswich QRL
Steve FRANCISCUS Banyo Bris
Stanley GENE Hull Kingston Rovers UK
Rod GRIFFIN Nthn Pride Cairns QRL
Sam JOE Storm NYC
George KEPPA Brisbane North QRL
Tuu MAORI Roosters NYC
David MOORE Titans NYC
Ames NIGHTINGALE Windsor JBC
Merv O’FLANAGAN Souths/Logan QRL
Keith PETERS Panthers (NRL)
Kevin PRIOR Wentworthville NSWRL
John WILSHERE Salford UK
PNG Residents
Dion AIYA Bingtangor Eagles
Dominic ANGRA Bingtangor Eagles
Sigfred GANDE Bingtangor Lahanis
Nigel HUKULA Bingtangor Lahanis
Jessie JOE Masta Mark Rangers
Benjamin JOHN Masta Mark Rangers
Gimapau KEIMELO Masta Mark Rangers
Geno KIMA Agmark Guiras
Nickson KOLO Masta Mark Rangers
Anton KUI Bingtangor Lahanis
Larsen MARABE Agmark Gurias
Michael MARK Masta Mark Rangers
Mark MEXICO Toyota Mioks
George MONI Mabey & Johnson Muruks
Thomas NINKAMA NCD Civpac Vipers
Joseph OMAI M & J Muruks
Charles ONGUGLO Masta Mark Rangers
Benny PAMUNDA Bingtangor Eagles
Kingston PISEP LBC Bombers
Rodney PORA M & J Muruks
Francis RAY Bingtangor Eagles
Elizah RIYONG NCD Civpac Vipers
Rodney ROPRA M & J Muruks
Niko UBILE Bingtangor Lahanis
Charlie WABO M & J Muruks
Menzie YERE Agmark Gurias
Simon YOUNG M & J Muruks
I am writing in relation to the back page sport story in a weekly paper about Neville Costigan making himself available for the PNG Kumuls selection. Is this the same Neville Costigan who said that he can’t remember growing up in Papua New Guinea and who does not want to play for the Kumuls and rather play for Australia? Is this the same Neville Costigan who said he does not consider himself a Papua New Guinean? Just beacuse he can’t make it into the Australian Kangaroos he is now trying to make himself available for the Kumuls, what a shame! PNG Kumuls do not need “rejects” like him. We have many young talented players running around in the SP Cup as well as in the Queensland Cup who are proud to be Papua New Guineans and who would die to wear the red, black and gold colours.
I urge the Kumul selectors to be fair on these young men and give them a chance to represent their country, not people who want to make a name for themselves on the international scene just to get recognition and no pride in the jersey and the country they represent. I know of a brother of mine who is a home grown player who came through the local league competitions of the Ramu Valley and is now playing in the Queensland Cup competition.
These are the type of players that we should look for, home grown talents and those true Papua New Guineans playing abroad.
No time for in fighting. We just want to upset one of those 3 big names in world cup rugby. Selectors will do their job and sure they will be true and fair.
Everyone needs to get behind the team, They are up against three brilliant Rugby League teams and will need the support and encouragement of every single PNGean. Forget about tribalism and all of that nonsense, support these boys.
I agree with annon, Neville Costigan does not deserve a place in Kumuls team! He rejected us and why fukn selecting him for???!! Looking for players or what? There are lot of home grown real PNGean that can play better than Costigan.
Hey he made it quite obvious that he for the life of him cannot relate to his maternal side of the family and the country and during that time in Australia it was very upsetting, and now em tanim na make em yet avaliable, please, he cant even get a run on in the Raiders for a while now. He just looking for exposure to get back in the QLD fold, trust me. Only time will tell.
We need players with heart and soul to play for the country not mercenaries with hidden agenda and displaced adn wavering loyalty.
Neville Costigan? Get rid of him in the team. We needed folks who can play for the pride of his heritage, not some quarter misfits who have nothing to identify with. He does not remember PNG so why bring him into the team. Please get rid of Him.! Give an exposure to some local PNG boy to wear that Black & Gold with pride. No matter what!!
On a positive side - Costigan and Aizue will be a deadly frontrow combination with the Penrith Panthers Hooker!
Costigan and Aizue will provide the beef upfront and I know for sure they will lead from the front. One has to look at the way these two guys have been carrying the ball upfront in NRL (Costigan) and Aizue (Super League). Without a shawdow of doubt they both probably for the very first time provide PNG with the muscle and experience upfront. They've battled it out with other world class props & forwards in their various competitions and they are 'battle hardened' super fit athletes.
Costigan may have said what he said because he probably do not truly remember much about PNG (so let us not hold anything against him). Let We have the 3 big nations in the pool and with NRL and superleague experiences behind our guys - I believe for the first time anything is possible.
I know the homebred guys will be determined to make a name for themselves - and they will all play well.
Costigan selection is a joke! He's an Ausie. Kick that bastard out of the Kumul Team! PNG Kumul must be represented by REAL PNGean who are proud to be Papua New Guinean. Not some idiots who try to make name for themselves.
Well done selection team! There is fairness in the selection. A mixture of Home grown and Overseas based players is the way to go.... we cannot afford to replace Costigan and put a local league boy in... we have to look at the big picture. I think PNG Kumuls now have a little more respect with Costigan added to the combination... To Costigan critics, do not be led astray by the negativity of our media...we do not know this person personnally...
Its OK he been selected, just hope he's match fit by the 25th of October.
He also needs to lose about 10kg, if not he'll be no use to the Kumuls.
I think loyalty and form should be the order of the day for the run on side.
'Costigan' Why him now when he himself chose to an Aussie Rep then PNG. Why care so much now when we have heaps of proud PNG players the experienced and the inexperienced, both international and national.Give the inexperience the experience they need especially the proud Papua New Guineans to run along with the experienced coze the world will still come again after 2008.
'Costigan' Why him now when he himself chose to be an Aussie Rep then PNG. Why care so much now when we have heaps of proud PNG players the experienced and the inexperienced, both international and national.Give the inexperience the experience they need especially the proud Papua New Guineans to run with the experienced in this World cup coze it will still come again after 2008.
Sat, 25 Oct 08 19:00 Dairy Farmers Stadium, Townsville England v PNG
Sat, 1 Nov 08 19:00 Skilled Park, Gold Coast New Zealand v PNG
Sun, 9 Nov 08 19:00 Dairy Farmers Stadium, Townsville PNG v Australia
I F*cking hate this draw, what they think PNG is not good enough for Lang Park or the SFS
bloody racist k*nts
If they want to give PNG the full advantage the Matches should be played at 1pm.
Just get rid of Costigan. Em bilong wanem hap. Can someone prove that he belongs to PNG? Leave him back in Australia where he belongs. Why go poaching for someone who does not have the pride and heart of a nation. Its pride and heritage that we play for, not the scoreboard.! Replace Costigan with some people who truely love this country.
GET RID OF THIS AUSSIE ****!!
WE NEED PROUD PAPUA NEW GUINEANS TO BE IN THE TEAM. NOT SUM A'HOLES WHO CUDN'T MANAGE TO SECURE A SPOT IN THE KANGAROOS!!!
stupid dumb arse, we need overseas players too. you think pom based players will match the mighty kangeros and lions? typical png dumb arse attitude...always using a minute issue to drum up negative views on others. show respect and if you disagree with something provide an educated contructive criticism..instead of using words like..'kans' etc etc....
Yumi toktok long on stone head ya lusim!!!! Kan em stap long lips blong ol olgeta time...
Traim rivesim same toktok igo long em. Bai em pilim bikpela pen.
Selection has started and Gene, Costigan, Aizue, are on the top of the list. Whether you like it or not who are you. why are you taking it so personally. Shame on you!! Just By looking at your post we can tell where you are from. Whos sympathy are you trying to win?
This fello is a flyer and although skinny is a karr-bump mero. Winger blo Manly mi tok......i was surprised to see his name in the selection team. em better then Wilshire......anyone know which part this fello is from...i would think Daru mix...mi no save...anyone?????
Further to the discussion of who should play for PNG, if you have to look at the form some of these half-cast and quarter-cast who play club rugby league and will never make it in the NRL or Super League so why they are selected is beyond me.
As for Costigen he is like 10kg over weight and is really not match fit so why he was selected is also a question.
PNG should look at what QLD state of Origin team did in the eighties and based their team on talent, willingness, loyalty and heart, these guys really wanted to play for Qld and they would die for their state on the field. Also when state of origin first started NSW players were payed 3 times the amount as Queenslanders, but this did not stop Qld from playing their best as it had nothing to do with money at the time.
This is the sort of mentally and attitude that PNG needs and we should be only be picking players
who really want to play for this Country, not just heap of wanna-bees that that in the future will want boast to their grand children that they played in the 2008 world cup.
I think players picked from overseas, should be asked to play for free for the love of our nation, to find out where their loyalty really lies.
Money, glory, whatever, pick players that want to play for this nation and will give 100%, not some internationals that just want their names in some record book.
And in any case nobody ever plays for free except our home boys, the world cup committee would be giving out match fee payments appearance fees etc.
This is the world cup so sponsorship deals will be quite big as well as television rights.
This world cup is also a good opportunity for our home grown players to get discovered if they play well.
Okay okay okay...klia wans yupla belhat lo Costigan. But tingim displa, husait givim okay lo em bai pilai lo Kumuls. whoever did this is the culprit everyone should be sodomising.....ahem..mi sore lo whoever he is honest...hehehe
lets cut the Costigan crap and look at the more important issue. October is just around the corner so why the Fck are the kumuls not training now. Select the bloody 26 man squad now and ge the training going asap. WHAT? are we going to wait till fckn october???? HEEELLL NO!!! wake up PNGRFL. pull ya fingaz outta ya holes and start moving. if we are to get our players fit for this world cup then now is the time to lose that extra 10kg everyone is talking about. We are not in a pool of last bets so we can stroll in with our SP in hand and win easily. We are in a POOL OF DEATH so theres no time to waste. the World Cup is more important then any game we play. KAAARRR! git yo a$$e$ moving.
Neville Costigan must publicly apologise to the people on PNG before he lays his hands on the Red Black and Gold, otherwise he really doesn't deserve to play for PNG as he is not one of us.
Michael Bani, he is alright to either play for PNG or Aust, the T.I people and the kiwais can legally cross borders.
But this S O A B Costigan must kneel own na apologise, PNG loosim 1st game, bai me tokim ol mangi PNG long brukim teeth long em
Selection seems good so far 4 the Kumuls i dont care really about Costigan but he must really has his heart in it as there r other good players in the SP cup that can take his place.
1 other player i wouldnt mind seeing including in the Squad is Junior Ropra from the Lahanis he has got size and strength that can match the other props n will go well with Maka n other front rowers.
Another thing the squad seems pretty much the same as the touring squad as last year.. I agree with most of the squad except maybe some of these younger guys in the 2nd tier comps of Australia...
Although I do remember Lammy saying Trevor Exton was 1 of the best.
Besides that we need 2 play with our hearts n heads n m excited 2 watch the likes of Omae n Nicko Slain, Mezie Yere, Michael Mark and of course Maka n Gene playing.
Maybe we could get Mack Siwi in he's still got the step n dummy....
Poor bloke was drunk when he was interviewed and he was playing good enough footy to have a look in for a position with the Kangaroos at that time.
He's fallen by the wayside since then so give him a break, he's come to his senses and wants to mend his ways. Give him a chance.
Kumuls are in the best pool to get into the finals. They can beat the overconfident Kiwis and POMs and will quialify in the semifinals and place the first placed team in the lower ranked pool.
So please support our boy regardless of who they are. they are representing us PNG!!
As for me I don't care who they pick as long as there are no Centrals is the side, these guys are too soft for this game and should stick Cricket or some easy game that suites thier built.
The side should be picked of mainly Higlands as we are strong and have the strongest players in our national comp.
Just have a look at the comp in PNG today and that will give you an idea how far the game has progressed. More emphasis on agression and no techniques. Only animals playing so its just straight forward hitups and stiff arm tackles, spear tackles, kungfu........and the overseas teams are going beat the **** out of you highlanders with sort of attitude.
Only your mouth and words are strong, but when it comes down to selection more Highlands get selected over Centrals and the main reason is we actually can play the game better and we also support the game in PNG better than any other provinces.
You deserve the kumul jersy you have shown true maturity and disicipline on and off the field and proved to the selectors that you are the best. You have brought the Baby Eagles into it's first grand final after ten years of absence in footy finals. You are the mastermind and little chief in the Baby Eagles success this season, goodluck in your game ..You yet you Best
Sailor, Tongue picked in PM's XIII to Play PNG in Pom
September 17 2008, 12:04 AM
Sailor, Tongue picked in PM's XIII
19:07 AEST Tue Sep 16 2008
Wendell Sailor has been named on the wing in the 18-man Prime Minister's XIII team.
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View more Super Stories > Canberra NRL toiler Alan Tongue finally earned his first representative jumper as the individual honours continued to catch up with the under-rated Raiders skipper.
Tongue was named in the Prime Minister's XIII to play Papua New Guinea on September 28 in a team that also includes former Wallaby Wendell Sailor in a shock return to rep football.
Versatile Canberra lock Tongue's selection caps a superb 2008 for the workhorse just a week after he claimed the Dally M lock and captain of the year awards.
Tongue revealed on Tuesday he was called into the side last year but had to turn down the opportunity to travel to Port Moresby as he was already on a family holiday.
"Last year I did get a call to be a late inclusion because somebody pulled out through injury but I was actually on my family holiday on the other side of Australia when they called and I only had a couple of days notice to get there," he said.
"It is my first team and I am looking forward to it.
"I won't be missing this one."
Tongue was one of four Raiders picked on Tuesday - along with Terry Campese, Joel Monaghan and Joe Picker - as Canberra had the largest representation in the 18-man squad.
St George Illawarra winger Sailor was included after just eight NRL games into his league comeback and seven years after he last pulled on a rep jumper in the 13-man game.
Parramatta star Nathan Hindmarsh reignited his rep career by being named captain while Jarryd Hayne, Scott Prince, Carl Webb, Luke O'Donnell and Craig Wing are the other former Kangaroos picked in the side.
Hindmarsh is one of eight members named on Tuesday who were not listed in the Australian World Cup shadow squad of 46 announced last month.
Dragons winger Josh Morris, Wests Tigers duo Chris Heighington and Chris Lawrence (18th man), Newcastle's Cory Paterson and Canberra trio Tongue, Campese and Picker were also plucked from obscurity for the clash with the Kumuls.
The PM's side is selected from the 10 NRL clubs no longer alive in the 2008 title race but there were notable omissions on Tuesday including Johnathan Thurston, Steve Simpson, Justin Poore, Anthony Laffranchi, Kurt Gidley, Ben Creagh, Matt Cooper, Petero Civoniceva and Danny Buderus.
Test incumbents Thurston, Gidley and Civoniceva are automatic World Cup selections if fit while Laffranchi, 18th man for the Centenary Test, is also expected to be in that 24-man squad named on October 6.
The clash with the Kumuls will be Australia's only World Cup warm-up game and will help solve some selection headaches, but Tongue isn't holding out much hope he'll earn a shock Kangaroo jumper.
"That would be outstanding obviously, but I wasn't named there (shadow squad) to start of with and I'm not thinking it will go much further than this," Tongue said.
"Either way it's a great honour to be able to do it. I'm really looking forward to getting over there and playing my first sort of rep game."
