Muruks train in Madang

Source: The National

STRUCTURAL Bridging Systems Ltd Mendi Muruks, who were on bye last weekend, did not rest on the laurels after their two successive opening round wins.
They took a bus ride north to ‘beautiful Madang’ away from the distractions of Lae city, where they are based, and had bonding and training sessions in the quiet surrounds of the tourist town.
While in Madang, the boys from Mendi, Southern Highlands, trained on Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning.
The Muruks then split the team up into two and played a nine-a-side game with the inclusion of local players from the Souths Warriors Club in the searing midday heat on Sunday as part of their conditioning at the Divine Word University Rugby Park.
After the game, the Muruks had a swimming session at the famous Machine Gun Beach and then watched the Madang rugby league’s selection trial match between Madang Blues and Madang Greens at the Ron Albert Oval.
Yesterday, the Muruks did their usual morning walk, enjoying the tranquil rural scenery of Madang near their accommodation at Jais Aben Resort Hotel, along the North Coast, before hitting the road again for Lae just before noon.
Senior player and team manager, Roderick Puname, said their bonding and training session away from Lae city during their bye, was necessary to  focus on the job ahead.
And the former three-time champs of the SP Cup (now bemobile Cup) competition have a reason for this.
“We have let down our fans, the 650,000 Southern Highlanders and others around the country by making certain decisions that have come to haunt us in the last season,” Puname said.
 “We have realised our mistake and have gone back to the drawing board and given the team back to a bunch of promising young players from our province and other leagues, to prove themselves with the help of a few old hands,” Puname said.
He said since the change in approach, Muruks supporter numbers had increased in the first two games, particularly the second match against Lahanis a fortnight ago.
“We are expecting a bumper crowd for the game against the SNS Port Moresby Vipers in Lae this Sunday,” the Kumul back, who played two tests against Fiji in the Hardware Haus Series in Mt Hagen and Port Moresby last year, said.