YUNNY Patrick first got a call to play in the semi-professional Digicel Cup competition in 2019.
Sadly, on the same year, Patrick’s father passed on, leaving him to take care of his mother and two younger sisters.
2019 was a devastating year that Patrick had to fight hard to remain focus in his rugby league carrier as well as his accounting studies from the Southern Cross University (SCU) through the Institute of Business Studies University (IBSU).
He said it was a great feeling when he got the call to achieve his rugby league dream to play in the Digicel Cup, but he was hit hard when his father died.
Patrick said his father’s death affected him as he was very close to his dad.
“I grew up very close to my dad and when he died, I was down with depression. It may be too early now to say I got everything that a son should adopt from his father. Even though my dad passed away, nothing changes,” Patrick said.
Being the only son, he regretted that his father wasn’t able to live to see his grandchildren and to see him graduate.
“The only thing that I regret is that, as the only son, my father did not live to see his grandchildren and he did not live to see me graduate. Apart from that, I am the definition of the relationship between me and my father. I don’t smoke, I don’t drink and I don’t chew,” he added.
Patrick developed the desire to play rugby at an early age when residing in Wild life, near Erima in Port Moresby.
He took part in local competitions growing up. While playing rugby league, Patrick also joined Harlequins union team making him a dual code player who competed in the Capital Rugby Union competition.
Patrick recalled his time with Harlequins was unique as those moments motivated him to be where he is today.
In 2018, with his man of the match performance, he snatched a win with a golden point field goal that triumph Wadawada United 19- 18 over L & A Bulldogs to claim the Moresby South Rugby League (MSRL) title.
This was the match that put Patrick on the spotlight where he got called by two PNG Rugby League Competition, the Digicel Cup franchise Gulf Iso and NCDC Vipers to make their 2019 train on squad.
A week after MSRL title Patrick was part of the Harlequin union team that claimed the CRU 2018 title over their rivalry, Brothers, to sum up the year.
Patrick then chose Gulf Isou and made his PNGNRLC debut in the 2018 season. Isou missed out on top six that year and Patrick was released by the club the following year.
Patrick later moved on to join the Agmark Gurias in their 2019 preseason, but did not make the final team. He then returned to Port Moresby and later joined NCDC Vipers in 2021. Vipers made the finals but could not finish on top. Patrick was awarded the chairman’s choice award that year. Being named in the pool of experienced players for the 2022 season he was surprised by the club management with the vice-captain responsibility during their season launch.
He said leading the Vipers team was a great experience for him. “It is a privilege and honour to lead the team, it’s a Moresby team and I was happy to lead the team,” Patrick said.
Everything Patrick wanted and worked hard for in rugby league is finally falling in place, but he still has the desire to graduate from the university that keeps knocking at the back of his mind.
While spending most of his time at the rugby field, Patrick said it is self-discipline and time management that enabled him to juggle rugby and studies. He said he did not want to quit rugby because of his studies, however, he managed his time. In that way he gets paid for playing rugby and the money helped him to pay for his studies.
He said in IBS they use modules and for SCU we use black board to do our studies online.
“When I miss classes, I can go online and download the videos. We don’t miss out on anything,” he said.
“I can be playing rugby in Goroka and my colleagues can be having a class at the same time. I can still go online and download it online and stay up to date with the class. This has really benefited me.”
Patrick added that the only challenge he went through is the aftermath of rugby matches. He said the only thing that takes up his time is the painful recovery after a game. Because rugby is a physically contact sport, he ends up recovering from it and that takes up his time to complete some of his assignments.
However, Patrick is happy with his achievements in life and finds satisfaction in his endeavors.
Patrick is confirmed to graduate early next year with an SCU Accounting degree. He was given the option to either graduate in the country at IBSU 11-mile campus or down in Australia.
