By GABRIEL KATUHO
SP PNG Hunters’ recruit Norman Akunai has transitioned from swimming to rugby league and earned himself a spot in Coach Paul Aiton’s 30-man squad.
During a recent interview, he highlighted his transition from swimming to rugby league and outlined his adaptation in the preseason.
Akunai grew up in a swimming family where his siblings were all part of the swimming sport in Port Moresby. With their father who always stressed on discipline through sports, swimming has everything he long for.
He joined the swimming team with his siblings and was part of the Boroko swimming club in his early age. Back in the primary school he was part of the swimming club until during Covid 19 when Taurama Aquatics center was used for vaccinations.
Akunai had to take a break where he went to secondary school education doing grade 11 and then one of his big brother, Raymond Batier called him up and introduced him to one of the team that takes part in the Port Moresby Rugby Football League (POMRFL), The Dobo Warriors.
Batier told him if he wanted to try out with Dobo Warriors club so he joined them. “That time I was gaining weight, I was overweight so I said to myself, why not,” he expressed.
Young Akunai joined Dobo Warriors and started training with them. He played his first and second year with the team. He was fortunate enough to have been selected through the zone selection for under 20 and got selected in the 2023 junior Kumuls squad under Coach Joe Grimma.
After his performance in the Junior Kumuls he clocked the first call up to be part of the 2023 Hunters preseason squad, however he did not make it through that year.
“It was really tough, I couldn’t bear with the intensity of the training and got released by coach Paul Aiton. Aiton said go back and just work on your fitness and hopefully get the spot back in. I’m grateful that I came back,” he reiterated.
He said swimming was big on discipline compared to rugby league that is why their parents especially father wanted him and his siblings to be discipline in their lives and in education too.
It was hard taking a turn to choose rugby League as he described his father was not happy at first, however did not say much.
His brother and sister who were once in the swimming team parted ways in terms choosing other careers apart from sports after Covid 19.
“I got a big brother and one small sister, they are all part of the swimming family. We all gave a break during Covid time. Now my big brother is working, my other big brother was with the Dabaris and then he asked for release and now he is focused on school now, while I’m just gambling school and rugby at the same time,” he stated.
It has been a long journey for Akunai coming into the squad when he sustained a torn shoulder ligament and had to go for a nine months’ rehabilitation. During his rehabilitation period the staff took great care of him to recover.
The road to recovery was not easy, it is hard to get back on the fitness level but he is grateful for the coaching staffs for the immense work done to help him back into the pitch and finally make it into Aiton’s final 30-man squad.
The Hunters had two blocks of preseason. Last year they had almost seven weeks of intense training and went for a break for the festive season. After new year the preseason continued into block two with all focus glued on building combination around the players.
Last year many of the former Hunters were players left the club. About six players from Hunters; Morea Jnr, Alex Max, Robert Mathias, Epel Kapinias, Finley Glare, Gairo Voro were selected by PNG Kumuls and London Broncos Coach Jason Demetriou to London. Hooker Judah Rimbu and Hunters speed star Solo Wane got selected by the Brisbane Tigers in QRL Hostplus cup competition, while Center Brandon Nima and five-eight Joshua Lau resigned for personal reasons. This has left a big gap in the team with coaching staff looking at possible replacement for the vacancies.
Akunai is one of the new players who are looking at perfecting their positions to shield the vacancies.
“there is a lot of new boys in. It has been good for the coaching staff and the boys here have provided us with the atmosphere that is welcoming to learn and to absorb from their experience and skills,” Akunai said.
After the first trial in Cairns with the Northern Pride Akunai recapped on several errors made on the field and have worked on it during the training.
For the young prop the game was really good in terms of attack, less drop balls and an impressive attacking style in the 20 to 16 points defeat against Pride. It showed that the team have perfected the defense with a sign of connectedness in the middle.
He said before the second trial against Ipswich Jets at Goroka that the team needed to maintain the same aggressiveness in the defense and also stay calm around the ruck and work on ball security.
Akunai and the other new players gave an impressive performance at the packed National Sports Institute (NSI) field but lost by eight points to visiting Jets.
Coach Aiton made it clear that there was no guarantee for any player in the starting line-up. Every player is battling to fit into that spot and the challenge between the old and the new players is intense.
“The older boys are giving us the challenge in their action alerting us that they are here and we just can’t get it on a golden plate so we are battling out on the field every day. We just have to get the specific things that the coach wants so we could earn our spot in the team,” Akunai said.