THE latest Papua New Guinea National Rugby League Competition franchise the EMK Sepik Pride has confirmed the signing of two more SP Hunters experience players.
Following the signing of Puara Wartovo Junior, the club has again locked in the second rowers Joe Frank and Francis Kembis. Both the players have left the Hunters pre-season camp and officially signed their contract with Pride last Friday.
EMK Sepik Pride Chief Executive Officer, Arnold Krewanty expressed that the signing is to add depth to the franchise.
He said the team is taking in players with the understanding to look after their players welfare.
He said the club is on its second phase to recruit six elite players and this two are part of it.
“Today (Friday February 17, 2023) I have with me Joey Frank and Francis Kembis here to sign their contracts,” Krewanty said.
EMK Sepik Pride’s naming right sponsor Emmanuel Kange also added that they are signing their elite and development players and will continue with their camp in Wewak.
“We are looking forward to get at least some experience guys who already have some good exposures in intercity. Up in our camp we got raw talents so we are getting this (elite players) guys up there to actually assist them in terms of rugby league development and helping them to understand on how to work and play under pressure,” Mr Knage said.
He said this is a long way plan to develop a pool of talent in East and West Sepik to play rugby league in the next 2-3 years’ time.
Pride now has the expertise of Wartovo, Watson Boas and the recently signed Kembis and Frank in the team for season 2023.
Moreover, Krewanty added that with contract issues popping up from England’s Doncaster rugby league club regrading Boas, the Pride management are in talks with the Doncaster to get it shorted out.
Doncaster claimed in a statement that Boas is still in contact with them until 2024. However, He decided to sign for the Pride and therefore Pride looking at getting the player cleared.
“I just want to let the people and the rugby league fraternity know that we are in communication with the management of Doncaster and hope that in the next coming days we will get that resolved. We don’t want to step on anyone’s toes when we are signing players. We just want to make sure that players that have contractual agreement in place, we don’t want them to breach that because at the end of the day it’s going to affect their football career and also the reputation of EMK Sepik Pride and we are not about that,” Krewanty said.
“We are about looking after the welfare of the players. So we want to have an open communication with all the rugby league playing nations including England as well.”
The team management is looking at moving to all its new signings to Wewak later this week to full swing their season preparations.
