Eliab looking forward to the season (Post Courier 06/01/17)

 Israel Eliab (Red Shorts) during training.

By FIDELIS SUKINA

Inaugural SP PNG Hunters Captain Israel Eliab is happy with his return to the Hunters as he anticipates a strong performance this year.

He was hard at training with the Hunters yesterday, and looked to have put on some weight, but he is raring at the opportunity and proved himself to be in the final 29 man squad.

Eliab said it was great to be back, he made a choice to leave the country and get some exposure overseas and was glad he made that choice, and is pleased that he learned a few things that he can pass on to the team.

“I had an offer to go overseas and I took that offer to get some experience and come back to PNG and improve my game and rugby in PNG.

“It’s an awesome feeling to get back from the London Broncos I missed the team very much going away playing with other players overseas, but I still followed the team and their progress last year and they didn’t do that well towards the end of the season,” Eliab said

He said it was a tough pre season training which he described as one of the toughest in his rugby league career so far.

“I can say this is one of the hardest pre season training in my rugby league career coming into training and just going straight into training doing a six Kilometer on the first day and the next was really tough for me,” Eliab said

He was the number six five-eight during his tenure with the Hunters but right now Eliab is looking more at a utility position in the team something he had been use too in his time at the London Broncos last year.

“I really didn’t get to play much five-eight in the London Broncos I was more a utility in the team last year but I will be flexible with it I can play in the Center and the Lock if needed,” Eliab said

His focus for a comeback to team Kumul hasn’t changed but is set to take his game one match at a time.

“I will be taking the game one match at a time, I am looking forward to our first trial match against the Northern Pride on Saturday February 18 and after that look forward to the normal season and look to make the finals as well, and hopefully make the world cup,” Eliab said