Skipper Martin stoked to lead Kumuls against Cook Islands

The PNG Kumuls are fresh and ready to host the Cook Islands Aitu in week 2 of the Pacific Bowl Championships on Saturday, 25th October 2025, at Santos National Football Stadium in Port Moresby.

Both PNG Kumuls and the Cook Islands Aitu have announced their respective 18-man squads today (21st October) ahead of their clash in the nation’s capital. The Kumuls fielded a stacked side, while the Aitu’s line-up remained unchanged. 

In their last five meetings, the Kumuls dominated the Cook Islands and won all five matches. The Aitu have a score to settle with the Kumuls, who are chasing their first victory against the dominant PNG outfit. 

Licking their wounds from a heavy defeat at the hands of the ruthless Fiji Bati in the opening series last weekend (18th October), the Aitu will look to make amends, while the Kumuls, who competed in the PM’s XIII match last month, anticipate starting their campaign with a win. 

Despite going down to the Bati in the opener, Cook Islands coach, Karmichael Hunt, has confidence in the players to compete against the star-studded Kumuls’ outfit, who will come strong to test the Aitu’s mental fortitude. 

“We have some good players in our team. When given the right time with the ball, we can do some damage. We’ll review our performance, look at our wounds, and see where we can do better. Everyone is fairly healthy, so we are in a good position to prepare for the Kumuls,” he said. 

Winning the English Super League premiership with the Hull Kingston Rovers last weekend, PNG Kumuls goal-kicking ace and captain, Rhyse Martin, mentioned that he was happy to be back in the country. 

“It’s great to be back in the country, experience the hot weather and nice sunshine, and interact with the people. I love being back in the country, and I’m looking forward to Saturday,” Martin said. 

“It was an unreal feeling (referring to winning the grand final). After we won it and went inside the dressing room, it was a pretty surreal moment. For me, I ticked all the boxes. For six years, I’ve been over in England, and winning the grand final makes it all worthwhile.”

Martin added that the coaching staff and the selectors had assembled a very decent squad, blending experienced players with emerging talents and crediting the growth of the Kumuls in the last few years. 

“The squad that we have in camp is probably one of the strongest sides we’ve had for a couple of years. One thing that keeps happening is that we keep getting stronger every tournament. There are a lot of guys playing in the NRL and Super League, so the team will only get better and stronger,” he said. 

Skipper Martin heaped praise on upcoming talents like Cooper Bai, Gairo Voro, and Finley Glare, saying that he is excited and looking forward to playing alongside these prospects, including his fellow countrymen.