PNG Kumuls Debutant , Emmanuel Waine emulates his uncle

Emmanuel Waine speaks with genuine emotion about his upcoming PNG LNG Kumuls debut against Fiji in the  PacificTest on Saturday.

Of mixed parentage from Jiwaka and Simbu, the 25-year-old is following in the footsteps of his trailblazing uncle to represent the Kumuls – something he never thought he would achieve.

PNG Kumuls Debutant , Emmanuel Waine amulates his uncle

“My uncle, Goie Waine, was Kumul #128 and made his debut in 1990 against New Zealand in Goroka,” Emmanuel explains. “When we were growing up, he used to say to me and my seven brothers, ‘I was once a Kumul, but I don’t know if you guys will make it or not’. Hearing that from him always made me think about being a Kumul. There are not many rugby league players from where we come from in Jiwaka, and I’m the first once since him to play for the Kumuls.

“After I got the news I called my uncle in Jiwaka and he was crying, he was so happy. Yesterday he video called me while I was here in Kumuls camp. He was with my parents, who had just gone to buy a new TV and generator to make sure they can watch the game on Saturday. I was with Justin Olam so he talked to them too, and we were all excited.”

While Goie Waine made just two appearances for the Kumuls, nephew Emmanuel hopes to surpass that. “For as long as I play rugby league, my dream is to play as often for the Kumuls as David Mead did,” reveals Emmanuel. “I don’t want to be a one-time Kumul.

“When I run out for  PNG on Saturday I’ll be thinking of my family, the legacy of my uncle, my Mum who worked so hard to raise us nine kids, and everyone in my province who has always supported me with positivity in my rugby league career.”

Statement

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