The P-Factors in Lahanis

*Dedicated to the Bintangor Goroka Lahanis Team, Management and Loyal Fans.

A very belated congratulation to the Bintangor Goroka Lahanis for victoriously lifting the last B-Mobile Cup, and a not-so-belated congratulation for triumphantly lifting the first Digicel Cup. They have made all rugby-crazed Eastern Highlanders proud.

 What is their secret ‘X’ factor, if there is one? Can it be exposed to the public? Obviously, it’s a no, no, no and no! No sane army general would reveal his attacking plans to the enemy, nor will the brilliant Peter Danga.

   Let me share my observational dissection of rugby league in PNG, particularly the factors that propel teams to victory each year. Since I am not a sports commentator a sports prophet, be hesitant to believe every word in my article. 

Home-crowd Advantage

For the Lahanis, most of their games in each round of the Digicel Cup this year were played at home soil, at the National Sports Institute. Critics and even sport commentators in the NRL say that there is the home-crowd advantage, which plays a major role in victory.

   Well, the Lahanis proved that wrong when they buried the Gurias in their own graveyard at Kalabong Oval. They also beat the Vipers at Lloyd Robson Oval in Port Moresby, though they lost to the Mioks, Warriors and Tigers in their respective home ground.

   The home-crowd factor carries negligible advantage when you consider the fact that the Kangaroos always win in PNG soil, not to mention the recent victory by the Fiji Batis over the  Kumuls in Hagen last week.  

Experience and Skills

What about having a team made up of very experienced and skilled players? Can it contribute to fuel the team into the finals, and eventual victory?

   Well the only experienced players in Gurias that I can think of are Togap and Hondole, but they led a bunch of young debutants into the Digicel Cup grand final against the Lahanis. Contrastingly, the Hela Wigmen had a bunch of skilled and experienced players in the likes of Larsen Marabe, Jessie Joe Parker, Richard Kambo, Michael Mark and Nixon Kolo, but they fail to taste even the sweetness of the semis.

   Experience and skills, therefore, are not major factors in victory. 

Coaching Staff

With Shane Morris, an NRL player, as the coach of Vipers, one would expect the Vipers to crawl into the finals and sting Lahanis. It didn’t happen. Gene failed to motivate Kumuls to perform well in the Four Nations last year, even with the assistance of Peter Danga. Michael Marum successfully coached the Gurias into the finals, and teams under Wayne Bennett always make it to the top eight.

   The coaching staff do play some role in making a team perform well, but only in combination with other factors, including mind-playing the players. 

The P Factors

   Instilled and installed in the Lahanis, and a few other teams, are the P Factors - Patriotism and Provincial Pride.

   All the players in Lahanis are picked from local rugby league competitions, and as such, most are Eastern Highlanders. Those that are not from EHP are residents of Eastern Highlands, who have been trained in the local leagues to find a spot in the Lahanis. Never has Lahanis ‘bought’ a player from other provinces. In fact, they produce for the other teams to buy.

   This practice has cemented in the players the P factors. With a patriotic spirit, they would play with the aim to raise the red, green and yellow flag. This has become the one strong motivation for their strong performances that are paid off with victory. The thought of playing for their province would subdue every thought of losing the game, and catapult them into giving their best to win the match. Chanting the 'Neneve' chants, backed up by the 'Tru Ave' chants from the loyal supporters, they would sacrifice their personal pride for the provincial pride.

   Such is also the spirit in the Gurias.

   Another P factor, however, still lacks in the Lahanis, and most of the other Digicel Cup teams. They have a weak Psyche. They lack a strong mind that can resist intimidation.

   A strong mind that endures intimidation from the home-crowd is a major factor that cripples a visiting team. Lahanis would have beat the Warriors and the Mioks had they been mentally strong to resist intimidation from the rival supporters. There wasn’t much intimidation from the well-behaved Gurias supporters in Kalabong so Lahanis returned victorious. Combined with a strong mind and excellent skills, the Kangaroos always snatch victory from the Kumuls on their home soil, as did the Batis. 

Though the Lahanis have the home-crowd advantage, their victories were not wholly dependent on it.  Nor was it entirely on coach Danga, nor the skills and experience of the fully home-grown players. It was the P-factors that propelled them to many final appearances, and the two consecutive grand final victories. They are not just patriots, but true patrioteer. They played with provincial pride rather than their personal pride. And if they can strengthen their psyche, and train their minds to resist intimidation, they will emerge as one of the unbeatable. And if you bring up the Manly Sea Eagles against the Goroka Lahanis at NSI, you can be sure that the Lahanis will give them a tough competition!

   On that note, our beloved Kumuls will never defeat the Kangaroos if the players continue to wear the red, black and gold jerseys with personal pride rather than a national pride. I wish them well in tomorrow’s match against the Batis, and hope they will play with a patriotic spirit and a national pride! 

A patriotic spirit, provincial or national pride and a strong psyche – these are essential elements when combine with good skills and a good management team, that any rugby team in and from PNG need, if they are to perform, na stap long fom!