New Zealand was too strong for Papua New Guinea in Sunday’s Pacific Championships finale, as Shaun Johnson bowed out of professional rugby league with five try assists.
Coming into the contest, there was fresh hope for the Kumuls off the back of two impressive victories over Fiji and the Cook Islands.
Red Devils star, Nene Macdonald was by far the standout, picking up two Player of the Match medals for his imperious performances at fullback.
He and his PNG teammates earned a chance at promotion to the competition’s top tier, taking on the Kiwis at the CommBank Stadium.
However, it was 18-year-old Casey McLean who stole the show on debut, scoring four tries to power the world No.2’s into a commanding lead.
Keano Kini also ran for 301 metres from 20 runs at fullback and on McLean’s opposite wing, Jamayne Isaako racked 24 of the Kiwis’ 54 points on their way to victory.
For the Kumuls, Macdonald did show glimmers of his red-hot form – running for 116 metres across the contest.
Teammate, Jeremiah Simbiken was outstanding in the back-row, completing 47/49 tackles.
For our super centre now, it’s time for rest after a long, demanding season before preparations kick-start for another successful 2025.
