Paul Aiton is a very good hooker. He is quick and has a good sense of the game and knows how to score a try. In a trial against the Knights in Alice Springs earlier this year he actually made a break and beat Milton Thaiday one on one and then outpaced the cover to score, that was from about 50m out. He is still only young and will be a major player for the Kumuls in the World Cup. Hopefully by then he will be an established first grader. As for Wayne Bond, also at the Panthers, he is the same, very quick, good skills and quite a decent organiser. He is more in the Preston Campbell mould though and slightly build, might be the only think holding him back at this stage. In saying that, he again will be an important member of the Kumuls team also in years to come. Penrith have one more PNG player in lock/five eighth Keith Peters.
On a side note in regards to PNG players, Balmain Jersey Flegg (U20) player Rod Griffin is playing really well and will no doubt come into consideration for a first grade backrow spot over the next few years at the Wests Tigers. Couple these up and coming players in Sydney with the PNG eligible QLD Cup players like Steve Franciscus, Trevor Exton, Derek Fletcher, Chirs and Michael Bond, Chad Leech and the English based Papuans Mikali Aizue, Stanley Gene, Marcus Bai and John Wilshere and you have the makings of a very strong PNG Kumuls side.
For what it is worth here would be my Kumuls team if picked tomorrow:
1 John Wilshere
2 Derek Fletcher
3 Steve Franciscus
4 Michael Bond
5 Marcus Bai
6 Stanley Gene
7 Wayne Bond
13 Keith Peters
12 (Local)
11 Rod Griffen
10 Trevor Exton
9 Paul Aiton
8 Makali Aizue
and then 4 PNG based players to make the number of 5 locals in the side.
Not a bad looking side at all for the World Cup considering only Macrus Bai and Stanley Gene could be considered "elderly statesmen" and the possible ones of not being there come 2008.
