Lachlan Lam following in his father's footsteps with PNG

More than 20 years after his father Adrian became a representative trailblazer with Papua New Guinea and Queensland, Lachlan Lam is set to follow the same route at the Rugby League World Cup squad.

PNG

The 19-year-old Sydney Roosters five-eighth has already played for the Maroons under 20s after becoming the first player selected under the State of Origin father-son rule and is now destined for his first PNG Test jersey.

It is a similar path to that taken by his father, who played for the Kumuls at the 1995 and 2000 World Cups, while representing Queensland in 14 Origins during the same period.

He went on to coach PNG at the next World Cup in 2008 and will be involved in the upcoming tournament as an assistant to Australian mentor Mal Meninga, who had charge of the Kumuls in 2013.

“We have got some older players but we are also looking at a team for our future and I have been talking to Adrian Lam and Mal Meninga and all those guys,” PNG coach Michael Marum said.

“Adrian was a former Kumuls captain and we played together. Because he left we don’t have differences amongst ourselves.

“We are still mates and Lachlan is eligible, and he is the best player. We want our best team at the World Cup.”

Lachlan was just three years old when Lam, who was nicknamed the Kumul Kid, played his last Test for PNG and is only old enough to remember his father playing for Wigan between 2001 and 2004.

However, he has been following in his footsteps at the Roosters, where Lam played 146 first grade matches, and is now set to do so at representative level.

Lam will join the other Kumuls player in Port Moresby on Thursday for a camp before they travel to Fiji to play the Kangaroos and Bati in a Tri-Series on 14 October.

Also in the PNG team are Brisbane’s David Mead, who was named captain, St George Illawarra’s Nene McDonald, Cronulla hooker James Segayaro and Canberra utility Kurt Baptiste.

However, South Sydney fullback Alex Johnston was a surprise absentee and Marum said he had been rout out by injury.

“The medical team from the South Sydney Rabbitohs advised him not to take part in the World Cup,” he said.

“That was disappointing. He was going to be our No.1. He spoke to John Wilshire and we have to respect his position and that of the clubs.”

Sheffield Eagles winger Gary Lo was another surprise signing after players were told they needed to be playing NRL, Super League or in the NSW Cup or Queensland Cup competitions.

“He has just signed for two years with the Castleford Tigers so he is doing well and it is a good opportunity to play for his country,” Marum said.

The Kumuls squad includes 10 members of the PNG Hunters team which won the Queensland Cup, including Ase Boas, who was named vice-captain, and his brother Watson.

Other Hunters players include Wartovo Puara, Wellington Albert, Willie Minoga, Stargroth Amean, Nixon Putt, Stanton Albert, Moses Meninga and Enock Maki.

By Brad Walter | @BradWalterSport
Chief Correspondent, RLWC2017