KEY POINTS:
Papua New Guinea will use the drive for a Port Moresby-based NRL team as motivation to fire up against the Kiwis in their World Cup clash on the Gold Coast on Saturday.
Among those supporting the proposal are Queensland and Australian great Mal Meninga, Prime Minister Michael Somare and the league-mad country's mining industry, which has promised major financial backing.
The Kumuls don't expect to win but they do expect to deliver as stirring a performance as they did when they led England 16-12 at halftime before going down 32-22 in an entertainer at Townsville in round one.
The Kiwis made three changes when they named their side yesterday. Second rower Sika Manu was ruled out of the tournament after he was found to have a fracture to his cheekbone below his right eye which would threaten his sight should it be hit again.
So Setaimata Sa is elevated from the interchange and David Fa'alogo is brought to the bench.
Krisnan Inu replaces suspended Steve Matai and Issac Luke is chosen as back-up hooker ahead of Dene Halatau.
PNG are not being taken lightly. Coach Stephen Kearney expects a fast and physical encounter and rates PNG's coach Adrian Lam. "I know Adrian well and I know they'll be well prepared," Kearney said.
"From watching them play England, we know they're going to be a very committed side. We are not on the Gold Coast for a holiday."
Lam said PNG needed to make the stepping-stone of playing in the Queensland Cup before joining the NRL. The World Cup was "an opportunity to show the world we can compete at the top level and one day maybe beat the top three teams".
First, the country needed to improve the sport's infrastructure. "I think they're looking at 2015, which is a long way away and we've got little steps to take before we get to that."
Kumuls' captain and Salford utility back John Wilshere said the team wanted to show the effort against England was not a one-off.
"We can't just be happy with that performance. As well as everyone played, we haven't achieved a win yet. We not only have to go out there and back that performance up but go out and secure a win."
Kearney said he did not make further changes to the side that lost 30-6 to Australia last weekend because he believed the forward pack did a good job given the amount of defensive work they had to do.
"There are aspects we can improve and we'll be looking to do that this week but I thought overall the forward group did a great job.
"The guys coming off the bench did a wonderful job for us and as a forward pack that's some real momentum to take into this weekend's game."
Fa'alogo, Inu and Luke all played in both the All Golds and Tonga matches in the build-up and so should be reasonably match-fit.
Kumuls utility Jessie Joe Parker, who plays for Rangers in the domestic PNG competition for A$20 ($22.38) a week, has been ruled out after needing stitches to a deep cut above his eye during the game against England.
Sunday's video ref, Englishman Steve Ganson, is the referee.
The Kangaroos have lost utility Kurt Gidley and are down a man for the rest of the tournament after he suffered knee damage in Sunday's game against New Zealand. Scans yesterday found a small piece of cartilage had been knocked off the joint surface of the left patella.
Under World Cup rules, no replacement can be called into the 24-man squads once the tournament starts.
Scans have cleared halfback Johnathan Thurston of any serious shoulder injury after he had pain following the match. He has soft tissue damage to his left shoulder and medical staff are to review his progress before he will be cleared to play what is expected to be a 40,000 sell-out game against England at the Telstra Dome in Melbourne this weekend.
The Kiwis need England to lose, preferably by a lot. The competition needs the opposite.
World Cup organisers have belatedly asked referees to watch for feet-first sliding attempts to kick the ball from attackers in the act of scoring, as Kangaroos fullback Billy Slater did to Jerome Ropati to prevent a try on Sunday.
The Rugby League International Federation said it was contrary to the spirit of the game and players would face contrary conduct charges.
Skilled Park, 9pm Saturday
KIWIS
Lance Hohaia
Sam Perrett
Krisnan Inu
Jerome Ropati
Manu Vatuvei
Benji Marshall
Thomas Leuluai
Nathan Cayless (c)
Nathan Fien
Adam Blair
Simon Mannering
Setaimata Sa
Jeremy Smith
PNG
John Wilshere (c)
George Kepa
Jesse Joe Parker
Tu'u Maori
David Moore
Stanley Gene
Keith Peters
Makali Aizue
Paul Aiton
Trevor Exton
Neville Costigan
J. Nightingale
Rod Griffin.
Kiwis: Issac Luke, Greg Eastwood, Sam Rapira, David Fa'alogo.
Papua New Guinea: Rodney Pora, George Moni, Jason Chan, Charlie Wabo, Jay Aston, Nicko Slain, Anton Kui (three to be omitted).
