Papua New Guinea LNG Kumuls captain Rhyse Martin described his final home appearance for the national side as a proud and emotional moment, thanking his teammates, coach, and supporters for making his 12 years representing the country special.

Speaking at the post-match press conference after the Kumuls 64-6 loss to Samoa, an emotional Martin meant every word he said as a proud Kumul and Papua New Guinean.

“I’ve played for the country for 12 years. It’s the last time I got to do it in PNG with my teammates and my brothers that I’ve been doing it with for so long.”

The comments followed Martin’s emotional farewell on home soil, where he was seen carried around the Santos NFS field on the shoulders of his teammates acknowledging the fans for their support over the years; he has represented PNG.

His wife and two kids made his farewell more special as they joined Martin on the field to embrace him and share with him his final moments amongst his teammates and the fans that turned up at the stadium.

He thanked his teammates for the respect they showed, as well as the coach and PNG fans for their support throughout his time with the Kumuls.

Martin said the gesture meant a great deal because it came from the players that he had shared his international career with.

“It was a proud moment because it meant a lot to my team for them to do that for me. I’m just happy that I’ve been able to do it for so long.”

Reflecting on the match, Martin also spoke about the challenges facing Papua New Guinea in international competition, pointing to the need to make better use of the “bunker” and to draw on the experience players gain in the NRL.

He said he had stayed down on several occasions during the match and won penalties, describing such tactics as part of the “little tricks of the trade” that can make a difference in a game.

Additionally, he highlighted the difficulties of managing the bench and coping with the loss of experienced players before and during the competition.

The captain said the progress of PNG players gave him reason to feel optimistic about the team’s future.

He said he wanted to see the country’s players succeed in their careers and believed they had the potential to do so.

“There is going to be so many more that are going to come through the development system, and I’m just excited to see where the team is going to be in the next couple of years.”

Martin described his time with the Kumuls as a long and enjoyable stint. He said one of its most meaningful aspects had been watching teammates develop and build successful careers, while forming relationships he expects to keep for life.

“It’s been nice to see guys go through their careers and do really well for themselves, and then just to build those relationships that I’ll have for the rest of my life.”