PNG Rugby Star Edene Gebbie Awaits Full Fitness for Debut with Whitehaven Rugby League Club

PNG Rugby Star Edene Gebbie Awaits Full Fitness For Debut With Whitehaven Rugby League Club [Photo credit : Whitehaven Rugby League]

Papua New Guinea international Edene Gebbie is diligently working to attain peak fitness before making his debut with the Whitehaven Rugby League Club. Having recently joined the club during the final stages of preseason, Gebbie, a former SP PNG Hunter, missed the recent Cumbrian derby against Barrow Raiders in the 1985 Cup fixture on Sunday, where Whitehaven suffered a 12-18 defeat at ORTUS Rec, United Kingdom.

Jonty Gorley, the head coach of the club, explained that Gebbie has acclimatized well but requires additional time to ensure he is fully prepared before donning the No.1 jersey. In an interview with BBC Cumbria Sports, Gorley stated, "He’s only been in the country a couple of weeks. I don’t think we’re playing him next week. He is a bit off, to be fair, and our team is working that out."

---

Gorley emphasized Gebbie's need for more fitness sessions and rehabilitation before making his on-field appearance. "Edene will be getting plenty of fitness sessions with the guys going through rehab. I don’t know what the Halifax pitch would look like next week and see what the weather’s like, but he needs another couple of weeks to train and get fit before we see him play."

Despite expectations that Gebbie would participate in Sunday's game, his fitness level led to his exclusion from the starting lineup, disappointing eager fans. Gebbie, a Kumul winger, is part of a notable recruitment drive aimed at strengthening Gorley’s squad for the upcoming Betfred Championship in the 2024 season.

With experience in the NRL development system, having been associated with South Sydney Rabbitohs and West Tigers, Gebbie's expertise is expected to be a valuable addition to Whitehaven's backline. However, due to ongoing efforts to attain full fitness, Gebbie will miss the upcoming weekend's clash against the Halifax Panthers in the third round of the challenge cup.

Also read

• ​PNG LNG Kumuls Team To Face Fiji Bati