Albert welcomes Ward's appointment to PNG coaching staff

St George Illawarra prop Elsie Albert is looking forward to working with former clubmate Meg Ward during Papua New Guinea’s World Cup campaign.

Ward, the three-time NRLW premiership winner with the Broncos, has returned to Brisbane after beginning her coaching career at the Dragons and will be trying to plot the downfall of the Red V when the two teams meeting on Saturday at AAMI Park.

The 27-year-old is also be a member of the PNG Orchids coaching staff for the upcoming World Cup.

“Meg is on the roster as assistant coach and that will be good for us at PNG,” Albert said.

“I am pretty excited that she has accepted the role, it is good to have a woman on the coaching staff. She will be great.”

The former Jillaroos star, who played in the 2017 World Cup, signed with St George Illawarra for the postponed 2021 NRLW competition played earlier this year but did not manage a game in the Red V jersey after undergoing neck surgery last October.

She joined the coaching ranks at the Dragons before moving back to Brisbane and was invited by Orchids coach Ben Jeffries to help him prepare the team for the World Cup.

“She just brings energy and being a three-time NRLW premiership winner she has a wealth of experience, as well,” Albert said.

“I have played against her as a player and I have been coached by her as well last season when she was at the Dragons. It is easy to talk to her, she is really open and she is just really good at what she does.”

Albert captained the Orchids in their last Test when they upset England 20-16 and after being drawn in the same pool as the host nation, along with Canada and Brazil, PNG fancy their chances of making it to the semi-final stage.

“We haven’t played since 2019 against England. That is the last Test we played and we won,” Albert said.

“We don’t want to get ahead of ourselves, but it is a really good pool we are in.”

Albert is one of four players in the Orchids squad with NRLW experience, including former Dragons team-mate Shellie Long, ex-Eels hooker Therese Aiton and former Broncos prop Jessikah Reeves, who has previously represented Queensland Under 18s.

There are just four survivors from the 2017 World Cup - Shirley Joe, Carol Humeu, Gloria Kaupa and Vero Waula - in a squad which includes 11 debutants.

Jeffries believes young playmakers Lila Malabag and Elizabeth Kapa could be the nation's long term halves pairing after naming them in a 23-player squad for the World Cup.

Malabag debuted against England in 2019 while Kapa has emerged from the PNG schoolgirls’ competition and Jeffries said they would vie with Joe for the playmaking roles at the World Cup.

The PNG Orchids squad is:

Anika BUTLER
Belinda GWASAMUN
Bethshiba AWOI
Carol HUMEU
Elizabeth KAPA
Elsie ALBERT
Essay BANU
Gloria KAUPA
Jessikah REEVES
Joanne LAGONA
Lila MALABAG
Lisa-Marie ALU
Martha MOLOWIA
Michelle JOHN
Roswita KAPO
Sareka MOOKA*
Sera KOROI
Shae-Yvonne DE LA CRUZ
Shellie LONG
Shirley JOE
Talita KUNJIL
Therese AITON
Vero WAULA

*Sareka Mooka’s selection is subject to final confirmation of eligibility.