NOTHING but raw passion flared when the spirited Papua New Guinea Hunters
fought back in the second half to ward off a classy Ipswich Jets 40-22, with Jason Tali bagging a hat-trick of try and Garry Lo scoring his 22nd tries in 23 games. Tali and inspirational hooker Wartovo Puara Junior shared the man-of-the-match honours in what was a pulsating Round 23 match in front of a packed to the rafters Kalabond Stadium in Kokopo, East New Britain, buzzing with an estimated 5000 fans, a good number of whom were primary and high school students. Lacking the aggressive attacking attitude of David Loko, Adam Korave and George Benson, the SP-sponsored team fought back from a 10-point deficit in the first half to hold the Jets to a try-less second half, with Noel Zeming kicking five conversions. Hunters started off timidly in the first set as the Jets displayed class and one wondered whether coach Michael Marum’s decision to stand down Loko and Benson would come back to haunt him. Jets were slick off the mark and within the first two minutes they were already on the Hunters 10-metre line in possession of the ball and Marmin Barba, Brisbane Broncos fullback Ben Barba’s younger brrother, crossed for the first points of the match. Hunters needed an inspirational play to shake them into action and Esau Siune did that with a bone-rattler, on prop Kurtis Lingwoodock deep in the Jets half. The hit saw the Jets forward lose the ball and Hunters winger Adex Wera snuck over the line in the ensuing set. Captain Israel Eliab raised the flags for the home side to take the lead 6-4. But the momentum swing back the Jets’s way with the Ipswich side enjoying a mountain of possession. The Hunters did themselves no favours, conceding consecutive penalties. Former Kumul and Ipswich Jets prop, Rod Griffin, put on a powerful performance for the visitors and added starch to each set with a hard run that always attracted several entusiastic defenders. The Jets continued to probe for openings but some desperate defence Eliab kept the Jets out. But the Jets were not to be denied, with centre Brendon Marshall scoring an unconverted try. Hunters pannicked somewhat and made the mistake of trying to play catch-up. That resulted in Barba intercepting a Thompson Tete pass to race 80m to score under the posts for a 14-6 lead. The Ben Walker-coached side kept on the pressure and Marshall plucked a Dane Philips coss-field kick to score and take the 20-6 lead with a successful conversion. Hunters fought back late in the half, with Jason Tali crashing over in the 47th munite to give the Kokopo fans some hope. The halftime score was 20-10. Whatever Marum told his men at the break seemed to work as the home side played the second 40 on the front foot. Eliab shifted to a play-making role, making way for Albert Patak, while No.6 Dion Aiye moved to his familiar locking position. The move proved a masterstroke as Eliab inspired his side with more touches of the ball while taking on more defensive responsibility. Halfback, Roger Laka started the Hunters comeback, regathering his own grubber and sending in Willie Minoga for the first try of the second stanza, which Zeming converted to get the Hunters within four at 20-16. Sebastian Pandia off-loaded in heavy traffic to a flying Tali, who virtually came from nowhere to score his second try. Zeming added the extras for the Hunters to finally wrest the lead away from the stubborn Jets 22-20. An incisive Lawrence Tu’u run provided the time and space for Puara to get his pack firmly on the front foot as the crowd roared on the Hunters. Puara then scored the try of the day, starting a break from dummy half before finishing it off by beating the Jets cover defence to score and dent the visitors’ confidence. At 28-20 the Hunters looked set to go on and put on more points but Ipswich were determined to get back. they kicked a penatly to get within six points. The arm-wrestle continued for before Tali ran in for his third try to take the game out of reach at 34-22 with four minutes remaining. The Queensland Cup’s leading try-scorer, Gary Lo, put the icing on the cake in the 80th minute weaving and shrugging his way over the line to score under the posts as the full time siren sounded. Hunters 40 (J. Tali 3, G. Lo, A. Wera, W. Puara, W. Minoga tries; N. Zemming 5, I. Eliab con) Jets 22 (B. Marshall 2, M. Barba 2 tries; M Barba 2 con, 1 pen) at Kalabond Stadium, Kokopo, East New Britain. The National Comments are closed.
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2022 Results, Draw and Ladder
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Round 1 SP PNG Hunters 16 Mackay Cutters 10 Round 1 Mackay Cutters vs SP PNG Hunters ISC Ladder after Round 6DisclaimerThis is NOT the Hunters Official website and we do not represent them.
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