The SP PNG Hunters Coach, says his team needs to work hard to be consistent this year. Michael Marum's observation follows the Hunters' third-straight win in the Intrust Super Cup Competition. The Hunters played their first home-game, when they faced the Tweed Head Seagulls in Port Moresby over the weekend. The Hunters won in a narrow margin of 20-points to 18. The Hunters will travel to Brisbane for their Round 4 match, while their next home-game will be on April 9th. By Tony Webeck The first time Josh Hannay visited Papua New Guinea as a member of a North Queensland Cowboys team in the late 1990s, he and other players encouraged the local kids to help clean up Lloyd Robson Oval with the lure of training gear as a reward. When they returned with a garbage bin full of glass, tin, metal, bolts and nails; members of the Cowboys playing squad looked at each quizzically. “All we were thinking was, ‘Bloody hell, we've got to play on this in two days’ time’,” Hannay recalls. “We were just praying that they got most of it.” When Tweed Heads Seagulls players arrive at Port Moresby’s new National Football Stadium via police escort to take part in the undefeated PNG Hunters' first home game of 2016 this weekend they will be greeted by a far different scene. After two years playing mostly out of Kokopo the Hunters returned to their nation's capital towards the end of the 2015 Intrust Super Cup season to a heroes’ welcome. Hunters games are broadcast on Digicel in PNG and with only a small percentage of the population having access to a digital set-top box, a capacity crowd crammed into a still unfinished Sir John Guise Stadium to watch them play Souths Logan. The Hunters’ ability to qualify for the finals in just their second season last year was testimony to their toughness and natural skill as they prepared each week in makeshift facilities on the island of Kokopo. As in the past two years, the Hunters players will be domiciled together, but this time in Moresby and with access to brand new facilities that were constructed for last year’s Pacific Games and will next year host matches of the 2017 Rugby League World Cup. “It's a big, big change this season from the last two seasons,” coach Michael Marum said. “It was a bit hard on the team, travelling around but we’ve got a base with our new home ground, a training field close by and we're setting up a gym as well. “It's quite easier now with the new facilities there and also for all of our home games there we will be expecting a big turnout. Everyone's looking forward to all of those games in PNG. “The people had only been watching us on TV out of Kokopo when the games were on up there but now as word got out that we were playing at Sir John Guise Stadium people were lining up to get tickets. “There were 15,000 tickets and they sold out within a day so everyone is really behind the team up there.” Joanna Lester spent 12 months on secondment with the NRL working in PNG to develop rugby league pathways and said the impact on the nation has been significant, with the locals revelling in any chance to see their Hunters beat a team from Australia. “When you drive over the top of the hill on the freeway in Port Moresby, you are greeted by a huge Hunters billboard before you turn the corner and the spectacular harbour comes into view,” Lester said. “The excitement is partly about the Hunters brand, partly about how good they are, and partly about the chance to see them play and beat Australian teams. The standard of the Hunters is really far, far better than other rugby league in PNG. “The players – who are now household names – remain very humble despite their relatively rapid rise to a totally different lifestyle and are incredibly grateful for the opportunity they have been given.” With sell-out crowds expected for every home game played at the National Football Stadium this year, game-day will be a vastly different experience for many of the visiting players from Intrust Super Cup teams. But rather than being daunted by a pre-game atmosphere that Hannay likened to a State of Origin build-up, the Souths Logan coach says visiting teams can use the greatly reduced travel time and the incredible spectacle to their advantage. “We obviously sensed that we were going to be part of something pretty special for PNG and Port Moresby and rugby league over there and that certainly was the case,” said Hannay, whose Magpies were the first Intrust Super Cup team to play a premiership match against the Hunters in Moresby last year. “Getting the bus to the ground on the day of the game, it was almost like that State of Origin, fever pitch type scenario with the streams of people, traffic backed up for miles, people lining the streets. “It was an exceptional occasion for Cup players to be able to experience that. "Certainly the occasion and the atmosphere really helped us to get up for that game. “With the reduced travel time it may actually play into the travelling team's hands more this year than playing at Kokopo.” Let's see if Seagulls players are saying the same thing when they return next week. A former editor of Big League, Tony Webeck is the Chief Queensland Correspondent for NRL.com. Source: qrl.com.au The SP Papua New Guinea Hunters are set for tonight's clash against the visiting Tweed Head Seagulls at the National Football Stadium in Port Moresby. The Hunters are near full strenght after regulars Adam Korave and Adex Wera were recalled for this match after one match ban by the QLD Rugby League judiciary. More then 15 000 rugby league lovers are expected to fill the stadium to see the two teams in action. The Tweed Head Seagulls have never beaten the Hunters and will be playing hard to break the hoodoo and register a win. They will be using five of the NRL contracted players to lead upfront. With a good number of teams in the Intrust Super Cup aligned to several National Rugby League (NRL) clubs, it is considered a must that their target players run on against the Hunters to ‘toughen them up’. "Last week Wynnum Manly had their Broncos quota and now Tweed Head Seagulls will have several Gold Coast Titans. "I guess it’s all good for us knowing that’s how these NRL clubs think of us," he added. Marum said they beat the Seagulls 38-4 in round four and 32-24 in round 15 last year. "They (Seagulls) have a bone to pick with us and that’s how we like it," he added. He said so far it has been a good start and positively the new faces have stood up and several new ones from last year have graduated well including Nickson Borana and Warren Glare to secure starting slots in the second-row. "Good signs but the real test will come mid-way through the season where their mental strength will be stretched when they have to back up week in week out. "All players know they are fighting for their spots week in week out, so whilst its good news some of our experienced hands are returning, they have to work their way back in," he said. "We also have several exciting unused ones yet including Silas Gahuna, William Aquila and Simon Peter, but in saying that it is a long season ahead and we need all the back-up we can get," he added. Marum said they will make the decision to finalise the 17 on game day, as they have issues with playmaker Ase Boas and centre Noel Zeming pushing to prove their fitness. "We won’t take the gamble if they are not full fit at this stage. "Atte (Bina) will back up for Ase and Justin (Olam) will moves off the wing to centre to make way for Adex (Wera), if both don’t pull up," he added. He further highlighted that experienced props Enoch Maki and Timothy Lomai also return to camp next week to bolster their firepower. Meanwhile, the Hunters have recalled Timothy Lomai after he was suspended for disciplinary reasons. The Hunters have also recruited PNG Pukpuks Rugby 7s star Butler Morris. PNG Hunters vs Tweed Head Seagulls Venue: National Football Stadium - Port Moresby Date/Time: 19.03.16 : 6:00pm local time Twitter: #PNGHunters Live Telecast : TVWAN and NBC TV The Hunters Team 1. Stargroth Amean 2. Bland Abavu 3. Noel Zemming 4. Thompson Teteh 5. Justin Olam 6. Ase Boas 7. Watson Boas 8. Henry Noki 9. Wartovo Puara 10. Esau Siune 11. Nickson Borana 12. Warren Glare 13. Ishmael Balkawa Interchange 14. Atte Bina 15. Adex Wera 16. Adam Korave 17. Edward Goma 18. Brandy Peter 19. Tuvi Lepan The SP PNG Hunters were made to battle hard to register a 20 – 18 win over the Tweed Head Seagulls in round 3 of the Intrust Super Cup match at the National Football Stadium in Port Moresby tonight. The game was played under lights in front of a good crowd. The Hunters were first to register two points through Zemings after Tweed Heads conceded a penalty 10 meters in front of their try line and took the early lead 2 -0. The visitors replied with unconverted try to take over the lead 4 – 2. The Hunters regrouped and replied with a try through halfback Watson Boas. Zeming sent the ball between the uprights and took over the lead 8 – 4. The Hunters extended their lead to 14 – 4 after forward Edward Goma crashed over the line after a good backline play. The Seagulls fought back with a converted try to reduce the margin 14 – 10. It was anyone’s game and intensified as the home crowd cheered on. The Hunters led 14 – 10 at half time. In the second half, the Tweed Head Seagulls with their experienced NRL players kept the Hunters defending their try line in the first quarter of second half. As a result, a penalty was awarded to them just 10 meters away from the Hunters try line. The Seagulls resorted to shoot a penalty goal reducing the margin to 14 – 12. In the next play, the visitors found a gap in the Hunters defense line and scored a try to steal the lead 18 – 14 from the Hunters with 20 minutes remaining on the clock. Facing defeat on their home turf, the Hunters muscled up in attack and defense. The home crowd cheered on for the Hunters as the clock winded down. In a clever play Ate Bino scored for the Hunters with 10 minutes remaining on the clock. Zemming added the extras and took the lead 20 – 18. The visitors strived every effort but the home team held on to win the game. Fulltime score the SP Hunters 20 defeated Tweed Head Seagulls 18. The SP PNG Hunters squad for round three Intrust Super Cup match against Tweed Head Seagulls has been announced. The Hunters regulars in the likes of Adam Korave and Adex Wera return for this match after they were suspended last week by the QLD Rugby League judiciary. The game will be played under lights at the National Football Stadium in Port Moresby. More than 15 000 rugby league lovers are expected to flock the stadium to see the Hunters in action. The Hunters are unbeaten after two rounds. In round 1, they downed South Logan Magpies 36 - 18 at Davis Park. In round 2, they pipped the Wynnum Manly Seagulls 24 - 10 in a historical win at Kougari Oval in Brisbane. The game will be played on Saturday Night Venue: National Football Stadium, Port Moresby Live Broadcast by: TVWAN Sports and NBC TV The Hunters Team. 1. Stargroth Amean 2. Bland Abavu 3. Noel Zemming 4. Thompson Teteh 5. Justin Olam 6. Ase Boas 7. Watson Boas 8. Henry Noki 9. Wartovo Puara 10. Esau Siune 11. Nickson Borana 12. Warren Glare 13. Ishmael Balkawa Interchange 14. Atte Bina 15. Adex Wera 16. Adam Korave 17. Edward Goma 18. Brandy Peter 19. Tuvi Lepan |
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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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