THE SP Hunters are scheduled to return to training on April 14 with Queensland Rugby League’s tentative plans to resume the Intrust Super Cup (ISC) season on June 5, Hunters coach Matthew Church says.
He told The National that the South Pacific Brewery-sponsored side had been advised that no group larger than 10 players and coaching staff could participate in training.
“All ISC clubs and facilities are on lockdown until Tuesday, April 14,” Church said amid the global coronavirus pandemic.
“This date is tentatively set as a soft return to training with no more than 10 people training together.

The SP Hunters team’s return to Port Moresby today (Monday March 16) following their 32-30 win over South Logan Magpies yesterday in Brisbane in Round 1 of the 2020 Intrust Super Cup competition has been deferred.
PNGRFL CEO Reatau Rau in media statement released a short time ago said the SP Hunters players and coaching staff will remain in Brisbane for the next seven days due to the Australian Federal Government’s announcement yesterday on measures taken to control the spread of corona virus or Covid 19.

Sean Walsh
Souths Logan Magpies media

​A second half resurgence, including a hat-trick to Terry Wapi, saw the PNG Hunters open their 2020 season with a victory at Davies Park on Sunday afternoon.

It was all the Magpies early on however and the home side opened up proceedings in a hurry with Vaea Vaea getting across early in the half after some great ball playing on the left edge.
However, this was quickly answered by the Hunters with Keven Appo following up on an offload and putting the ball down under the posts.
In the free-flowing first half, Souths added three more tries before the bell with some individual brilliance from Tom Dearden; showing and going to cross down the left edge of the PNG defence.

Matthew Church makes his debut as SP Hunters head coach when his side takes on Souths Logan Magpies in round one of the 2020 Intrust Super Cup competition in Brisbane this weekend.

Three new faces – Stanley Olo, Mark Piti and Emmanuel Waine – have been named on the extended bench in the 18- man travelling squad and will debut in the SP Hunters colours should they be named in the final 17 team announced an hour before kick off. Ila Alu has recovered from the knee injury that ruled him out in the ‘trial’ match against Northern Pride in Cairns on February 29, 2020.

PAPUA New Guinea Kumuls utility back and South Sydney Rabbitohs recruit Edene Gebbie says training at the National Rugby League club has so far been the toughest in his career.
The Koiari man was in Port Moresby last week after he was given a break due to a groin injury he had suffered at last month’s NRL Nines.
The 24-year-old told The National at the Oil Search National Football Stadium that apart from coach Wayne Bennett, everything about the club — including their players, staff and the training — was new to him.
However, Gebbie said he had settle in well at Redfern during the pre-season and was prepared to roll his sleeves up and dig deep for a spot in the first-grade side over the course of his two-year deal.