Papua New Guinea Hunters

Papua New Guinea Hunters
Club information
Full name Papua New Guinea Hunters Rugby league Football Club
Nickname(s) The Hunters
Short name PNG Hunters
Colours      Red
     Black
     Gold
Founded 2013
Website www.pnghunters.com
Current details
Ground(s)
CEO Reatau Rau
Chairman Graham Osborne
Coach Michael Marum
Manager Arnold Krewanty
Captain Ase Boas
Competition Intrust Super Cup
Records
Premierships 1 (2017)
Runners-up 0
Minor premiership 1 (2017)

The Papua New Guinea Hunters (PNG Hunters) are a professional rugby league football club based in PNG. They were formed in 2013 and currently compete in the Queensland Rugby League's Intrust Super Cup, a second tier of rugby league in Australia.[1] The Hunters are the second Papua New Guinean side to enter the Intrust Super Cup following the Port Moresby Vipers who competed for two seasons in 1996 and 1997. Every Hunters match is shown live on national free-to-air television. The Hunters' home ground is the National Football Stadium in Port Moresby and their team colours are red, black and gold.[2]. The Hunters won the Intrust Super Cup in Queensland in 2017.

2014 Season

On 12 December 2013 head coach Michael Marum announced a 25-man squad for the Hunters' inaugural season.[3] included were Wellington Albert, Israel Eliab, Roger Laka, Enoch Maki, Mark Mexico, Joe Bruno and Sebastian Pandia who were all members of the Kumuls squad that competed at the 2013 Rugby League World Cup. The squad was impacted when Wellington Albert signed with the Penrith Panthers in Australia. The Hunters won their debut match away at Redcliffe Dolphins 24-18 with captain Israel Eliab scoring the club's first ever try, and by the end of the season having lost only twice at home, missed out on the end of season play-offs by just 1 point finishing 6th. Garry Lo finished as the competitions leading try scorer with 24, while Roger Laka was ever present. The club used only 23 players during the whole season.

2015 Season

For their second campaign the squad changed very little. The major losses were Garry Lo, Jason Tali, David Loko and Joe Bruno who joined the coaching staff following his retirement. The main gains being Kato Ottio, Nickson Borana and John Ragi. The season began with the Hunters losing 3 of their opening 6 fixtures, but they then went on an unbeaten run of 17 games to the end of the regular season securing 2nd place in the league, missing out on top spot by 1 point. Ipswich Jets ended their season in the preliminary final. Off the field Head Coach Michael Marum was voted coach of the year, and during the season CEO Brad Tassell was forced to resign.

2016 Season

The Hunters finished 4th after the season proper and were knocked out by the Sunshine Coast Falcons in the Elimination final 18-12 in Port Moresby.

2017 Season

The PNG Hunters won their first ever minor premiership and went on to claim their maiden premiership edging out the Sunshine Coast Falcons in the grand final 12-10. They then advanced to the NRL State Championship final against the NSW Cup champions Penrith Panthers where they were beaten 42-18 in Sydney on NRL Grand final day.[4] Ten of their players were selected in the 23-man PNG Kumuls squad for the 2017 Rugby League World Cup.[5]

2018 Season

The Hunters started with a trial against the Brisbane Broncos in Port Moresby on February 24,2018 where they lost 26-12. The Hunters finished the season in seventh spot missing out on the finals series.[6][7]

Stadiums

Kalabond Oval

The Kalabond Oval which is in the town of Kokopo and has a capacity of 7,000 was the Hunters first home ground. The first ever home match in the Intrust Super Cup was against the defending champions Mackay Cutters on 8 March which the Hunters won 24-16. The ground was used for the clubs first 2 seasons.

National Football Stadium

The National Football Stadium is in the capital city Port Moresby and after undergoing a major refurbishment it was announced in February 2016 that the Hunters would move to the ground for the 2016 season,[8] after they'd played one match their during the 2015 season against Souths Logan Magpies on 13 June winning 34-12.

2018 Squad

2018 PNG Hunters squad
First team squad Coaching staff

Head coach

Assistant coaches

Legend:
  • (c) Captain(s)
  • (vc) Vice captain(s)

[9]

Notable players

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Papua New Guinea gain entry to Queensland Cup 2014". ABC News. 28 November 2013.
  2. ↑ Pangkatana, John (24 December 2013). "Q-Cup name unveiled". The National.
  3. ↑ Tassell, Brad. "PNG names 25-man Intrust Super Cup squad". Queensland Rugby League. Archived from the original on 27 December 2013. Retrieved 1 December 2013.
  4. ↑ http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-match-report/nrl-grand-final-2017-penrith-panthers-far-too-strong-for-png-hunters-in-state-championship-20171001-gys7zm.html
  5. ↑ http://www.looppng.com/sport/kumuls-named-rlwc-67500
  6. ↑ http://www.looppng.com/sport/sp-hunters-bow-out-competition-79175
  7. ↑ https://www.theage.com.au/sport/nrl/broncos-avoid-scare-in-png-trial-win-20180224-h0wlki.html
  8. ↑ one.png.com/2016/02/national-football-stadium-is-new-home.html
  9. ↑ http://www.looppng.com/sport/hunters-final-squad-announced-72541
  10. ↑ http://www.runcornandwidnesworld.co.uk/sport/15777605.Papua_New_Guinea_international_Wellington_Albert_signs_for_Widnes_Vikings/
  11. ↑ www.melbournestorm.com.au/team/profiles/justin_olam.html
  12. ↑ http://www.newsandstar.co.uk/sport/whitehaven-rl/latest/article/Dion-Aiye-may-be-on-his-way-back-to-Whitehaven-RL
  13. ↑ https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/rovers-pick-up-png-brothers-with-promise-of-more-to-excite-featherstone-fans-1-9331953
  14. ↑ https://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/365626/sport-png-s-boas-brothers-sign-for-english-rugby-league-club
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