“pnghunters” tag's highlights of related matches, posts & more...
PNG Hunters vs Norths Devils | 2021 Intrust Super Cup Highlights | Rd 10
Three new faces joined the Norths Devils as the team recorded another win, this time a 38-22 win over PNG Hunters at Bishop Park. The three men have different stories to tell, but they joined seamlessly into a comprehensive Devils team performance that lifted their win-loss record to 9-1. Bernard Gregorius and Auzzie Tuwhangai made their debuts in the centres, with Gregorius scoring the sweetest of tries in the 70th minute. It’s been two years since Gregorius arrived at Bishop Park from French club Lezignan. He suffered a serious knee injury in his first week of training and, with COVID-19 ruining last year, the 30-year-old had to wait until today to make his debut. Tuwhangai – christened Auzzie because he was the first of his family born in Australia – made his Cup debut after also patiently waiting for his chance to join the Devils’ famous list of players, which now tops 1300. And then there was Tyrone Roberts, who sparked a Devils try with his first touch of the ball off the bench when he kicked for Jon Reuben as the winger scored his 99th Intrust Super Cup try. This was a significant step in the career of Roberts, who played the last of his 156 NRL games last year before struggling to overcome Achilles and back problems. “I really wasn’t sure if I wanted to play again with injury and COVID," Roberts said. "I wasn’t in the best place, but I spoke to (Devils coach Rohan Smith) and he told me the Devils would be there if I wanted to play again. “When I decided to play again, he said 'come and have some fun' and he kept his word. That was good fun today.” The Devils were having plenty of fun early as Tony Tumusa scored the first of his two tries in the fifth minute off a fine pass from Gregorius, who was also prominent in skipper Jack Ahearn’s try three minutes later. But the Hunters weren’t about to surrender and showed the trademark fight that will have them among the serious finals contenders if they can make a surge in the second half of the season. Solo Wane rang the length of the field in the 11th minute after latching on to a pass in the in-goal from Brandon Nima. When forward Jordan Riki was sin-binned in the 33rd minute, the Hunters put two quick tries on the Devils to go to halftime trailing 20-16. The scoreline stayed that way until the Devils kicked open the gates in the 58th minute when hooker Danny Levi, again causing serious problems for the opposition, found forward Piki Rogers for a try. Roberts’ kick for Reuben followed six minutes later, but the hope that the popular winger could nail his 100th try – in record-breaking time – was put on hold as Gregorius and then Tumusa, running on to a Levi pass, put the game out of Hunters’ reach. Both teams gathered in a huddle on the field after the match as the Devils thanked the Hunters for the sacrifices they had made this year in leaving their homeland to base themselves on the Gold Coast. The heartfelt moment capped on an entertaining game that was well supported by fans of both teams. The Devils will host the Northern Pride next Saturday before the mid-season bye. #nrl #qrl #pnghunters
PNG Hunters vs Blackhawks | 2021 Intrust Super Cup Highlights | Rd 9
PNG Hunters vs Blackhawks | 2021 Intrust Super Highlights | Rd 9 Luke Geary scored a hat-trick on debut as Townsville Blackhawks and PNG Hunters showed some attacking flair in their Round 9 match at Bycroft Oval, Runaway Bay. Saturday June 5, 2021. #pnghunters #kumuls #nrl
PNG Hunters vs Magpies | 2021 Intrust Super Cup Highlights | Rd 7
The SP PNG Hunters have succumbed to defeat, by the Souths Logan Magpies this afternoon, at Davies Park in Brisbane. It seems the PNG boys were still in recovery mode from their most dramatic performance in last weekend's Round 6 match, against the Brisbane Tigers. The Magpies scored an easy try to open the scoreboards, and maintained lead until the final whistle. Hunters went down 14 points to 48. Here are the highlights. #pnghunters #qrl #nrl
PNG Hunters Round 2 QRL 2021 | Gatuno Hat-trick | Highlights vs Ipswich Jets
#pnghunters #qrl #2021 Gutuno hat-trick sets up PNG triumph The PNG Hunters left behind the challenges of their pre-season when they unleashed five second half tries against Ipswich Jets to seal their first win of the Intrust Super Cup season today. The 44-22 victory included three tries to winger Brendon Gutuno as the Hunters overcame a half-time deficit in the second round match at Bycroft Oval on the Gold Coast. The reminder of COVID-19 wasn’t far away as the Hunters had to keep their distance from their delighted fans after full-time after the Queensland Rugby League introduced new protocols following the recent coronavirus case in Brisbane. But the Hunters are used to adapting to new situations after they spent 31 days in quarantine during pre-season, preventing them from playing any trial matches. “We know that our preparation had been challenging so today is a reward for the effort that our guys put in even when they were stuck in hotel rooms for a month,” Hunters coach Matt Church said post-match. “I’m really happy for the players. They’ve worked really hard and they stuck to it today even when Ipswich got some early points. "We had to find our groove and build pressure and, once we did that, we were able to put together some good back-to-back sets.” Prop Epel Kapinias provided the perfect start to the second half when he scored in the 42nd minute as the Hunters moved ahead 22-18. Kapinias had also scored in the 23rd minute as the Hunters performed well through the middle. Sylvester Namo and Emmanuel Waine also featured for the Hunters, providing valuable minutes off the interchange bench. The game moved out of the Jets’ reach when the Hunters scored three tries in nine minutes – two to Gutuno on the end of some slick ball movement before Edwin Ipape scored in the 62nd minute. The Jets struck first when hooker Kierran Moseley scored in the seventh minute. When halfback Julian Christian crossed in the 20th minute, the Jets sped to a 12-6 lead. “We had discussed our match plan and we knew the areas that we had to play well in and our players stuck with that. We really started to play Hunters football and the results came for us,” Church said. “We have to improve some of our attention to detail but that will happen as we keep working harder.” The Hunters won’t play for two weeks as the Intrust Super Cup pauses for the Easter weekend before they head north to take on the Mackay Cutters. “We’ve been through quite a bit in these first few months of the season so we’ll use this next week to freshen up and to get ourselves set for the next block of games,” Church said. “It’s been a solid start for us and we’ll keep improving into the season.”
PNG Hunters Vs Seagulls Highlights Round 1 QRL 2020
#pnghunters #terrywapi #edwinipape PNG Hunters coach Matt Church said the best was yet to come from his team after they fell just short of a famous win in the opening Intrust Super Cup clash with Wynnum Manly Seagulls. The Seagulls survived 20-18 but only after withstanding a storming comeback from the Hunters, who trailed by 12 points at halftime at Bycroft Oval at Runaway Bay. This wasn’t the finish that tipsters expected as Wynnum Manly, featuring several Brisbane Broncos squad members, did not score a try for the last 57 minutes. Late Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare, who was honoured with one minute’s silence before the match, would have been proud of the way the Hunters surged back into the match. The Hunters had the most difficult preparation in this year’s competition – a combined 31 days in COVID-19 quarantine while they moved from PNG to Queensland, which meant that they couldn’t play a trial match under the new Cup rules. While the Hunters waited out their quarantine, the Seagulls drew with an understrength Broncos during a full schedule of trial matches. But the Seagulls were taking deep breaths in the second half as the Hunters rattled home in the rain. The flashing feet of fullback Terry Wapi sparked a try in the 50th minute before hooker Wartovo Puara dived over for a try in the 72nd minute to bring the Hunters within two points. “I told our boys after we came out of isolation that I couldn’t have been prouder of them for the way they had handled it but that’s been surpassed by their effort today,” Church said. “We knew that we weren’t going to be the finished product in the first game and we know that we have improvement in us so it was very positive to see that fight. “I told my coaching staff with 10 minutes to go that, regardless of the final result, we were extremely proud of what they had done.” The Hunters showcased all that league fans love about the team including bone-rattling defence in the opening minutes that shook Seagulls forwards Matiu Love-Henry and Max Elliott. And their attacking flair caused the Seagulls to scramble in defence with two intercepts in the 68th and 69th minutes that propelled the Hunters downfield. But the most decisive period in the match came between the ninth and 23rd minutes when the Seagulls scored three unanswered tries to lead 16-0 lead before the rain began. Luke Bateman and Jesse Arthars – experienced NRL players – scored two of the tries after centre Junior Pauga had combined with Broncos back Richie Kennar for the first try. Penalty goals either side of halftime by five-eighth Jack Campagnolo were vital for the Seagulls as both teams finished with three tries. The Hunters posted their first try for the season when debutant centre Jokade Bire crashed over in the 28th minute. “We said at halftime that we knew we could get back into this game if we could kick well and show effort in defence,” Church said. “That would help us to build up pressure against them and that’s what we did.” Bateman, who played 71 NRL matches for Canberra Raiders, said the Seagulls were made to fight. Captain Sam Scarlett was a late withdrawal for the Seagulls. “It was tough. They really got stuck into us,” Bateman said. “It was brutal at times.” The Hunters will host the Ipswich Jets next Saturday at Bycroft Oval while Wynnum Manly will play their first home match next Sunday against Tweed Heads.
HIGHLIGHTS | PNG HUNTERS VS MAGPIES RD 1 ISC 2020 | KVG REACTS
#pnghunters #magpies #qrl HIGHLIGHTS | PNG HUNTERS VS MAGPIES RD 1 ISC 2020 | KVG REACTS PNG HUNTERS SOUTHS LOGAN MAGPIES INTRUST SUPER CUP ROUND 1 2020
PNG HUNTERS WIN AT LAST (RD 23 ISC 2019)
#pnghunters #qrl Boas boots winner in Magpies v Hunters thriller The PNG Hunters were able to end their season with a win after the experience of Ase Boas shone through in their 25-24 win over the Souths Logan Magpies. In an entertaining and end-to-end match which saw both sides with nothing to lose throw the ball around; a Boas field goal in the 78th minute proved the difference in the end. Ironically, he had an off day with the boot when it came to conversions, and it was up to his halves partner Nicky Hasu to slot the last two conversions attempts. With both sides desperately wanting to end their season on a winning note, emotions were high at Davies Park – and especially so for the Magpies who farewelled two of the “nice guys of rugby league” in Shaun Fensom and Sam Tagataese. The two Broncos-contracted forwards led the Magpies out onto the field, with a large group including close family having gathered to thank Tagataese especially for his service to the game. Like their retiring team mate Brendon Gibb last weekend – both NRL-experienced players were able to post crowd-pleasing tries in their final matches for the Magpies, with Fensom’s coming in the opening minute of the game. It came after a break up the middle of the field by Manaiah Cherrington who then passed back inside to Fensom in support to get the Magpies on the board in their first set with the ball. However, the Hunters hit back almost straight away thanks to veteran back Adex Wera after some nice passing found him out wide before he fed the defenders a dummy before diving over on the right edge. It was a seesawing game, with the sides going try-for-try in the opening stages. Matt Soper-Lawler – who at the start of the game needed three tries to stand alone at the top of the leading try scorers list – started his quest with a four-pointer in the 17th minute after he followed through on a Guy Hamilton break and went over out wide. Souths nearly went back-to-back when George Fai reached out after he saw a try beckon, only to lose the ball over the line. Instead, it was the turn of Hunters fullback Brendon Gotuno to score in the 24th minute, with the try coming after a good pass inside by Bland Abavu. They backed that try up with another out wide when Paul Wawa crossed, only to give up the lead to the Magpies in the shadows of halftime when Mitch Frei proved too big and strong to hold out to give the home side a 14-12 lead at the break. As they did in the first half, the Magpies opened the scoring in the first minute back from the break, with Soper-Lawler over for his second to draw level with Falcon Jono Reuben as the competition’s leading try scorer with 23. He had two more opportunities in the game but was unable to claim the honour outright, with one kick for him into the Hunters in-goal going too deep – while he dropped another chance over the tryline to the audible despair of his team-mates. The match continued to sway in the balance, with firstly Junior Rau getting the advantage for the Hunters before Tagataese’s try wrestled back the momentum. However, Hunters skipper Moses Meninga took matters into his own hands in the with a rampaging run to the line which resulted in a try under the posts in the 69th minute which Hasu converted to lock the scores at 24-24. The game continued to be played in an end-to-end fashion – and with time running out, Boas lined up a field goal attempt which was charged down by the desperate Magpies. However, they were unable to regather the ball, giving the Hunters six-to-go, which they used to again position Boas for the – this time – winning kick. The Magpies had one final charge for the win, but were brought undone when they were sent over the left-hand touch line in their last-ditch attempt to score. After the match, Hunters assistant coach Glen Nami said he was proud of the team’s fighting spirit. “It’s been tough, but coming out fighting to the end is something that the boys have done and I am so proud of them, I am proud of the efforts today,” Nami said. “We talked about this during the week, we wanted to finish on a high and be more positive (to) end our season. “Everyone did great; everyone’s efforts (were) good. “I think Ase (Boas) played well – his leadership was obvious, and we had boys like Stanton (Albert) leading up front and I think Ase and Stanton were good today for us. “We are grateful for the win.”
PNG HUNTERS VS REDCLIFFE DOLPHINS (RD 22 ISC 2019)
#qrl #pnghunters Dominant Dolphins punish PNG Hunters Harrison Smith scored a hat-trick, while forward Nick Brown and fresh face Will Partridge both scored a doubles as the Dolphins proved far too good for the PNG Hunters in their 46-0 win over the PNG Hunters in Round 22. The two sides were playing for the Stan Joyce Cup with the game dedicated to outgoing SP Managing Director Stan Joyce who has been a strong supporter of rugby league throughout PNG. Unfortunately for the home fans; the Hunters were unable to crack the defence of the Dolphins who have been in imposing form of late. The last time the two sides met in Round 12, the Dolphins were far too strong then too, posting a big 48-0 win at Dolphin Stadium. In their Round 23 match up, it was fairly even up until mid-way through the first half. But from the moment forward Brown crossed in the 18th minute - it was one-way traffic. He went back-to-back with another try in the 31st minute, while a Jedidiah Simbiken strike just two minutes from halftime help his side to an 18-0 lead at the halftime break. Partridge, in just his second game in the Intrust Super Cup competition, opened the scoring in the second half and helped set the tone for the rest of the match where the visitors ran in for a total of five second half tries. Tyson Gamble - who coach Adam Mogg earlier in the week credited with helping turn the fortunes of the club around - was also true with his boot, slotting seven from eight conversion attempts.