The Papua New Guinea Hunters are about to enter their fourth season in the Queensland Cup. They’ve been a very popular team both in their homeland and with Queensland fans since they joined the competition in 2014.
In that first season, they missed qualifying for the semi-finals by a point, but have made the finals series in the last two seasons.
Bookmakers currently have them at $8 to win the title in 2017. The competition favourites are the Townsville Blackhawks at $5, followed by the Redcliffe Dolphins (last year’s beaten grand finalists) at $5.50, and the Sunshine Coast Falcons at $7.
The Burleigh Bears (last year’s Queensland Cup premiers) are at $9.
Rugby league is the official national sport in Papua New Guinea and the Hunters’ exposure to the Queensland Cup has undoubtedly been good for the development of the game there.
Last year, the Hunters provided the bulk of the players for the Papua New Guinea Test team (the Kumuls), helping them upset Fiji 24-22 in a thrilling Test match at Pirtek Stadium.
Canterbury recently signed Kumuls’ second rower Rod Griffin and established NRL players David Mead, Nene McDonald and Kurt Baptiste are also available to provide much needed experience for the Kumuls.
Fiji currently have a bid to enter the New South Wales Cup in the near future, and if the experience of the Papua New Guinea Hunters in the Queensland Cup is anything to go by, their inclusion would be good for that competition as well as the development of rugby league in Fiji generally.
The Lloyd Robson Oval in Port Moresby where the Hunters play their home games was recently significantly redeveloped. It is now known as the National Football Stadium, with its capacity being increased from 15,000 to 25,000 as part of the upgrade.
The Hunters are coached by former Kumuls hooker and current coach Michael Marum. This year they will be captained by Kumuls’ five-eighth Ase Boas. Their first match is away this weekend against the Central Queensland Capras, followed by a home game against Easts in Port Moresby.
Who do you think will win this year’s Queensland Cup?
Mikail-Eagle
Guest
This is the Hunters 18 men Team that have traveled to play the Capras tomorrow. 1. Bland ABAVU 2. Butler MORRIS 3. Karo KAUNA (Debut) 4. Willie MINOGA 5. William AQUILA 6. Israel ELIAB 7. Ase BOAS (c) 8. Henry NOKI 9. Sailas GAHUNA 10. Esau SIUNE 11. Nixon PUT (Debut) 12. David LOKO 13. Stanton ALBERT 14. Lawrence TU’U 15. Ismael BALKAWA 16. Enoch MAKI 17. Moses MENINGA (Debut) 18. Radley BRAWA Coach: Michael MARUM Two (2) to be omitted
wilson wakpi
Roar Rookie
Can some one tell me or show me the full team list for hunter 2017 please
Mikail-Eagle
Guest
Minoga has been named to play at Right Centre this weekend. Will be watching this change of position very closely to see how he goes.
Mikail-eagle
Guest
The return of Eliab, Minoga and the Albert Brothers is a big boost. But we have lost Justin Olam to the Storm, Thompson Teteh to Redcliffe, Brandy Peter to South Logan and Tim Lomai to the East Tigers. Also the unavailability this year of both of last years Co-Captains in Adam Korave and the super boot Noel Zemming will be hard to replace. And we also start the first 5-6 weeks without probably our most consistant player from the last 3 years in Hooker Wartovo Puara jnr. But as a big fan am still hopeful that they can surprise us again this year with some goods and hopefully go a little further this year.
Magnus M. Østergaard
Roar Guru
Could they be the 18th Team Scott?
Scott Sattler
Guest
Watch this space @Birdy.. That could change.
John Coomer
Roar Guru
Would be great to see him come through the ranks there Scott, hopefully the Melbourne system will bring the best out of him.
John Coomer
Roar Guru
Thanks Scott, love your coverage of the Qld Cup.
Birdy
Guest
Love the excitement of the hunters. Great for the game if they won the big one. My only complaint with q cup is no games in logan. Despite the merger still have to go all the way to davies park.
Magnus M. Østergaard
Roar Guru
BE great to see Minoga back! He is a big unit. Got a lot of hopes for the PNG team this year, along with the Jets (hope they can get back into the finals, winning always ruins your chances the next year). How big do you see the competition increasing to with the U20s players coming into the fray? I can see Toowoomba getting a team and word is Perth or the WCP will come into the QLD Cup along with possibly a Parramatta Eels back Darwin team. Leaves us with one more spot to fill. With regards to the live games I would love to see teams taking on the Newtown Jets approach with a local brewery supplying the beer.
KingCowboy
Guest
PNG can't win because the mighty Mackay Cutters are the team to claim the title. Going to smash Cairns this w/e. Oh Yer!!!!
Mike from tari
Guest
Sori yupela bai East Tigers winim olgeta, Tommy Butterfield is going to really have a good year after missing a lot of last season with injury, they have spent a bit of money on recruitment so they will have more depth this year, Linc Port will give them thrust from fullback, at present I don't know who the allocated players from the Storm are, they have a good home record & the best record of any visiting team in PNG & they only play the Hunters & Buleigh once, so write them off at your peril.
Scott Sattler
Guest
Love commentating the Hunters and they are such humble, respectable men when it comes to the fans and the game in general. I would love to see GF day with a stadium full of PNG fans. It would be a sight to see. Can they win it? I think they can if they win the minor premiership and have less games to get to the big day.
PNG Broncos fan88
Roar Guru
I'm not so sure? Hunters are near unbeatable in Port Moresby but are not that intimidating away from home. They finished no.2 last year by belting the SC Falcons 34-4 at home in the final match of the season. Hopes were high for a another easy win at home against the same opponents the week after. Semi final football made them choke at home for their first taste of defeat in front of a packed stadium disappointing the frustrated fans. They were bundled out in straight sets the following week by Burleigh. Getting to the final 5 may be the easy part - It's just winning those semi finals consecutively to get to the GF is a mountain to steep for my Melanesian brothers. Either it's a mental thing or the Aussie opposition raise their game levels. 0-3 in semi finals appearance since 2015 inception but PNG faithful hoping that will change this year. GO PNG Hunters!
ScottWoodward.me
Roar Guru
John, Love watching them play. Looking forward to the progress of their exciting centre Justin Olam who is part of the Storm system now.
up in the north
Roar Rookie
So long as they still show a game on Sunday I'll be well pleased. Top quality footy. Hopefully Ipswich have re-built their squad and get competitive again, love their daring adlib style.
The Gurgler
Roar Guru
I believe this can be the year. With two of their very best from their sensational 2015 season returning, plus other recruits, they are well placed to have a real go. The two I speak of are Israel Eliab and the big man Willie Minoga aka The Freight Train, Raging Bull or Mack Truck. Big fan of the big unit, and glad he is back with the Hunters. Can't wait to see them in action at Davies Park in Round 3. They need to pick up their way form though as they were pretty ordinary on the road last season. Would also like to see a little more flair return in 2017. But take your pick out of Redcliffe, Townsville and PNG in the Grand Final. Sunshine Coast look very interesting too. That's a bit of a cop out picking favourites, but hard to see anyone else challenging. Although few would have picked Burleigh as winners last year. With familiar names like Benji Marshall, Chris Sandow, Kevin Locke, Travis Burns kicking around this year, plus the quality of fringe NRL players, it will be really good viewing this year. And that's before the influx of the former Youth Competition hits the ISC clubs next season. The second tier comp may start matching the UK Super league for quality. And for those in Brisbane, the only way to see rugby league on a Sunday afternoon. Nice to see the Qld Cup getting a run on The Roar too.
Ray
Roar Rookie
Love the Hunters, they are great for the Qld Cup and it would be great to see them win it.