PNG Hunters eye easy two points

The PNG Hunters face the Sunshine Coast Falcons on Sunday in what should be an easy two-point grab for Michael Marum’s side against the Queensland Cup’s perennial stragglers.
The Hunters are second place on the ladder, with six points after a convincing 38-10 victory over the Tweed Heads Seagulls in Kokopo last Sunday and despite having to shift players around for that game due to injuries, the decision to play halfback Ase Boas in the centres paid off handsomely, with the East New Briton scoring a hat-trick in his first game in the starting line-up.
Boas, who was part of the Kumuls World Cup campaign in 2013, proved his utility value as well as his calmness under pressure and will pose a ‘good’ selection problem for Marum once injured three-quarters Thompson Teteh, Adex Wera, David Lapua and Noel Zeming return.
The South Pacific Brewery-sponsored side put on an overwhelming performance against the Coasters in their first meeting last year, winning 16-4 at Sunshine Coast Stadium in Round 8 before being pushed all the way in an unconvincing 25-24 escape at Kalabond Oval in the Round 20 return fixture.
The Falcons have few game-breakers but seem to rise to the occasion against their New Guinea counterparts.
Melbourne Storm players Ben Hampton at five-eighth and Kenny Bromwich in the backrow should make things interesting for the visitors but Marum’s men.
The match will be televised live on TVWAN from 3pm on Sunday from the Sunshine Coast Stadium.Hunters: 1. Stargroth Amean 2. Bland Abavu 3. Ase Boas 4. Kato Ottio 5. Edward Goma 6. Israel Eliab (c) 7. Roger Laka 8. Henry Wan 9. Wartovo Puara 10. Esau Siune 11. Willie Minoga 12. Brandy Peter 13. Adam Korave 14. Warren Glare 15. Atte Bina Wabo 16. Nickson Borana 17. Jayjay Garrison 18. John Ragi
Falcons: 1. Sam Wright 2. Travis Robinson 3. Rueben Baillie 4. Callum Klein 5. Suli Vunivalu 6. Ben Hampton 7. Dan Murphy 8. Nelson Asofa-Solomona 9. Slade Griffin 10. Jon Platt 11. Kenny Bromwich 12. Jake Samoa 13. Tom Murphy (c) 14. Billy Brittain 15. Jye Ballinger 16. Johnny Vuetibau 17. Mitch Ebdon
Q-Cup Round 5 Fixtures: Sat, Apr 4 – Townsville Blackhawks vs Wynnum Manly Seagulls, Ipswich Jets vs Northern Pride, Mackay Cutters vs Norths Devils; Sun, Apr 5 – Easts Tigers vs Souths Logan Magpies, Redcliffe Dolphins vs Burleigh Bears, Sunshine Coast Falcons vs PNG Hunters; Bye – Central Queensland Capras, Tweed Heads Seagulls.

PNG Today /The National