PNG Hunters set for Tweed Heads Seagulls

PNG aim 8 straight wins. Photo credit. PNG Hunters Media

Papua New Guinea Hunters  are set for the Intrust Super Cup round 15 clash  against Tweed Heads Seagulls as they aim for a record eighth straight win on Sunday.

The Hunters now have club record of seven consecutive wins after they brought down Souths Logan Magpies 34 - 12  infront of a record home crowd of 15 000 at the Sir John Guise stadium in Port Moresby last week. 

The Hunters have made one change after  forward Kato Ottio sustained injury last week. Brandy Peter slots into the No. 11 jersey and aside from height and a little X-factor, the Hunters will lose nothing with the Southern Highlander’s inclusion. 

Coach Michael Marum put his side’s scrappy performance last round down to nerves coupled with playing in front of 15,000 home fans at the Sir John Guise Stadium.

He said Ottio was not the only one feeling the pressure.

“I think the guys were not used to playing in front of such a large home crowd and the expectation and atmosphere affected their game,” Marum said.

“It was a night game and we haven’t played too many of those. 

“To be fair, Kato was put in a tough situation with some of those carries where he was hitting the line just as he was getting the ball.”

Despite the high error count in their 34-12 win over the Magpies, Marum gave his side a pass taking into account the special circumstances.

On Sunday, he will not have any such excuses in terms of the crowd but the expectation is still there for his fourth-placed side to get the win on the road.

They play Seagulls, who will be spotting a useful halves combination of five-eighth Ricardo Parata  and halfback Shaun Carney, while winger Kalifa Faifai-Loa, pictured, and prop Damian Sironen are the other Gulls to watch. 

The Hunters’ bench configuration could change with Marum naming an extended bench of seven players with forward Timothy Lomai still nursing a sore ankle and Henry Wan recovering from the effects of malaria the previous week.

Hard-running three-quarter David Lapua has been brought into the squad along with Nickson Borana, Edward Goma, Warren Glare and Ate Bina Wabo, who is back from a two-week suspension.

With injuries and sickness taking the edge of the pack’s “ruggedness” it will be up to lead metre-gainers Esau Siune and Enoch Maki to pick up the slack.

The match will be broadcast live on TVWAN from Piggabeen Sports Oval in Tweed Heads, NSW, on Sunday from 3pm.  

The Hunters Team

 1. Stargroth Amean 2. Bland Abavu 3. Noel Zeming 4. Thompson Teteh 5. Adex Wera 6. Israel Eliab (c) 7. Ase Boas 8. Henry Wan 9. Wartovo Puara 10. Esau Siune 11. Brandy Peter 12. Lawrence Tu’u 13. Adam Korave 14. Warren Glare 15. Timothy Lomai 16. Willie Minoga 17. Enock Maki 18. Nickson Borana 19. Atte Bina 20. David Lapua 21. Edward Goma.