Bottom of the table finish caps miserable year for PNG Hunters
A 50-26 defeat to Northern Pride has closed out what will be remembered as one of the toughest seasons in PNG Hunters history, with the side officially finishing last in the Hostplus Cup standings for the first time in over a decade of competing in the Queensland Rugby League.
Since making their debut in the QRL back in 2014, the Hunters had never dropped to the foot of the table until now, and Saturday's result in Australia only underlined how far off the pace this year's outfit has been compared to sides of previous seasons.
Northern Pride were ruthless hosts, piling on nine tries against the Hunters' five as they cemented their own credentials as premiership hopefuls this year. A Cowboys-contracted winger ran riot on the flank, bagging three tries to lead all scorers in the clash.
Namo was a shining light for PNG, crossing twice in a losing effort that at least showed glimpses of fight from the visitors, even as the Pride's attacking line proved too sharp to shut down for long periods.
Speaking ahead of kickoff, Hunters assistant coach Enoch Maki had flagged concerns about the make-up of this year's roster, noting the squad lacked the representative pedigree of Hunters teams gone by. Injuries throughout the year compounded the problem, he said, robbing the side of stability and continuity when it mattered most.
The club's task now is to regroup, plug the gaps exposed this year, and come back with a squad capable of returning PNG to the competitive standard it has set since entering the QRL.
"We don't have the same depth of experience we've had before," Maki said. "Between that and the injuries, it's been hard to find any real consistency."
Since making their debut in the QRL back in 2014, the Hunters had never dropped to the foot of the table until now, and Saturday's result in Australia only underlined how far off the pace this year's outfit has been compared to sides of previous seasons.
Northern Pride were ruthless hosts, piling on nine tries against the Hunters' five as they cemented their own credentials as premiership hopefuls this year. A Cowboys-contracted winger ran riot on the flank, bagging three tries to lead all scorers in the clash.Namo was a shining light for PNG, crossing twice in a losing effort that at least showed glimpses of fight from the visitors, even as the Pride's attacking line proved too sharp to shut down for long periods.
Speaking ahead of kickoff, Hunters assistant coach Enoch Maki had flagged concerns about the make-up of this year's roster, noting the squad lacked the representative pedigree of Hunters teams gone by. Injuries throughout the year compounded the problem, he said, robbing the side of stability and continuity when it mattered most.
The club's task now is to regroup, plug the gaps exposed this year, and come back with a squad capable of returning PNG to the competitive standard it has set since entering the QRL.
"We don't have the same depth of experience we've had before," Maki said. "Between that and the injuries, it's been hard to find any real consistency."
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