Abavu earns recall

The National Sports

By JACK AMI
BLAND Abavu has earned a recall to the SP PNG Hunters team to face the Townsville Blackhawks in their Intrust Super Cup round 20 game on Saturday.
The 29-year-old last played for the Hunters in round 10 against the Wynnum Manly Seagulls and was temporarily released to play in the Digicel Cup.
Abavu will come off a bench that has Enock Maki, Gahuna Silas and Gairo Kapana.
Bland has played himself into some good form for Kimbe Cutters and helped his side be competitive against the Port Moresby Vipers in their round 18 clash on Sunday. Vipers won 30-20.
Abavu is not the only familiar face in the Hunters squad heading into the season’s tail end with coach Michael Marum also recalling forward Willie Minoga, who returned from a stint with the Barrow Raiders in the English second division.
Minoga is expected to be available for next week’s game against the Burleigh bears in Port Moresby.
“I’ve been playing with the Cutters and working on some of the areas in my game and trying to get into form so I’m grateful to get another chance with the Hunters even though it’s late in the season I’m going to do my best to help the team winner the remaining games,” Abavu said.
Abavu said the season had been about rebuilding and introducing a group of new players into the Hunters system and despite not getting the results he was confident the players would be better.
Marum said Junior Rau and Adex Wera, who both missed the Round 18 Country Week clash, had been named to travel to Townsville.
He said Nick Hasu would start at hooker keeping Silas on the bench.
“This line up may be reshuffled before we travel to Townsville,” Marum said. “We are playing a top side with a lot of quality and I’m sure the guys are looking forward to another good performance like last week against the Tigers.”
The final 18-man team departs tomorrow. The game kicks off at 4.05pm on Saturday at Jack Manski Oval.
Hunters squad: 1. Terry Wapi, 2. Junior Rau, 3. Brandon Nima, 4. Adex Wera, 5. Brendon Gotuno, 6. Ase Boas, 7. Justin Yoka, 8. Moses Meninga (c), 9. Nick Hasu, 10. Stanton Albert, 11. McKenzie Yei, 12. Epel Kapinias, 13. Kevin Appo; Interchange: 14. Gahuna Silas, 15. Gairo Kapana, 16. Bland Abavu, 17. Enock Maki, 18. Smith Siviri, 19. Woods Kawage, 20. Wawa Paul (two to be omitted).