Boas dropped

The National Sports

SP PNG Hunters captain Ase Boas has been left out of the side to face the Burleigh Bears on Sunday as coach Michael Marum searches for their first away win of the 2018 Q-Cup season.
Boas paid the price for some indifferent form over the opening seven rounds of the competition with Marum saying the talented playmaker was also struggling with niggling shoulder and leg injuries.
The 2017 Intrust Super Cup player of the year and Kumuls five-eighth has had little influence on matches for the Hunters this season, with Marum admitting that his star playmaker had been below par in the opening seven matches.
“Ase has been carrying a few injuries since the start of the season and he’s never really looked comfortable out there,” Marum said.
“We’ve decided to give him a rest and let him use the time off to think about his game and refocus as well as recover and freshen up,” Marum said.
“Unfortunately, Ase has been down on form and not controlling games the way we expect him to, there’s been no direction and he knows that. I’ve spoken to him about it and we’ve agreed he needs a rest.”
Charlie Simon replaces Boas in the No.6 jersey while the Hunters welcome back experienced Adex Wera, who returns to fullback in place of Edene Gabbie, who jarred a collar bone in last Sunday’s 20-12 loss to the Souths Logan Magpies.
Prop Ila Alu gets gets his first starting spot in the side in the second-row while regular back-rower Willie Minoga, who is nursing a bruised shoulder has been named on the extended bench as a precaution.
The other notable change to the line-up sees Gahuna Silas elevated to the hooking role with Wartovo Puara Jr also a 50-50 chance with a shoulder injury.
Marum said the final 18 to travel to Brisbane on Friday would be confirmed then.
“We’ve named the players in those positions but we could still make changes depending on how well people recover during the week.”
Hunters: 1. Adex Wera 2. Junior Rau 3. Wawa Paul 4. Butler Morris 5. Brendon Gotuno 6. Charlie Simon 7. Watson Boas 8. Enoch Maki 9. Silas Gahuna 10. Baundo Aba 11. Nixon Put 12. Ila Alu 13. Rahdley Brawa; Reserves: 14. Patrick Morea 15. McKenzie Yei 16. Adam Korave 17. Dilbert Issac 18. Julius Yakopa 19. Willie Minoga 20. William Mone (two to be omitted).