Church to name 32-man squad

COACH Matthew Church will today announce his 32-man SP Hunters train-on squad as they prepare for a second straight season away in the Queensland Intrust Super Cup.
Church will make the announcement in the presence of Papua New Guinea Rugby Football League chief executive Stanley Hondina and chairman Sandis Tsaka at the Oil Search National Football Stadium.
The South Pacific Brewery-sponsored 2017 champions are looking to use the experiences of last season to steel themselves as they look to improve on their 10th-place finish. Established in 2014, the Hunters will enter their ninth season in Australia’s second-tier competition to the National Rugby League.
Last year, due to the impact of the Coronavirus pandemic, the team were forced to relocate to Queensland in order to maintain their participation in the competition and continue the pathway for Papua New Guineans in the competition. Earlier this year, the Hunters also transitioned into an independent entity, announcing its new board headed by chairman Stan Joyce and managed by recently-re-appointed chief executive Scott Barker. The team will complete their pre-season in Port Moresby before again relocating to Queensland at the end of January. The train-on squad will be trimmed to a 26-man travelling squad.