Coach Marum cautious

THE SP PNG Hunters are on the cusp of qualifying for the Q-Cup finals with three games left in the regular season but coach Michael Marum isn’t counting his chickens just yet.
The sixth-placed Hunters travel to Brisbane today before driving down to the Gold Coast to take on the Tweed Heads Seagulls who could prove to be a bogey side for the defending champions, with coach Ben Woolf’s men having beaten them twice in their last three encounters.
Marum, though says the get square isn’t the only thing on their minds but more importantly is winning and staying in the top six.
“There are no easy teams and even though Tweed Heads are a couple of places below us they still have an outside chance of making the finals and will be desperate to win at home,” Marum said.
“They beat us twice last year at home and away, so we have to settle that score. We beat them in round 4 and now we want to get the win on their home ground. But more importantly, we can’t afford to drop a game even now because there are several teams right up behind us and if we lose we’ll definitely fall out of the top six and that will put more pressure on us in the final two rounds.”
The Hunters on 24 points are in sixth spot courtesy of a for-and-against that sees them with a plus 14 points differential while the other sides on the same number of points are the fifth-placed Easts Tigers (+99) and seventh-placed Norths Devils (-19), so any slip up could see the Hunters fall a rung or two down the ladder at this crucial stage. The other sides still in contention for a top six spot are the Sunshine Coast Falcons (8th) and Ipswich Jets (9th) both on 22 points.
The Falcons have a plus 28 points differential while the Jets have a minus nine.
The other sides with an outside shot at snatching a spot in the six are Souths Logan (20) and Tweed Heads (20).
The Hunters have strung together four wins on the trot and crucially banked an away win last round over Souths Logan which was only their second win in Australia this year.
The Hunters host the Wynnum Manly Seagulls in Port Moresby in round 23 before making the long trek to Rockhampton to face the lowly Central Queensland Capras in the final round.
Marum said he was pleased the side was switched on in defence and everyone was playing for each other but added that he needed the side to tighten up on their error rate which was giving the opposition too much possession and opportunities.
In positive news for the team, halfback Watson Boas will travel with the side today after a final assessment by the medical team. The 24-year-old has recovered enough to play on Sunday.
“Watson’s been training since Tuesday and showed us that he’ll be fine but we will have one more look at the shoulder tomorrow before we leave,” Marum said.
Marum added that back-rower Rhadley Brawa, originally named as 18th man could be a late inclusion in the starting line-up with No.12 Willie Minoga carrying a groin and knee injury and not fully fit.
Prop Moses Meninga and reserve hooker Charlie Wabo were also cleared by the Queensland Rugby League judiciary after being charged for a dangerous throw during last week’s match at Davies Park in Brisbane.