Hunters’ best back

 HUNTERS coach Michael Marum expects his team to lift to another level as the PNG side prepares for the all-important qualifying final against minor premiers Townsville Blackhawks this Saturday at the Jack Manski Oval in Townsville.

Marum named his best possible side for the encounter with reserve prop Enoch Maki and utility Lawrence Tu’u the only omissions.

Maki’s season looks to be over after the 110kg prop failed a fitness test yesterday.

Marum said the Western Highlander would travel with the team and have an MRI scan on his right knee, which he injured in Round 21 against the Easts Tigers. 

Surgery and rehabilitation is the 27-year-old’s only option.

Tu’u’s visa issue looks to sideline the forward for the remainder of the finals series.

Adam Korave returns from suspension and takes up a spot in the back row while Brandy Peter, who missed the last three matches, slots in for Maki. With an extended bench of six players, Marum said the fourth bench spot will be a tussle between Nickson Borana, Warren Glare, Atte Bina and Edward Goma.

Marum has reminded his players that while they are the only side to have beaten the Blackhawks twice this season, that record will have little bearing on Saturday’s match which they must treat as a different game altogether.

“We have been working hard on areas that we know we can do better and we are looking forward to Saturday’s game,” he said.

Every team in the Intrust Super Cup has always wanted to beat the Hunters this season and carrying the hopes of PNG on their shoulders on a weekly basis are the types of pressure that they have become accustomed to so Saturday’s game will be no different, he added.

Victory will catapult the Hunters straight into the grand final on September 27 but that has not even been discussed with Marum’s main focus on making sure that his team is fine-tuned to do all the little things they have to do right to get the desired result.

The team flies into Port Moresby from Kokopo on Wednesday before heading to Cairns the next day en route to Townsville for Saturday’s match, which kicks off at 5pm.

Hunters: 1. Stargroth Amean 2. Bland Abavu 3. Noel Zeming 4. Thompson Teteh 5. Adex Wera 6. Israel Eliab (c) 7. Ase Boas 8. Henry Wan 9. Wartovo Puara 10. Esau Siune 11. Adam Korave 12. Kato Ottio 13. Timothy Lomai; Reserves: 14. Brandy Peter 15. Atte Bina 16. Willie Minoga 17. Warren Glare 18. Nickson Borana 19. Edward Goma (two to be omitted).