Hunters beaten by Devils, slump to third away loss

NORTHS Devils flexed their muscle with a comprehensive 34-22 win over reigning Intrust Super Cup champions the SP PNG Hunters at Bishop Park on Saturday.
The Devils ran in six tries, spoiling the party for the PNG supporters revelling in the attendance of their Governor-General and members of their Commonwealth Games team.
Their supporters still roared when the Hunters scored twice in the last five minutes, but the Devils had already put the game beyond doubt.
Norths were better than the Hunters across the ground earlier in the game, showing the positive signs that emerged in their three-game winning streak to start the season.
The Devils hit a hurdle last week when they were flat and muddled in a loss to Wynnum Manly at Suncorp Stadium.
But the team was determined to atone in Round 5, showing a crispness and discipline that propelled them back into second place.
The Devils’ big men controlled the middle, providing halves Todd Murphy and Troy Dargan with the room to lead several damaging backline raids.
The impact was immediate, with the Devils scoring in the fifth minute when fullback Jack Ahearn sent winger Chevi Ellis over in the right corner.
The pair hit the replay button in the 36th minute with another try that drove the Devils to a 16-6 halftime lead.
“That was a pleasing win tonight. We were disciplined and we improved on some things,” Devils coach Rohan Smith said.
“We had a good week of preparation and we carried that into the game. We defended well in yardage and conceded very few penalties. And we were able to execute in attack when the opportunities were there.”
Smith was relaxed at halftime, reminding his players to keep enjoying the contest against the typically spirited Hunters.
The visitors looked threatening at the start of the second half when Wartovo Puara Jr scored under the posts, building on the pressure created when the Devils were forced into a dropout.
The Devils weathered the storm and then piled on three tries in 12 minutes.
Broncos forward Sam Tagataese — a prolific try scorer in his Devils career — surged over after Norths had forced a Hunters dropout.
Dangerous impact player Calum Gahan crossed from dummy-half eight minutes later and the game was sealed when the Broncos combination of Murphy and Dargan combined for a slick try in the 65th minute.
The Hunters never stopped trying though and their two late tries narrowed the gap.
The Hunters will next face Redcliffe at Dolphin Stadium.
Norths Devils 34 (Chevi Ellis 2, Michael Sio, Sam Tagataese, Calum Gahan, Todd Murphy tries; Murphy 5 con) PNG Hunters 22 (Moses Meninga, Wartovo Puara Jr, Butler Morris, Edene Gabbie tries; Ase Boas 3 con) at Bishop Park, Brisbane.
Rd 5 Results: Sat, April 7 – Townsville Blackhawks 38 Tweed Heads Seagulls 4, Ipswich Jets 16 Northern Pride 12, Norths Devils 34 PNG Hunters 22, Mackay Cutters 4 Sunshine Coast Falcons 34; Sun, April 8 – Central Queensland Capras 20 Burleigh Bears 28, Souths Logan Magpies 40 Wynnum Manly Seagulls 6, Easts Tigers 16 Redcliffe Dolphins 32. – QRL.com