Hunters eye home roll

THE SP PNG Hunters may have the advantage of playing their next five Q-Cup fixtures at home but coach Michael Marum is determined to “get off to a good start” this weekend against the Sunshine Coast Falcons.
The Hunters start their five-game home run at the National Football Stadium against the team who beat them 24-10 in round 3.
Marum’s side are in 11th spot with 14 points, and have nine games left to make the top six — they are currently four points (or two wins) off sixth spot, who are the Tweed Heads Seagulls (18 pts).
“We’re not looking at any particular game or group of games to win but we know we just have to get off to a good start on Sunday and just take it one game at a time,” Marum said.
“We have to defend well against the Falcons. We have to close down their play-makers and not allow them to get any momentum.”
The Hunters have a good record at home having won five of six so far this season but the record between the them and the Falcons is five wins each from the 10 games played since 2014.
The Sunshine Coast have won in Port Moresby before having beaten the Hunters 18-12 in the qualifying final at the NFS in 2016.
Justin Olam is a likely starter for the Falcons despite injuring his right ankle in the Pacific test last Saturday against the Fiji Bati in Sydney.
“I think Justin (Olam) will come up with the Falcons even though he was named in their team on Tuesday,” Marum said of the Kumuls flyer, who injured his right ankle in their 26-14 win over the Bati.
Hunters winger Junior Rau, who start in the Kumuls last week with two tries, might be dropped from the side to play on Sunday after being invovled in an alcohol-fueled off-field incident earlier in the week.
Marum said the club’s management were still deliberating the case and would make a decision today. Edene Gabbie will come off the bench on the left edge should Rau be suspended.
PNG Hunters: 1. Paul Wawa, 2. Junior Rau, 3. Thompson Teteh, 4. Willie Minoga, 5. Brendon Gotuno, 6. Ase Boas (c), 7. Watson Boas, 8. Enoch Maki, 9. Wartovo Puara Jr, 10. Stanton Albert, 11. Nixon Put, 12. McKenzie Yei, 13. Rhadley Brawa; Interchange: 14. Charlie Simon, 15. Ila Alu, 16. Dilbert Isaac, 17. Edene Gabbie, 18. Moses Meninga, 19. William Mone, 20. Baunda Aba.
Round 16 Fixtures: Sat, June 30 – Ipswich Jets v Easts Tigers, Norths Devils v Souths Logan Magpies, CQ Capras v Mackay Cutters; Sun, July 1 – Burleigh Bears v Tweed Heads Seagulls, Redcliffe Dolphin v Wynnum Manly Seagulls, PNG Hunters v Sunshine Coast Falcons.