Hunters face test

By BENJAMIN KOITAKA
DESPITE their season slipping away with one win from the opening eight rounds of the Intrust Super Cup, the SP PNG Hunters are determined to keep the Air Niugini Kokoda Cup for a third season when they take on the Townsville Blackhawks on Sunday.
The Round 9 fixture will be the main game of a triple header — Isou v Wigmen and Vipers v Muruks are the accompanying Digicel Cup matches — at the National Football Stadium in Port Moresby with PNG Kumuls hopeful and Blackhawks five-eighth Kyle Laybutt expected to lay a claim for a national jersey in front of local fans and PNGRFL officials.
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Hunters coach Michael Marum has labelled the game a test of his side’s character after a poor last up effort against the Burleigh Bears as well as the sacking of players Joe Joshua and Joe Frank during the week for serious breaches of club rules.
Marum said the cup (first contested in 2017) was also great piece of silverware that the Hunters and Blackhawks played for because it commemorated the Battle of Kokoda in World War II and as well as Air Niugini’s direct flights to Townsville.
He added that with a third of the season gone the Hunters wanted desperately to win their second game before the bye round next week.
The Hunters are also looking to secure their first home win for the season (0-3) and doing it this Sunday would be a morale boost for the beleaguered club.
Marum said he was expecting a smart and aggressive Blackhawks side coached by former North Queensland half Aaron Payne.
He said the six-placed Blackhawks are also yet to win on PNG soil so they would have plenty of motivation.
The Hunters have a 6-2 record over the Blackhawks with both losses coming in away fixtures.
Marum acknowledged his club had a poor start to the season so far but every game was an opportunity to get back in the winners’ circle.
“We need a win to keep our morale up,” Marum said.
“We’ve lost eight so far and most of those losses were because we made too many errors and did not defend well but I’m sure if we can get a few wins back-to-back then we can finish the season off well,” Marum said.
“We’ve had changes every week to the team and things haven’t settled down but players need to perform and we need to find consistency. It’s about getting the job done and being professional.”
Marum said their Round 8 capitulation to the Bears was one the side’s worst performances and was the club’s largest losing margin since their 60-28 loss to Tweed Heads in 2014.
“We trained well all week but come game day, we just were not focused.”
Marum said the plan was to start well and put points on and get into a rhythm but the Bears where the ones with all the momentum.
Marum said the Hunters would continue to have faith in their systems and work to be better in all areas on Sunday.
Hunters: 1. Bland Abavu, 2. Junior Rau, 3. Adex Wera, 4. Brendon Nima, 5. Brendon Gotuno, 6. Ase Boas, 7. Charlie Simon, 8. Moses Meninga (c), 9. Patrick Morea, 10. Enoch Maki, 11. McKenzie Yei, 12. Epel Kapinias, 13. Junior Rop; Interchange: 14. Justin Yoka, 15. Dilbert Isaac, 16. Jordan Pat, 17. Daniel Tapol.
Fixtures: Rd 9 – Sat, May 4: TH Seagulls v Devils, Jets v Capras, Dolphins v Bears, Cutters v Pride; Sun, May 5: Magpies v Falcons, WM Seagulls v Tigers, Hunters v Blackhawks.