Hunters fall short

THE Papua New Guinea Hunters fell to fourth spot on the Intrust Super Cup ladder after their 24-20 loss to the Townsville Blackhawks on Saturday.
With three games to go before the end of the season, the round 23 fixture was to decide who would finish higher up in the top-four, with the third-placed Hunters hoping to inch closer to the number one side, the Burleigh Bears, with a win at Jack Manski Oval.
But the Blackhawks were overall the better side, with five-eighth Kyle Laybutt putting on a man-of-the-match performance with two tries and three conversions to get the home team a valuable win heading into the final two rounds of the regular season.
Kumuls Willie Minoga, who started at lock, and second-rower Rhyse Martin, had contrasting games for the Blackhawks, with the “Mac Truck” lifting against his countrymen with several damaging runs and almost scoring on two occasions, while Martin put on a solid but otherwise quiet performance.
For the Hunters, captain and play-maker Ase Boas, pictured, stood out putting on several probing fifth tackle kicks as well as a break in the first half.
Coach Michael Marum’s men matched the Blackhawks in most plays but were out-played on two sets in particular with reserve forward Benji Hetra caught out on defence off a quick play-the-ball close to the line late in the first half for Laybutt’s second four-pointer and centre Delouise Hoeter jinking past a tired Butler Morris to score the match-winning try in 73rd minute.
The visitors had a promising start with a mistake free opening quarter and winger Adex Wera scored the Hunters’ first try in the 8th minute off a slick backline move which saw centre Thompson Teteh deliver a deft final pass for the nippy No.5 to dot down in the right corner.
The Blackhawks hit back through Laybutt 12 minutes later for a 4-4 score line.
The Townsville No.6 bagged his second try in the 30th minute after Hoeter managed to off-load in-goal as he was being dragged out by the defence. Laybutt converted for a 10-4 lead which his side took to halftime.
The Hunters started the second stanza much the same way as the first, scoring first through Teteh two minutes after the restart but Boas could not kick a goal with the windy conditions playing havoc with his conversion attempt to leave the scores at 10-8.
Five minutes later, the Blackhawks opted for goal after a penalty in front of the Hunters uprights and reserve back Hezron Murgha obliged putting the Kristian Woolf-coached side four points in front at 12-8. Andrew Niemoeller scored a fortuitous try after a Jahrome Hughes grubber ricocheted off halfback Watson Boas’ shin for the back-rower to pick up the ball and dive over in the 58th minute to increase Townsville’s lead to 10 points at 18-8.
But the Hunters hit back when reserve Edward Goma dilligently followed a hack through by Ase Boas off an Atte Bina Wabo chip behind the line in the 68th minute, to score and with Boas’ first successful conversion the Port Moreby-based side were back in the game trailing 18-14.
Hoetter’s try saw the Blackhawks take a mental egde into the final minutes of the match and despite a Justin Olam try two minutes before the final whistle, the Hunters could not find another gear to complete what would have been a gutsy comeback.
Blackhawks 24 (Kyle Laybutt 2, Andrew Neimoeller, Delouise Hoetter tries; K Laybutt 3 con, Hezron Murgha pen) Hunters 20 (Adex Wera, Thompson Teteh, Edward Goma, Justin Olam tries; Ase Boas 2 con)
Results: Rd 23 – Sat, Aug 13: Devils 44 Cutters 22, Jets 24 Dolphins 34, Blackhawks 24 Hunters 20; Sun, Aug 14: Falcons 54 Capras 14, TH Seagulls 4 Pride 30, WM Seagulls 42 Tigers 18.