Hunters fall to Tigers

Sports

THE SP PNG Hunters slumped to their fourth straight loss of the season, going down to the Easts Tigers 30-14 on Saturday.
The six-tries-to-three loss sees the Hunters at the bottom of the standings a month into the season.
With Ase Boas back in the halves, the Hunters looked more assured in their play and despite conceding two soft tries to Brandon Downey (10th minute) and Aaron Booth (17th) in the first 20 minutes of the match at a wet Langlands Park, the visitors got on the board thanks to a dummy-half effort by hooker Charlie Simon in the 24th minute after a period of sustained pressure.
The home side added two more four-pointers before halftime through Melbourne Storm centre Cheyse Blair, who coasted over the line from an overlap, and winger Curtis Dansey Smaller, who scored in similar fashion, for a 22-4 lead at the interval.
The Hunters, who are very much a work in progress, lacked the necessary polish on attack and discipline at times although winger Junior Rau, pictured did add to his 2019 tally with a double in the second half — he has three tries.
The fight back looked to be on with halfback Boas’ high kicks putting pressure on the Tigers back three but the Easts fans were given little cause to panic with two tries to wing Tom Hughes (65th and 80th) sealing their fourth win of the season.
Best for the Hunters were Boas, Rau, debutants Shane Haro and Woods Kawage as well as Baundo Aba.
The Hunters returned home to Port Moresby yesterday with coach Michael Marum several things to ponder most importantly how his side can get its first win of the season — with their third game on the road in Round 5 against the Norths Devils this Saturday.
Easts Tigers 30 (Brandon Downey, Aaron Booth, Cheyse Blair, Curtis Dansey Smaller, Tom Hughes 2 tries; Aaron Booth 3 con) PNG Hunters 14 (Charlie Simon, Junior Rau 2 tries; Ase Boas con)
Round 5 Results: Sat, March 30 – Ipswich Jets 26 Northern Pride 16, Easts Tigers 30 PNG Hunters 14, Redcliffe Dolphins 19 Souths Logan Magpies 18, Central Queensland Capras 12 Tweed Heads Seagulls 26; Sun, March 31 – Wynnum Manly Seagulls 16 Mackay Cutters 8, Sunshine Coast Falcons 32 Norths Devils 20, Townsville Blackhawks 16 Burleigh Bears 10.