Hunters forced to make two changes for Devils game

Sports

SP Hunters, one of the Queensland Intrust Super Cup’s (ISC) least experienced teams, have been forced to make two more changes to their side for their round-10 clash with the in-form Norths Devils at Bishop Park on Saturday (2.10pm kick-off). The Hunters last week called in veteran halfback Ase Boas for the first time this season after he had arrived in the country to boost the young side against Townsville Blackhawks last Saturday. Yet the Hunters immediately lost experienced fullback Terry Wapi who returned from a posterior cruciate ligament knee injury in the 28-38 loss to the Blackhawks but pulled up with symptoms that showed he had not fully recovered. Wapi remains a week-to-week proposition as medical staff monitor the injury as he approaches full fitness. Five-eighth Edwin Ipape tore a rotator cuff in his shoulder against the Blackhawks and will be out for several weeks with Charlie Simon called back into the side to partner Boas in the halves. Norman Brown reverts from the wing to fullback where he has deputised for Wapi well this season, with Solo Wane promoted to the wing. Even with Boas back as the Hunters’ main playmaker, they can field just four players who have played more than 50 ISC games — Boas (111), hooker Wartovo Puara Jr (116), Enock Maki (91) and Stanton Albert (52). None have played in the NRL. As a comparison, this Saturday’s opponents are a Brisbane Broncos-affiliated team that boast the likes of Tyrone Roberts (189 NRL and Super League games), Danny Levi (107 NRL matches and four Tests), Leivaha Pulu (58 NRL games) and seasoned ISC performers Connor Broadhurst (121 games), Jack Ahearn (111), Jonathon Reuben (96) and Tony Tumusa (65). “We’re really inexperienced across the board and we knew, because of that, this season would be a real learning curve for most of the squad,” coach Matthew Church said. “Another example was against Burleigh Bears in round five. They had had 950 games of ISC experience plus 200 NRL games of experience with a few more New South Wales Cup games thrown in. “We had 324 ISC games of experience across the board. That’s the challenge we have this season. “But the positive is that we have been able to compete for the whole 80 minutes in just about every game and you can see the benefit a lot of our younger players are gaining the more time they have on the field at this level. Hunters: Norman Brown, Junior Rau, Brandon Nima, Jokadi Bire, Solo Wane, Ase Boas, Charlie Simon, Stanton Albert, Wartovo Puara Jr, Samuel Yegip, Benji Kot, Keven Appo, Ila Alu (captain); Interchange — Judah Rimbu, Sylvester Namo, Emmanuel Waine, Enock Maki. Devils: Jack Ahearn (captain), Jon Reuben, Jared Chambers, Tony Tumusa, Rashaun Denny, Connor Broadhurst, Tyson Gamble, Ethan Bullemor, Danny Levi, Leivaha Pulu, Jordan Riki, Brendan Piakura, Michael Sio; Interchange ­— Tyrone Roberts, Xavier Willison, Michael Molo, Piki Rogers.