Hunters get by Capras

 THE Hunters showed enough skill and poise on Saturday night to guts out a 16-12 win over the Central Queensland Capras.

The Round 12 fixture at the Marley Brown Oval in Gladstone provided the setting for what was at times a titanic struggle between two sides that had met previously in the Queensland Cup. That last meeting in Round 3 saw the South Pacific Brewery-sponsored Hunters turn on the flair-o-meter to post a 46-12 win at the Kalabond Oval in Kokopo.

But this time around the Capras would not be willing lambs to the slaughter ast Michael Marum’s men found out.

In front of a vocal home crowd, with a sprinkling of red, black and gold fans, the Capras took the game to the Hunters and for much of the 80 minutes an armwrestle ensued with neither side kicking clear. 

Another Herculean performance form prop Esau Siune, pictured, set the playform for a returning David Loko and company to flourish.

Fullback Adex Wera, Loko and Willie Minoga bagged tries while centre Noel Zeming, filling in for the injured Thompson Teteh, kicked two conversions.  

Zeming was something of an unsung hero, with the Morobe man a sound defender on the left edge.

For the home side Rhys and Guy Williams scored tries while Brent Crisp, was just that with the boot, slotting two conversions. 

The win sees the Hunters move to fourth on the ladder while the Capras have a hole to dig themselves out of languishing in second last. 

Capras 12 (G Williams, R Williams tries; B Crisp con) PNG Hunters 16 (A Wera, D Loko, W Minoga tries; N Zeming 2 con).