Hunters lose the plot

By BENJAMIN KOITAKA
SP PNG Hunters coach Michael Marum did not hold back criticising his team after its ninth loss of the season yesterday — a 28-6 capitulation to the Wynnum Manly Seagulls.
Marum said the loss to Wynnum Manly at the National Football Stadium was another hard pill to swallow especially with the number of penalties conceded and a lack of leadership from the senior players.
Captain Moses Meninga’s running battle with referees in the Intrust Super Cup continued while winger Bland Abavu was sin-binned for dissent in the second half.
Marum said the opening six minutes were promising with the Hunters completing sets and looking like a well-oiled machine.
Abavu put hope into home fans with a try in the third minute off an Ase Boas grubber in-goal but that hope and positivity evaporated as the Wynnum Manly, led by five-eighth Patrick Templeman, took control as they dominated the ruck and played at a higher tempo to run four tries to be 22-6 at halftime.
While no tries were scored in the second half, Templeman kept his side nudging ahead with three penalty goals.
Those goals were as much for opportunities to rest as they were strategic options to quell the temper of the home side as their best efforts were turned away by the Seagulls and some of the calls by referee Tim Rutherford.
“It is very disappointing to see senior players not performing in the way expected,” Marum said post game.
“Giving away penalties and committing unforced errors shows we lacked the leadership and motivation to play at the level we needed to win.
“We took a good side into this game but after this performance I’m leaving the door open for changes.”
Marum promised to make changes across the board if he had to get the results he wanted with a third of the season gone.
Marum was also critical of Digicel Cup franchises of taking Hunters squad members without proper due diligence for their welfare in terms of injury assessment and recovery.
Marum said it was a balancing act but the fact was that his squad were getting injured playing in the Digicel Cup and that was setting the Hunters progress back.
PNG Hunters 6 (Bland Abavu try; Ase Boas con) Wynnum Manly Seagulls 28 (Junior Pauga 2, Ed Burns, Kalolo Saitaua tries; Patrick Templeman 3 con, 3 pen)
Results: Rd 10 – Sat, May 18: Tigers 4 TH Seagulls 16, Devils 42 Cutters 18, Pride 0 Bears 43, Blackhawks 10 Flacons 34; Sun, May 19: Hunters 6 WM Seagulls 28, Capras 10 Dolphins 52, Magpies 20 Jets 36.