Hunters secure No.1 spot

The National Sports

By ISAAC LIRI
THE PNG Hunters secured the 2017 Q-Cup minor premiership yesterday running out 28-22 winners over the Wynnum Manly Seagulls.
Prime Minister and Sports Minister Peter O’Neill was present during the round 24 fixture to congratulate the team for finishing No.1 for the first time in their short history.
Hunters coach Michael Marum was humbled by the achievement, giving credit to his players for a determined performance in front of more than 12,000 fans.
“Full credit to our boys for hanging in there. The Manly side didn’t give up easily so we had to fight hard to win this game,” Marum said.
Captain Ase Boas said it had not been easy to claim the minor title and acknowledged the Seagulls for giving his side a tough game.
“We knew that we had to win this game to win the minor premiership so we didn’t expect the game to be easy. We were prepared and I think we deserve the minor title because we worked so hard all through the year,” Boas said.
The visitors, led by Brisbane Broncos’ David Mead, threw everything at the home side and refused to lie down even though they were already out of finals contention.
Wynnum were first to draw points in the 9th minute with an unconverted try to fullback Paora Kemp but five minutes later Hunters No.1 Stargroth Amean returned serve with a typical bustling effort which Boas converted for a 6-4 lead. Mead scored in the 36th minute to nudge his side into the lead with five-eighth Shaun Nona converting for a 10-6 lead at the break.
With the home fans screaming ‘Hunters’ from all corners of the stadium, Marum’s men fed off the back of that and Israel Eliab delivered the equaliser five minutes into the second half.  The Hunters regained the lead in the 53rd minute when second rower Nixon Put latched on to a Bland Abavu off-load with Boas slotting the extras for a 16-10 lead.
Seagulls captain Mitch Frei barged over the line for a try to get his side back into the contest in the 60th minute with Nona bringing them level with the Hunters.
Amean bagged his second five minutes later and Boas capped off what was a good period for the home side with a four-pointer of his own in the 68th minute to push out to a 28-16 lead. Any sense of calm the Hunters head about securing the minor premiership was shattered when Mead crossed for his second and the Gulls were six points behind with eight minutes left.
The Hunters held on over the eight minute stretch despite losing lock Stanton Albert to the bin for 10 after lashing out at a defender.
Hunters 28 (Stargroth Amean 2, Ase Boas, Israel Eliab, Nixon Put tries; Ase Boas 4 con) WM Seagulls 22 (David Mead 2, Paora Kemp, Mitch Frei tries; Shaun Nona 3 con)
Round 24 results: Sat, Aug 19 – Jets 20 Cutters 30; Sun, Aug 20 – TH Seagulls 16 Pride 18, Magpies 52 Capras 10, Hunters 28 WM Seagulls 22. Bye: Bears, Blackhawks, Devils, Dolphins, Falcons, Tigers.