Hunters slump to second straight loss

THE SP Papua New Guinea Hunters are in a slump after losing their fourth game of the 2016 Intrust Super Cup season yesterday.
Michael Marum’s men fell 30-12 to the Ipswich Jets in their Round 12 fixture at the North Ipswich Reserve.
The Hunters will relish the next three rounds which are all home games as they try to regain momentum after dropping to fifth spot on the ladder.
The Hunters started the game in similar fashion to their Round 11 clash with the CQ Capras, putting in a lot of effort for little return.
The Jets saved their best performance of the season so far for the Hunters match and showed glimpses of their 2015 premiership-winning form with their expansive game coming together.
The Jets led 12-2 after 40 minutes of play with wingers Carlin Anderson (13th minute) and Richard Pandia (27th min) benefitting from their side’s penchant for throwing the ball around – either chain passing or off-loading in traffic – and continuous lateral movement.
Anderson, who is a member of the Brisbane Broncos squad, converted both tries from the edge of the field with his Corey Parker-like kicking style.
Incidentally, Broncos coach Wayne Bennett, pictured, was perched on the slope at the Reserve watching the action unfold.
The Hunters took the conservative approach on a penalty in front in the uprights despite having the Jets under pressure.
Captain Noel Zeming had no problems with the goal in the 19th minute which would be his side’s only points for the opening half.
Marum had to reshuffle his backline after fullback Stargroth Amean took a head knockwhile trying to gather in a Jets grubber in the 31st minute.
Play was held up for several minutes as the concussed No.1 tried to regain his feet and was eventually led off. Bland Abavu came on and shared the custodial duties with Adex Wera.
The Hunters second half effort was marginally better than their first but the Jets, who have had a poor start to their season, logged in a determined and clinical performance to come home winners.
They had to put down a fight-back by the visitors which saw centre Thompson Teteh score a dubious four-pointer in the 52nd minute while Pandia grabbed his second for the afternoon to keep the margin at 12-points (18-6).
Hunters reserve forward Edward Goma left the field in the first quarter of the second half meaning the Hunters played the rest of the game with just two on the bench.
Marum’s decision to go with a bench (Warren Glare, Watson Boas, Goma and Abavu) that had only one recognised metre-gainer put more pressure on his side who were not only struggling to contain the Jets but make in-roads of their own.
Teteh set up Watson Boas (62nd min) for the Hunters second try with a break down the right edge which had Jets players complaining about a dodgy play-the-ball in the lead up to the break.
That try closed the margin to six points (18-12) but that’s as close as the Hunters got with Jets back-rower Nathaniel Neal (68th min) and centre Nemani Valekapa (80th min) scoring tries to seal a morale-boosting win for the defending champions.
Ipswich Jets 30 (Richard Pandia 2, Carlin Anderson, Nathaniel Neal, Nemani Valekapa tries; Anderson 5 con) PNG Hunters 12 (Thompson Teteh, Watson Boas tries; Noel Zeming con, pen)
Results: ISC Rd 12 – Sat, May 28: Wynnum Manly Seagulls 50 Central Queensland Capras 28; Sun, May 29: Ipswich Jets 30 PNG Hunters 12, Redcliffe Dolphins 32 Burleigh Bears 14, Easts Tigers 29 Townsville Blackhawks 20, Norths Devils 46 Tweed Heads Seagulls 18, Northern Pride 18 Souths Logan Magpies 24.