Hunters with tough run in Q-Cup draw

THE Papua New Guinea Hunters kick off the 2017 Intrust Super Cup season against the Central Queensland Capras on March 4.
The release of the new season’s draw yesterday by the Queensland Rugby League sees the South Pacific Brewery-sponsored side travel to Browne Park, Rockhampton, for the opener but local fans will see coach Michael Marum’s side play the Easts Tigers in the first home fixture the following week.
The Round 2 clash will be at the National Football Stadium against a Tigers side that should feature former PNG representative Tommy Butterfield.
The Hunters will play nine rounds of football before the first of their two byes for the season but a cluster of matches from Round 6 to 12 will see them take on the strongest sides in the competition based on last year’s performances.
In Round 6, the Hunters play the Sunshine Coast Falcons, who could have Justin Olam in their ranks as they are a feeder club for the Melbourne Storm;  Round 7 sees the Hunters play last season’s losing grand finalists the Redcliffe Dolphins; Round 8’s fixture is another big match against the defending champions, the Burliegh Bears; in Round 9 the Hunters play the Northern Pride before the bye in Round 10; in Round 11, the Hunters take on the Ipswich Jets  and then play the Townsville Blackhawks the following week in their Round 12 fixture.
The Hunters, who are likely to be captained by playmaker Ase Boas, pictured, should have former skipper Israel Eliab at five-eighth but Marum has the dilemma of developing a centre paring for 2017 season after the departure of the experienced Thompson Teteh to the Redcliffe Dolphins and the release of 2016 co-captain and leading point-scorer Noel Zeming.
The Hunters will likely contend with Timothy Lomai running out for the Bears in Round 8 and Teteh for the Dolphins the week before.
The season will have 25 rounds with the final week of the regular season to be on Aug 26-27 before the finals in September.