Hunters whipped by 40 points

THE Papua New Guinea Hunters had no answers for the Redcliffe Dolphins on Saturday, going down 48-8 in the round 12 fixture.
The loss was the club’s 10th for the season and saw coach Michael Marum’s side let in nine tries for a 40-point losing margin.
Fullback Terry Wapi was a shining light for the visitors at Dolphin Oval, Redcliffe. The 22-year-old made several breaks and scored a try.
The Dolphins pack won the battle in the middle of the park, consistently putting the Hunters on the backfoot throughout the game.
The Dolphins pack gained the ascendency early with Jordan Grant and Nathan Watts eating up easy metres through the middle third while back-rowers Jamil Hopoate, Nick Brown and Aaron Whitchurch complementing that effort.
As a result of that dominance it was no surprise that forwards accounted for four of the Dolphin’s tries: bench prop Tom Geraghty grabbed two tries, one in each half, while Whitchurch broke through some flimsy defence early in the second half and earlier Watts scored the game’s first try in the fourth minute.
The Hunters competed well in the first quarter with winger Gairo Kapana getting past opposite Josh Beehag in the 14th minute in response to the home side but were run off the park with the Dolphins following a similar game plan to what the Burleigh Bears did in their round eight 56-4 demolition of the Port Moresby side.
Ase Boas, who started in the centres, had a rough night defensively on the right edge having to deal with 100kg centre Jeremy Hawkins.
Boas and halfback Nick Hasu unable to convert either of the team’s two tries.
The halftime score was 16-8 to the hosts.
The result also saw the Dolphins retain the Stan Joyce Cup.
The Hunters are still in 12th spot despite the loss after Souths Logan (13th) and Central Queensland (14th) lost their matches.
The Hunters have a chance to regain confidence when they host the Mackay Cutters next Sunday.
Redcliffe Dolphins 48 (Nathan Watts, Jeremy Hawkins, Tom Geraghty 2, Izaia Perese, Aaron Whitchurch, Josh Beehag, Trai Fuller, Harrison Smith tries; Bryce Donovan 6 con) PNG Hunters 8 (Gairo Kapana, Terry Wapi tries)
Results: Rd 12 – Fri, May 31: Mackay Cutters 20 Ipswich Jets 34; Sat, June 1: Easts Tigers 40 Northern Pride 22, Wynnum Manly Seagulls 28 Townsville Blackhawks 12, Redcliffe Dolphins 48 PNG Hunters 8; Sun, June 2: CQ Capras 12 Norths Devils 48, Tweed Heads Seagulls 42 Souths Logan Magpies 8, Sunshine Coast Falcons 32 Burleigh Bears 16.