Hunters without Gabbie

SP PNG Hunters fullback Edene Gabbie was a late withdrawal as the team flew to Brisbane yesterday for tomorrow’s all important round 24 Q-Cup fixture against the CQ Capras.
Adex Wera will move to fullback from the centres with reserve Butler Morris coming in at centre.
Gabbie, who scored two tries in last week’s 40-16 win over Wynnum Manly, could not pass a medical test on his injured right knee and was excluded.
Coach Michael Marum said Wera (pictured), who will play his 100th Q-Cup game, was the logical choice having played in the No.1 jersey previously this season.
Morris, who has not played for the Hunters since round 13, finds himself playing in the Hunters most important game of the regular season after centre Willie Minoga was also ruled out earlier in the week.
The Hunters must beat or draw with the Rockhampton-based side in order to guarantee a spot in the finals.
The Hunters ground out an 18-10 over the Capras in round 11 and take on a side aiming to finish the season on a high note – they beat the Sunshine Coast Falcons 26-18 last week.
The Hunters are in sixth place on 28 points but need to win or draw to stay ahead of the fast-finishing seventh-placed Ipswich Jets (26pts) who play the Norths Devils on Sunday.
SP Hunters: 1 Adex Wera, 2. Junior Rau, 3. Thompson Teteh, 4. Butler Morris, 5. Brendon Gotuno 6. Ase Boas (c), 7. Charlie Simon, 8. Enoch Maki, 9. Wartovo Puara Jr, 10. Moses Meninga, 11. Nixon Put, 12. Rhadley Brawa, 13. Stanton Albert; Reserves: 14. Watson Boas, 15. Ila Alu, 16. McKenzie Yei, 17. Dilbert Isaac, 18. Patrick Morea.
Rd 24 Fixtures: Sat, Aug 25 – Easts Tigers v Burleigh Bears, WM Seagulls v Blackhawks, CQ Capras v PNG Hunters, Pride v TH Seagulls, Cutters v Magpies, Dolphins v Falcons; Sun, Aug 26 – Norths Devils v Ipswich Jets.