Minoga, Boas star for Hunters

By HUXLEY LOVAI
TWO tries to a rampaging Willie Minoga helped the PNG Hunters to a 26-10 win over the Northern Pride at the National Football Stadium in Port Moresby on Saturday.
The SP Brewery-sponsored team continued their impressive defensive effort as well restricting the visitors’ try-scoring chances to the second half after taking a 10-0 halftime lead in front of 6738 fans.
Minoga was recalled into the starting line up at centre position following the one-match suspension of Adex Wera and the man dubbed the “freight train” made the most of this opportunity with his trade mark charges on the right edge wreaking havoc for the visitors’ defence.
Captain Ase Boas also had a solid outing at five-eighth, setting up a try and scoring one as well as kicking three conversions and two penalties – in windy conditions – for another double digit (14) haul.
Minoga was the beneficiary of a break down the right flank when a Boas cut-out pass saw winger Paul Wawa in open space and he simply lobbed the ball back in field for Minoga. Boas slotted the conversion and the home side took a 6-0 after five minutes of play.
The Hunters defence was then tested for a 10-minute period as the visitors managed to get repeat sets off the boot of No.6 Jordan Biondi-Odo. The pressure failed to yield any points and the Hunters added salt to injury with Boas selling a dummy off a scrum and running 40m to score in the 26th minute.
Despite missing the conversion, the Hunters’ 10-0 lead was twice that in value given the defensive effort in preceding sets.
The second half saw a climbing error count for both sides as the intensity of the game took a toll.
A penalty for dissent (referee Michael Gordon took offence to Pride captain Ryan Ghietti’s mouthing off after a ruck penalty against his team) 10m out and in front of the uprights enabled Boas to nudge his side out to a 12-0 lead.
The visitors finally got on the score board with an unconverted try to winger Marcus Jensen taking the score to 12-4 after 51 minutes.
This sparked the Hunters with Minoga storming in for his second try as he sliced through and the cheek to feign a strike against Pride fullback Jared Allen before grounding the ball.
Boas slotted the conversion and the lead was 18-4
Boas opted for another two points after North Queensland Cowboys flyer Gideon Gela Mosby was penalised for running behind a teammate. Trailing 20-4, Pride hooker Ben Hampton gave his side a glimmer of hope when he went over in the 61st minute and with Biondi-Odo’s conversion cutting the deficit to 10 points.
Hunters No.9 Wartovo Puara Jr crossed for a four-pointer from a trademark scoot out of dummy half close to the line and which Boas converted for the final score line.
PNG Hunters 26 (Willie Minoga 2, Ase Boas, Wartovo Puara Jr tries; A Boas 3 con, 2 pen) Northern Pride 10 (Marcus Jensen, Colin Wilkie tries tries; Jordan Biondi-Odo con)
Round 9 Results: Sat, April 29 – Hunters 26 Pride 10, Jets 18 Bears 12, Tigers 36 CQ Capras 24, WM Seagulls 16 Blackhawks 22; Sun, April 30 – Cutters 10 Devils 34, Dolphins 52 Magpies 12, TH Seagulls 0 Falcons 58.