Winning formula sought

THE SP PNG Hunters face the Norths Devils in Brisbane with another reshuffled side featuring 10 changes from the previous round as coach Michael Marum searches for the winning formula.
The Hunters head to Nundah saddled with four losses and need an upset to break the egg in the win column.
Captain Adex Wera was ruled out with a bruised hip during Tuesday’s team announcement while vice-captain Moses Meninga was another casualty (ankle) along with winger Wawa Paul (ankle).
Coupled with the forced changes to his team for the Round 5 Intrust Super Cup fixture at Bishop Park, Brisbane, senior players Bland Abavu and Stanton Albert were dropped for missing a video session on Monday in line with the club’s policy.
The return of suspended trio Joe Joshua, McKenzie Yei and Junior Rop bolsters the side with Marum saying the three had satisfied him that they had learned from their one-match bans after missing a training session after Round 3’s loss to the Sunshine Coast Falcons.
They join debutants Epel Kapinias, Shane Haro and Kevin Appo who impressed in their first game against the Easts Tigers last week.
Hooker Woods Kawage gets his first start in the No.9 jersey after coming off the bench against Easts as incumbent hooker Charlie Simon drops to the extended bench.
The dynamic Kawage is part of a new front row featuring Dilbert Isaac and Baundo Aba, who were rewarded for their aggression and impact off the bench.
Debutants Jack Oii and Jerry Teme are set to make their debuts tomorrow off the bench with veteran prop Enoch Maki.
Norths have had an up and down start to the 2019 Intrust Super Cup season, with two wins and two losses so far, and a win and loss a piece both home and away. Happily, they still remain in the top 8, and welcome a Hunters yet to win a game in 2019.
But that may well change this weekend. For the Hunters played reasonably well last weekend, which saw Ase Boas return to the side after ending his UK rugby league journey, and another week for the former premiership winning halfback to gel to the side can only be a positive.
Boas is expected to be named captain of the side that will be up against a former Hunter in Norths in-form back-rower Nixon Putt.
Hunters: 1. Joe Joshua, 2. Junior Rau, 3. Shane Haro, 4. Brendon Nima, 5. Brendon Gotuno, 6. Justin Yoka, 7. Ase Boas, 8. Baundo Aba, 9. Woods Kawage, 10. Dilbert Isaac, 11. McKenzie Yei, 12. Epel Kapinias, 13. Junior Rop; Interchange: 14. Jerry Teme, 15. Jack Oii, 16. Kevin Appo, 17. Enoch Maki, 18. Joe Frank.
Fixtures: Round 5 – Fri, April 5 – Townsville Blackhawks v Mackay Cutters; Sat, April 6 – Easts Tigers v Central Queensland Capras, Norths Devils v PNG Hunters, Redcliffe Dolphins v Ipswich Jets; Sun, April 7 – Tweed Heads Seagulls v Wynnum Manly Seagulls, Souths Logan Magpies v Burleigh Bears, Sunshine Coast Falcons v Northern Pride.