Wikipedia

2021 Papua New Guinea Hunters season

The Papua New Guinea Hunters is a professional rugby league club from Papua New Guinea that participates in the Queensland Cup in Australia. They have relocated to Runaway Bay, Gold Coast for the 2021 Intrust Super Cup Season. The 2021 Intrust Super Cup will be the PNG Hunters' eighth season in rugby league's Queensland Cup after securing their future with a four-year license from 2019 until 2022.[1] A 37-man train-on squad was announced for the pre season[2] before it was trimmed and the final squad finalized.[3] Doncaster RLFC agreed for Watson Boas to play with the Hunters squad until he was able to return to the United Kingdom.[4] In partnership with PacificAus Sports( Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade), Papua New Guinea Rugby Football League, PNG Hunters and QRL signed a three year agreement titled 'Growing and Supporting Rugby League in Papua New Guinea'[5] in February which will see the PacificAus Sports and QRL assisting to develop the sport in the country by creating pathways for emerging PNG players and also develop pathways for PNG teams like the PNG Hunters Under-19s and Papua New Guinea Hunters women's [6][7] to take part in high-level Australian sporting competitions [8] The Hunters travelled with a 24-man squad to Queensland after six could not travel due to visa issues. Three consultants were recruited to join the coaching team in order to refine and up-skill the coaching staff through funding by PacificAus sports program.[9][10]

2021 Papua New Guinea Hunters season
Queensland Cup Rank10th
2021 recordWins: 6; losses: 11
Points scoredFor: 386; against: 479
Team information
CEOScott Barker
CoachMathew Church
Captain
  • Ila Alu
StadiumBycroft Oval, Gold Coast
Top scorers
Tries9 (Junior Rau, Solo Wane)
Goals21 (Charlie Simon, Ase Boas)
Points46 (Charlie Simon, Ase Boas)
← 2020 2022 →

Season summary

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  • Round 1: Jokadi Bire scored his first try for the club.
  • Round 2: Edwin Ipape and Epel Kapinias scored their first tries for the club.
  • Round 3: Samuel Yegip and Sylvester Namo scored their first tries for the club.
  • Round 4: Norman Brown and Benji Kot scored their first tries for the club.
  • Round 4: Wartovo Puara played his 115th game for the Hunters equaling the most capped player record with Adex Wera for the club.
  • Round 6: Wartovo Puara played his 116th game for the Hunters becoming the most capped player in the history of the club
  • Round 7: Solo Wane and Emmanuel Waine scored their first tries for the club.
  • Round 14: Enoch Maki played his 95th game for the club overtaking Willie Minoga who played 94 games for the club.
  • Round 16: Ase Boas played his 116th game for the club overtaking Adex Wera who played 115 games. Ase is now second most capped Hunter.
  • Round 16: Judah Rimbu scored his first try for the club.
  • Round 17: Gilmo Paul scored his first try for the club.

Milestone games

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Round Player Milestone
Round 1 Jokadi Bire, Samuel Yegip, Edwin Ipape, Benji Kot, Emmanuel Waine, Sylvester Namo and Judah Rimbu ISC debut
Round 4 Norman Brown ISC debut
Round 5 Jeffrey Robert ISC debut
Round 6 Tom Butterfield Hunters debut
Round 7 Solo Wane ISC debut
Round 8 Solomon Pokare ISC debut
Round 12 Junior Rau 50th Game
Round 19 Gilmo Paul ISC Debut (Hunter #98)
Round 17 Enoch Maki 100th Game

2021 squad

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PNG Hunters
First team squad Coaching staff
  • Edwin Ipape – HK, SO, FB
  • Emmanuel Waine – SR, CE
  • Epel Kapinias – SR, PR
  • Judah Rimbu – HK, SO
  • Dilbert Isaac – PR, LK [12]
  • Samuel Yegip – PR
  • Norman Brown – FB, WG
  • Jordan Pat – PR
  • Mark Piti – PR
  • Sylvester Namo – SR
  • Jeffrey Robert – SR
  • Joe Joshua – FB, CE
  • Solomon Pokare – HB
  • Gilmo Paul – CE
  • Jokadi Bire – CE

Head coach

  • Mathew Church

Assistant coaches

Legend:
  • (c) Captain(s)
  • (vc) Vice-captain(s)

Updated: 13 January 2021
Source(s): [13]


Squad movement

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Gains

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Player Signed From Until End of Notes
Solomon Pokare Hela Wigmen
2021
[14]
Judah Rimbu Hela Wigmen
2021
[14]
Jokadi Bire   Lae Snax Tigers
2021
[14]
Benji Kot Kimbe Cutters
2021
[14]
Samuel Yegip Hela Wigmen
2021
[14]
Jeffrey Robert Hela Wigmen
2021
[14]
Sylvester Namo Lae Snax Tigers
2021
[14]
Edwin Ipape   Lae Snax Tigers
2021
[14]
Norman Brown Hela Wigmen
2021
[14]
Gilmo Paul Hela Wigmen
2021
[14]
Solo Wane Hela Wigmen
2021
[14]
Watson Boas Doncaster RLFC (loan)
2021
[14]
Wartovo Puara Barrow Raiders
2021
[14]

Losses

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Player Signed To Until End of Notes
Shane Nigel Port Moresby Vipers
2021
[14]
Joe Frank Waghi Tumbe
2021
[14]
Patrick Morea Hela Wigmen
2021
[14]
Rhadley Brawa Enga Mioks
2021
[14]
Junior Rop Lae Snax Tigers
2021
[14]
Steven Bruno Rabaul Gurias
2021
[14]
Justin Yoka Kimbe Cutters
2021
[14]
Nicky Oliver Central Dabaris
2021
[14]
Francis Takai Rabaul Gurias
2021
[14]
Roy Elison Rabaul Gurias
2021
[14]
Casey Dickson Lae Snax Tigers
2021
[14]
Stanley Olo Lae Snax Tigers
2021
[14]

Ladder

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Pos Team Pld W D L B PF PA PD Pts
1   Norths Devils 17 15 0 2 0 521 320 201 30
2   Wynnum Manly Seagulls 17 12 0 5 0 513 374 139 24
3   Burleigh Bears 17 12 0 5 0 457 342 115 24
4   Tweed Heads Seagulls 17 10 2 5 0 458 384 74 22
5   Redcliffe Dolphins 17 11 0 6 0 450 397 53 22
6   Souths Logan Magpies 17 10 1 6 0 517 446 71 21
7   Townsville Blackhawks 17 9 1 7 0 468 361 107 19
8   Sunshine Coast Falcons 17 9 0 8 0 448 390 58 18
9   Northern Pride 17 9 0 8 0 376 387 -11 18
10   Papua New Guinea Hunters 17 6 0 11 0 386 479 -93 12
11   Brisbane Tigers 17 4 1 12 0 364 456 -92 9
12   Mackay Cutters 17 4 0 13 0 330 556 -226 8
13   Ipswich Jets 17 3 1 13 0 365 561 -196 7
14   Central Queensland Capras 17 1 2 14 0 303 503 -200 4
  • The team highlighted in blue has clinched the minor premiership
  • Teams highlighted in green have qualified for the finals
  • The team highlighted in red has clinched the wooden spoon

Fixtures

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Pre-season

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Date Round Opponent Venue Score Tries Goals

Regular season

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Date Round Opponent Venue Score Tries Goals Attendance
Saturday, 20 March Round 1   Wynnum Manly Seagulls Bycroft Oval, Gold Coast 18-20 Bire, Wapi, Puara Simon 3 goals
Saturday, 27 March Round 2   Ipswich Jets Bycroft Oval, Gold Coast 44-22 Gotuno 3, Kapinias 2, Wapi, Bire, Ipape Simon 6 goals
Saturday, 10 April Round 3   Mackay Cutters BB Print Stadium 26-14 Yegip, Namo, Rau, W.Boas, Ipape Simon 3 goals
Saturday, 17 April Round 4   Sunshine Coast Falcons Bycroft Oval, Gold Coast 32-12 Kot 2, Brown 2, Wapi, Yegip Simon 4 goals
Saturday, 24 April Round 5   Burleigh Bears Pizzey Park 18-25 Bire, Brown, Nima, Wapi Simon goal
Sunday, 9 May Round 6   Brisbane Tigers Bycroft Oval, Gold Coast 12-40 Bire, Brown Simon 2 goals
Sunday, 16 May Round 7   Souths Logan Magpies Davies Park 14-48 Waine, Wane ,Bire Pokare goal
Saturday, 29 May Round 8   Redcliffe Dolphins Moreton Daily Stadium 12-24 Rau 2, Kot
Saturday, 5 June Round 9   Townsville Blackhawks Bycroft Oval, Gold Coast 28-38 Bire 2, Appo 2, Nima, Kot Ase Boas 2 goals
Saturday, 12 June Round 10   Norths Devils Bishop Park 22-38 Wane, Kot, Bire, Appo Ase Boas 3 goals
Sunday, 20 June Round 11   Burleigh Bears Cbus Super Stadium 6-40 Rau Ase Boas goal
Saturday, 10 July Round 13   Sunshine Coast Falcons Sunshine Coast Stadium 12-26 Kot 2 Ase Boas 2 goals
Saturday, 17 July Round 14   Northern Pride Atherton Stadium, Artheton 34-22 Wane 3, Nima, Rau, Simon Ase Boas 4 , Simon goals
Saturday, 24 July Round 12   Mackay Cutters Bycroft Oval, Gold Coast 30-40 Rau 3, Gotuno 2, Wane Ase Boas 3 goals
Saturday, 31 July Round 15   Wynnum Manly Seagulls Eskdale Park, Maryborough Round 15 cancelled[15]
Saturday, 21 August Round 18   Brisbane Tigers Totally Workwear Stadium Round 18 cancelled [16]
Sunday, 29 August Round 19   Souths Logan Magpies Bycroft Oval, Gold Coast 26-32 Wapi 2, Puara, Yegip, Waine Ase Boas 3 goals
Saturday, 4 Sept. Round 16   CQ Capras Browne Park 22-20 Wane 2, Rimbu, Rau, Ipape Simon goal
Saturday, 11 Sept. Round 17   Tweed Heads Seagulls Bycroft Oval, Gold Coast 30-18 Waine 2, Gilmo, Kapinias, Wane, Ase Boas Ase Boas 3 goals
Legend:   Win   Loss   Draw   Bye

[17]

Statistics

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* Denotes player contracted to the Doncaster RLFC for the 2021 season
Name App T G FG Pts
Stanton Albert 11 - - - -
Ila Alu 15 - - - -
Kevin Appo 10 3 - - 12
Jokadi Bire 10 8 - - 32
Ase Boas 9 1 21 - 46
Watson Boas* 5 1 - - 4
Norman Brown 8 4 - - 16
Tommy Butterfield 2 - - - -
Brendon Gotuno 6 5 - - 20
Edwin Ipape 11 3 - - 12
Dilbert Isaac 4 - - - -
Joe Joshua 2 - - - -
Epel Kapinias 10 3 - - 12
Benji Kot 15 7 - - 28
Enoch Maki 10 - - - 0
Sylvester Namo 13 1 - - 4
Brandon Nima 15 3 - - 12
Jordan Pat 3 - - - -
Gilmo Paul 3 1 - - 4
Mark Piti 7 - - - -
Solomon Pokare 3 - 1 - 2
Wartovo Puara 16 2 - - 8
Junior Rau 16 9 - - 36
Judah Rimbu 15 1 - - 4
Jeffrey Robert 1 - - - -
Charlie Simon 14 1 21 - 46
Emmanuel Waine 16 4 - - 16
Solo Wane 9 9 - - 36
Terry Wapi 11 6 - - 24
Samuel Yegip 15 2 - - 8
Totals 74 43 0 386

Honours

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References

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  1. ^ "Hunters secure Intrust Super Cup future". Loop PNG. 7 February 2019.
  2. ^ "PNG Hunters 2021 Pre-Season Squad Named". www.postcourier.com.pg. 19 November 2020.
  3. ^ "PNG Hunters name assistant coach and final 2021 squad". www.qrl.com.au. 12 January 2021.
  4. ^ "Doncaster Rugby League". Doncaster Rugby League. 19 April 2022. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
  5. ^ https://www.qrl.com.au/news/2021/04/01/qrl-takes-lead-in-unique-pacific-program[permanent dead link‍]
  6. ^ "Junior Hunters eyed – the National".
  7. ^ "Vital to build on relocation – the National".
  8. ^ "Australia, PNG ink sport deal – the National".
  9. ^ a b "Hunters recruit Knights legend – the National".
  10. ^ "Hunters appoint new general manager". 19 March 2021.
  11. ^ "Alu to captain SP Hunters/Five Debutants Named". 16 March 2021.
  12. ^ "Isaac and Pat recalled by PNG Hunters". 21 May 2021.
  13. ^ "PNG Hunters name assistant coach and final 2021 squad". Qrl Media. 11 January 2021. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
  14. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y "PNG Hunters: Gains and losses 2021". QRL. 16 March 2021.
  15. ^ "Statement: Statewide competitions update". 2 August 2021.
  16. ^ "Intrust Super Cup and Hastings Deering Colts update". 16 August 2021.
  17. ^ "QRL releases 2021 intrust super cup draw". QRL Media. 10 December 2020.[permanent dead link‍]
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