2022 Papua New Guinea Hunters season

2022 Papua New Guinea Hunters season
Queensland Cup Rank	12
2022 record	Wins: 7; draws: 1; losses: 11
Points scored	For: 389; against: 531
Team information
CEO	Scott Barker [1]
Coach	Matthew Church
Captain	Ila Alu & Kevin Appo [2]
Stadium	Bycroft Oval, Gold Coast
Top scorers
Tries	8 (Wane)
Goals	33 (Kingstimer Paraia)
Points	79 (Kingstimer Paraia)
←  2021 2023  →

The Papua New Guinea Hunters is a professional rugby league club from Papua New Guinea that participates in the Queensland Cup in Australia. Their 2022 official 27-man squad ^[3] relocated to Runaway Bay, Gold Coast for the second year in a row. ^[4] The 2022 Hostplus Cup was the PNG Hunters' ninth season in rugby league's Queensland Cup after securing their future with a four-year license from 2019 until 2022. ^[5] They reappointed Matt Church ^[6] as their head coach to be supported by Assistant Coaches, Stanley Tepend ^[7] and Paul Aiton. Two of the Hunters players, Anthony Worot and Sherwin Tanabi, were given a one week train and trial with the Cowboys Young Guns and featured in the trial match for the Young Guns against the Mackay Cutters. ^{[8] [9]}

The Hunters announced a new strategic player pathways partnership with Dolphins, with four PNG Hunters players joining Dolphins for a full NRL pre-season. Two of these players remained with the Dolphins for the full NRL season commencing in 2023, and played for the Hunters on the weekends when not in the Top 17 team. ^[10]

Season summary

• Round 1:

Milestone games

Round	Player	Milestone
Round 1	Rodrick Tai (#100), Mark Tony (#101), Wesser Tenza (#102), Kingstimer Paraia (#103)	Hostplus Cup debuts
Round 1	Kevin Appo	PNG Hunters captaincy debut
Round 3	Mathew Jesse (#104), Jamie Mavoko (#105), Anthony Worot (#106)	Hostplus Cup debuts
Round 3	Rodrick Tai	Scored his first Hostplus Cup try
Round 5	Sherwin Tanabi (#107)	HC debut
Round 7	Kitron Laka (#108)	HC debut
Round 8	Tyler Han (#109)	HC debut
Round 8	Brandon Nima	PNG Hunters captaincy debut
Round 8	Tony Worot, Mathew Jesse and Tyler Han	Scored their first Hostplus cup tries
Round 10	Kitron Laka	Scored his first Hostplus cup try
Round 13	Dilbert Isaac	50th Hostplus cup match
Round 15	Judah Rimbu	scored his first Hostplus Cup try
Round 16	Brandon Nima	50th Hostplus cup match
Round 16	Liam Joseph (#110) and Francis Kembis (#111)	Hostplus Cup debuts
Round 16	Liam Joseph	scored his first Hostplus Cup try
Round 17	Francis Kembis	scored his first Hostplus Cup try
Round 19	Wesser Tenza	scored his first Hostplus Cup try

2022 squad

PNG Hunters

First team squad								Coaching staff
Tyler Han – FB, SO Brandon Nima – CE, WG (vc) Benji Kot – CE, SR Rodrick Tai – CE, WG, SR Solo Wane – WG Kingstimer Paraia – SO, HK Judah Rimbu – HB, HK, SO Francis Kembis – PR, SR Wartovo Puara – HK Sylvester Namo – PR, SR Sherwin Tanabi – SR Kevin Appo – SR, LK (c) Ila Alu – LK, PR (c)		Emmanuel Waine – SR, CE, LK Wesser Tenza – HK Dilbert Isaac – PR, LK Junior Rop – LK, PR Kitron Laka – SR Liam Joseph – WG Mark Tony – SO, HB Gilimo Paul – CE, LK Jordan Pat – PR Jamie Mavoko – HB, SO Mathew Jesse – FB, WG Terry Wapi – WG, FB Samuel Yegip – PR						Head coach Matthew Church Assistant coaches Paul Aiton Stanley Tepend Legend: (c) Captain(s) (vc) Vice-captain(s) Updated: 27 January 2022 Source(s): [11]

Squad movement

Gains

Player	Signed from	Until end of	Notes
Mathew Jesse	Waghi Tumbe	2022	[12]
Francis Kembis	Waghi Tumbe	2022
Liam Joseph	Rabaul Gurias	2022
Kitron Laka	Lae Snax Tigers	2022
Jamie Mavoko	Lae Snax Tigers	2022
Junior Rop	Lae Snax Tigers	2022
Rodrick Tai	Lae Snax Tigers	2022
Sherwin Tanabi	Lae Snax Tigers	2022
Mark Tony	Lae Snax Tigers	2022
Wesser Tenza	Mendi Muruks	2022
Kingstimer Paraia	Port Moresby Vipers	2022
Tyler Han	Runaway Bay Seagulls	2022

Losses

Player	Signed to	Until end of	Notes
Stanton Albert	Port Moresby Vipers	2022	[12]
Ase Boas	Rabaul Gurias	2022
Enoch Maki	Port Moresby Vipers	2022
Jokadi Bire	Retired on Medical condition	2022
Casey Dickson	Villeneuve XIII RLLG	2022	[13]
Jeffrey Robert	Hela Wigmen	2022	[12]
Charlie Simon	Mendi Muruks	2022
Mark Piti	Lae Snax Tigers	2022
Joe Joshua	Mt. Hagen Eagles	2022
Norman Brown	Hela Wigmen	2022
Brendon Gotuno	Port Moresby Vipers	2022
Edwin Ipape	Leigh Centurions	2022	[14]
Epel Kapinias	Wynnum Manly Seagulls	2022	[15]
Solomon Pokare	Hela Wigmen	2022	[12]
Junior Rau	Mt. Hagen Eagles	2022
Anthony Worot	Kimbe Cutters	2022
Samuel Yegip	Hela Wigmen	2022

Ladder

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	B	PF	PA	PD	Pts
1	Burleigh Bears	19	14	1	4	1	634	356	278	31
2	Sunshine Coast Falcons	19	13	1	5	1	470	326	144	29
3	Redcliffe Dolphins	19	12	0	7	1	518	359	159	26
4	Norths Devils	19	12	0	7	1	469	459	10	26
5	Central Queensland Capras	19	11	1	7	1	472	394	78	25
6	Tweed Heads Seagulls	19	10	1	8	1	474	388	86	23
7	Brisbane Tigers	19	10	1	8	1	452	454	-2	23
8	Northern Pride RLFC	19	9	1	9	1	370	391	-21	21
9	Wynnum Manly Seagulls	19	9	0	10	1	494	422	72	20
10	Townsville Blackhawks	19	7	2	10	1	445	443	2	18
11	Mackay Cutters	19	8	0	11	1	444	484	-40	18
12	Papua New Guinea Hunters	19	7	1	11	1	389	531	-142	17
13	Ipswich Jets	19	4	0	15	1	326	712	-384	10
14	Souths Logan Magpies	19	2	1	15	1	346	586	-240	7

• The team highlighted in blue clinched the minor premiership.
• Teams highlighted in green qualified for the finals.
• The team highlighted in red clinched the wooden spoon.

Fixtures

Pre-season

Date	Round	Opponent	Venue	Score	Tries	Goals
Saturday 5 March	Trial 1	CQ Capras	Gladstone	10-20	Wane, Paraia	Paraia goal
Saturday 12 March	Trial 2	Wests Panthers	Frank Lind Oval, Mitchelton	18-14
Legend:   Win  Loss  Draw  Bye

Regular season

Date	Round	Opponent	Venue	Score	Tries	Goals	Attendance
Saturday, 19 March	Round 1	Mackay Cutters	BB Print Stadium	16-10	Wane, Isaac	Rimbu 4 goals
Saturday, 26 March	Round 2	CQ Capras	Browne Park	16-26	Paraia, Wapi, Nima	Rimbu 2 goals
Sunday, 3 April	Round 3	Brisbane Tigers	Bycroft Oval, Gold Coast	12-22	Tai, Waine	Mavoko 2 goals
Saturday, 9 April	Round 4	Sunshine Coast Falcons	Bycroft Oval, Gold Coast	8-22	Appo	Mavoko 2 goals
Monday, 25 April	Round 5	Burleigh Bears	Pizzey Park	0-34
Saturday, 30th April	Round 6	BYE
Saturday, 7 May	Round 7	Norths Devils	Bycroft Oval, Gold Coast	24-28	Wane, Nima, Wapi, Paraia	Paraia 4 goals
Friday, 13 May	Round 8	Townsville Blackhawks	Jack Manski Oval	42-20	Namo 2, Jesse, Worot, Nima, Wane, Waine, Han	Paraia 5 goals
Saturday, 21 May	Round 9	Redcliffe Dolphins	Bycroft Oval, Gold Coast	16-30	Namo, Tai, Isaac	Mavoko 2 goals
Sunday, 5 June	Round 10	Tweed Heads Seagulls	Tugun RLFC, Tugun	22-24	Appo, Nima, Laka, Wapi	Mavoko 2, Paraia goals
Saturday, 11 June	Round 11	Souths Logan Magpies	Bycroft Oval, Gold Coast	26-22	Isaac 2, Wapi, Tai, Wane	Mavoko 2, Paraia goals
Sunday, 19 June	Round 12	Northern Pride	Barlow Park	6-30	Gilmo	Tony goal
Saturday, 2 July	Round 13	Ipswich Jets	North Ipswich Reserve	18-36	Wane, Nima, Tai	Mavoko 3 goals
Saturday, 9 July	Round 14	Wynnum Manly Seagulls	BMD Kougari Oval, Brisbane	36-22	Wane 2, Laka, Appo, Rop, Alu	Paraia 5, Rimbu goals
Sunday, 17 July	Round 15	CQ Capras	Bycroft Oval, Gold Coast	24-62	Nima, Appo, Rimbu, Tai	Paraia 4 goals
Saturday, 23 July	Round 16	Brisbane Tigers	John Kerr Park, Cunnamulla	32-24	Laka 2, Han, Paraia, Pat, Joseph	Rimbu 4 goals
Sunday, 7 August	Round 17	Sunshine Coast Falcons	Sunshine Coast Stadium	6-44	Kembis	Paraia goal
Saturday, 13 August	Round 18	Townsville Blackhawks	Bycroft Oval, Gold Coast	23-23	Kot 2, Wane, Laka	Paraia 3 goals, 1 drop goal
Saturday, 20 August	Round 19	Burleigh Bears	Bycroft Oval	32-24	Han, Kot, Tenza, Rimbu, Kembis	Paraia 5 goals, 1 pen.
Saturday, 27 August	Round 20	Mackay Cutters	PNG Football Stadium	30-28	Tai, Kot, Joseph, Waine, Tanabi, Puara	Paraia 3 goals
Legend:   Win  Loss  Draw  Bye

Statistics

Name	App	T	G	FG	Pts
Ila Alu	8	1	-	-	4
Keven Appo	16	4	-	-	16
Casey Dickson	3	-	-	-	-
Tyler Han	10	3	-	-	12
Dilbert Isaac	15	4	-	-	16
Mathew Jesse	7	1	-	-	4
Liam Joseph	4	2	-	-	8
Francis Kembis	5	2	-	-	8
Benji Kot	10	4	-	-	16
Kitron Laka	12	5	-	-	20
Jamie Mavoko	9	-	13	-	26
Sylvester Namo	16	3	-	-	12
Brandon Nima	18	6	-	-	24
Kingstimer Paraia	17	3	33	1	79
Jordan Pat	8	1	-	-	4
Gilimo Paul	8	1	-	-	4
Wartovo Puara	14	1	-	-	4
Judah Rimbu	13	2	11	-	30
Junior Rop	17	1	-	-	4
Rodrick Tai	15	6	-	-	24
Sherwin Tanabi	15	1	-	-	4
Wesser Tenza	13	1	-	-	4
Mark Tony	13	-	1	-	2
Emmanuel Waine	18	3	-	-	12
Solo Wane	17	8	-	-	32
Terry Wapi	8	4	-	-	16
Tony Worot	3	1	-	-	4
Samuel Yegip	11	-	-	-	-
Totals		68	58	1	389

Representatives

The following players played representative matches in 2022.

	Pacific Test	PNG Prime Minister's XIII	World Cup
Dilbert Isaac	PNG Kumuls
Solo Wane	PNG Kumuls
Wartovo Puara	PNG Kumuls	PNG Prime Minister's XIII
Sylvester Namo	PNG Kumuls	PNG Prime Minister's XIII
Emmanuel Waine	PNG Kumuls	PNG Prime Minister's XIII
Keven Appo		PNG Prime Minister's XIII
Rodrick Tai		PNG Prime Minister's XIII
Sherwin Tanabi		PNG Prime Minister's XIII
Wesser Tenza		PNG Prime Minister's XIII
Judah Rimbu		PNG Prime Minister's XIII
Francis Kembis		PNG Prime Minister's XIII
Brandon Nima		PNG Prime Minister's XIII

References

1. "Hunters reappoint Barker to CEO role". 25 October 2021.
2. "PNG Hunters: Cup gains and losses for 2022". 28 January 2022.
3. "Hunters name official 26-man squad". 26 January 2022.
4. "SP PNG Hunters confirm home away from home in 2022".
5. "PNG Hunters secure Intrust Super Cup future". 7 February 2019.
6. "Hunters reappoint Church to coaching role". 7 October 2021.
7. "Hunters appoint Stanley Tepend as assistant coach". November 2021.
8. "Young gun Hunters ready to seize NRL trial chance". 21 February 2022.
9. "Young Guns team list: Trial v Mackay Cutters". 23 February 2022.
10. "Hunters announce strategic pathways partnership with Dolphins". 19 May 2022.
11. "Hunters Name Official 26-man Squad". www.postcourier.com.pg. 27 January 2022.
12. "PNG Hunters: Cup Gains and losses 2022". QRL. 28 January 2022.
13. "Hunters release forward Dickson – the National".
14. "Adrian Lam brings Papua New Guinea star to Leigh for 2022". www.loverugbyleague.com. 19 January 2022.
15. "Epel Kapinias joins gulls for 2022". wynnumseagulls.com.au. 24 March 2022.^{[ permanent dead link ]}