2023 Papua New Guinea Hunters season

Last updated

2023 Papua New Guinea Hunters season
Queensland Cup Rank10
2023 recordWins: 9; draws: 1; losses: 10
Points scoredFor: 464; against: 514
Team information
CEOScott Barker
Coach Stanley Tepend [1]
Captain
  • Ila Alu
Stadium PNG Football Stadium
Top scorers
Tries11 (Morea Morea)
Goals37 (Jamie Mavoko)
Points86 (Jamie Mavoko)
←  2022 2024  →

The 2023 Hostplus Cup will be the PNG Hunters' tenth season in rugby league's Queensland Cup. The Papua New Guinea Hunters is a professional rugby league club from Papua New Guinea.

Contents

Train and trial partnership with Dolphins (NRL)

The PNG Hunters strategic partnership with Dolphins (NRL) saw four Hunters players Tai, Tanabi, Waine and Judah Rimbu trained with the Dolphins (NRL) side during NRL pre-season in January,2023. Waine then left to join the London Broncos [2] while Rodrick Tai was recalled together with Morea Morea in April to be part of the Dolphins for a month to train. Rodrick's trial got extended after the one month, while Morea returned to the Hunters in May. [3] [4] [5] [6] [7]

Season summary


Milestone games

RoundPlayerMilestone
Round 1Morea Morea(#112), Siki Konden(#113), Sakias Komati(#114), Tom Moide(#115), Joshua Mire(#116), Valentine Richard(#117)Hostplus Cup debuts
Round 1Samson Komatiscored his first try
Round 2Morea Moreascored his first Hunters try
Round 3Sanny Wabo(#118)Hostplus Cup debut
Round 5Junior Igila(#119), Trevor Solu(#120), Koso Badi(#121)Hostplus Cup debuts
Round 8Tom Moidescored his first Hostplus Cup try
Round 8Seal Kalo (Hunters #122)Hostplus Cup debut
Round 10Sanny Waboscored his first Hostplus Cup try
Round 11Jamie Mavokoscored his first Hostplus Cup try
Round 12Junior Igilascored his first Hostplus Cup try
Round 13Joshua Lau (Hunters #123)scored his first try on his Debut
Round 14Joshua Mirescored his first try at Hostplus cup level
Round 15Trevor Soluscored his first try at Hostplus cup level
Round 16Whallen Tau-Loi (PNG Hunters #124)Hostplus Cup debut
Round 20Whallen Tau-LoiFirst Hostplus Cup try
Round 22Siki KondenFirst Hostplus Cup try

2023 squad

PNG Hunters
First team squadCoaching staff
  • Warren Glare – HK
  • Seal Kalo – PR
  • Casey Dickson – PR
  • Valentine Richard – PR (On Loan)
  • Tom Moide – LK, PR
  • Sanny Wabo – FB
  • Sakias Komati – SO
  • Henry Wan – PR
  • Junior Igila – CE
  • Trevor Solu – HK
  • Philemon Kimisive – SR
  • Joshua Mire – SO, HB
  • Sherwin Tanabi – SR

Head coach

Assistant coach

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

Updated: 03 February 2023
Source(s): [8]

Squad movement

Gains

PlayerSigned FromUntil End ofNotes
Epel Kapinias Wynnum Manly Seagulls
2023
 [9]

Losses

PlayerSigned ToUntil End ofNotes
Keven Appo Bradford Bulls
2023
 [10]
Sylvester Namo North Queensland Cowboys
2023
 [11]
Kitron Laka Wynnum Manly Seagulls
2023
Kingstimer Paraia Souths Logan Magpies
2023
 [13]
Samuel Yegip Central Queensland Capras
2023
 [14]
Emmanuel Waine London Broncos
2023
 [15]
Wartovo Puara Sepik Pride
2023
 [16]
Liam Joseph Rabaul Gurias
2023
 [17]
Dilbert Isaac Redcliffe Dolphins
2023
 [18]
Gilmo Paul Port Moresby Vipers
2023
 [19]

Ladder

PosTeamPldWDLBPFPAPDPts
1 Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg Burleigh Bears 201514254737617135
2 Souths-Logan Magpies Colours.svg Souths Logan Magpies 201424258839219634
3 Balmain colours.svg Brisbane Tigers 201415257343214133
4 Central Comets colours.svg Central Queensland Capras 201226251138712430
5 Redcliffe colours.svg Redcliffe Dolphins 201136256444312129
6 Wynnum-Manly Colours.svg Wynnum Manly Seagulls 201208261049811228
7 Northern Pride colours.png Northern Pride RLFC 2011272363442-7928
8 Sunshine Coast Colours.svg Sunshine Coast Falcons 201118252540811727
9 Western Suburbs colours.svg Tweed Heads Seagulls 201109261447813626
10 Port Moresby Vipers Colours.svg Papua New Guinea Hunters 2091102464514-5023
11 Norths Devils colours.svg Norths Devils 20821025515302122
12 Townsville Blackhawks colours.png Townsville Blackhawks 20811124804552521
13 Toowoomba Clydesdales colours.svg Western Clydesdales 2030172452684-23210
14 Mackay Cutters colours.svg Mackay Cutters 2030162332606-27410
15 Ipswich Colours.svg Ipswich Jets 2000202342871-5294

Fixtures

Pre-season

DateRoundOpponentVenueScoreTriesGoals
Saturday 25 FebruaryTrial 1 Central Comets colours.svg CQ Capras PNG Football Stadium 12-20Konden,Morea,Kot
Saturday 4 MarchTrial 2 Fijibaticolours.PNG Kaiviti Silktails Lawaqa Park, Sigatoka, Fiji 26-12Rop 3, Konden, Nima [20]
Legend:   Win  Loss  Draw  Bye

Regular season

DateRoundOpponentVenueScoreTriesGoalsAttendance
Sunday, 12 MarchRound 1 Toowoomba Clydesdales colours.svg Western Clydesdales Clive Berghofer Stadium 20-10 Nima 2, Komati, KotMavoko 2/4 goals
Saturday, 18 MarchRound 2 Souths-Logan Magpies Colours.svg Souths Logan Magpies Logan Metro Sports Park22-22Komati 2, Tai, Kot, MoreaMorea 1/5 goal
Saturday, 25 MarchRound 3 Balmain colours.svg Brisbane Tigers PNG Football Stadium 36-38Morea 3, Wane, Nima, Alu, YakopaMorea 3/6, Komati 1/1 goals
Saturday, 8 AprilRound 4BYE-
Saturday, 15 AprilRound 5 Northern Pride colours.png Northern Pride Barlow Park 14-34 Tai, Komati, Nima Solu 1/3 goal
Saturday, 22 AprilRound 6 Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg Burleigh Bears Pizzey Park 20-46Rop, Kapinias, Nima, KomatiMorea 1/2, Solu 1/2 goals
Saturday, 29 AprilRound 7 Mackay Cutters colours.svg Mackay Cutters PNG Football Stadium 18-10Morea, Kot, Yakopa, Tai Mavoko 1/4
Saturday, 6 MayRound 8 Ipswich Colours.svg Ipswich Jets PNG Football Stadium 40-28 Nima 2, Morea, Tenza, Moide, Komati, RopMavoko 6/7
Friday, 12 MayRound 9 Townsville Blackhawks colours.png Townsville Blackhawks Jack Manski Oval 4-54 Wane Mavoko 0/1
Saturday, 20 MayRound 10 Wynnum-Manly Colours.svg Wynnum Manly Seagulls BMD Kougari Oval 24-28 Tai 2, Wabo 2, JesseMavoko 2/5
Saturday,27 MayRound 11 Northern Pride colours.png Northern Pride PNG Football Stadium 16-22Yakopa, Mavoko, Tenza Mavoko 2/3
Saturday, 3 JuneRound 12 Western Suburbs colours.svg Tweed Heads Seagulls PNG Football Stadium 34-18Moide, Igila, Morea, Tai, Wane, RopMavoko 5/6
Saturday, 10 JuneRound 13 Toowoomba Clydesdales colours.svg Western Clydesdales PNG Football Stadium 40-4Moide, Nima, Lau, Kimisive, Wabo, Morea, Tai Solu 5/6, Morea 1/1
Saturday, 17 JuneRound 14 Souths-Logan Magpies Colours.svg Souths Logan Magpies PNG Football Stadium 10-40Kot, MireSolu 1/1, Mavoko 0/1
Sunday, 25 JuneRound 15 Sunshine Coast Colours.svg Sunshine Coast Falcons Sunshine Coast Stadium 34-10Solu 2, Morea, Moide, Yakopa, Wane Mavoko 4/5, Solu 1/1
Saturday, 1 JulyRound 16 Central Comets colours.svg CQ Capras PNG Football Stadium 14-8Rimbu, Wabo, KotMavoko 1/2 Solu 0/1
Saturday, 8 JulyRound 17 Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg Burleigh Bears PNG Football Stadium 22-30 Nima, Kot, Morea, Wane Morea (2/4 + 1 pen.)
Saturday, 15 JulyRound 18BYE
Sunday, 30 JulyRound 19 Balmain colours.svg Brisbane Tigers Totally Workwear Stadium 18-32 Tai, Wane, KotMavoko 3/3
Saturday, 5 AugustRound 20 Redcliffe colours.svg Redcliffe Dolphins PNG Football Stadium 26-22 Wane 2, Tau-Loi, Lau, KotMavoko (2/5 + 1 pen.)
Saturday, 12 AugustRound 21 Townsville Blackhawks colours.png Townsville Blackhawks PNG Football Stadium 22-18Morea, Lau, Tau-Loi, MavokoMavoko 3/4
Saturday, 19 AugustRound 22 Norths Devils colours.svg Norths Devils Bishop Park30-40Rop, Mavoko, Komati, Rimbu, KondenMavoko (4/5 + 1 pen.) [21]
Legend:   Win  Loss  Draw  Bye

Statistics

*Denotes player on loan from the Central Queensland Capras.
Name App T G FG Pts
Ila Alu181--4
Koso Badi70--0
Casey Dickson70--0
Warren Glare40--0
Junior Igila71--4
Mathew Jesse21--4
Seal Kalo100--0
Epel Kapinias 201--4
Philemon Kimisive21--4
Sakias Komati1371-30
Siki Konden61--4
Benji Kot168--32
Joshua Lau53--12
Jamie Mavoko18337-86
Joshua Mire61--4
Tom Moide164--16
Morea Morea20119-62
Brandon Nima 199--36
Valentine Richard40--0
Judah Rimbu182--8
Junior Rop184--16
Trevor Solu828-24
Rodrick Tai 198--32
Sherwin Tanabi 70--0
Whallen Tau-Loi52--8
Wesser Tenza 112--8
Sanny Wabo84--16
Henry Wan 120--0
Solo Wane 208--32
Julius Yakopa114--16
Totals88560464

Representatives

The following players played representative matches in 2023.

PNG Prime Minister's XIII 2023 Pacific Rugby League Championships
Seal Kalo
PNG Prime Minister's XIII
Epel Kapinias
PNG Prime Minister's XIII
PNG Kumuls
Benji Kot
PNG Prime Minister's XIII
PNG Kumuls
Tommy Moide
PNG Prime Minister's XIII
Morea Morea
PNG Prime Minister's XIII
Judah Rimbu
PNG Prime Minister's XIII
PNG Kumuls
Junior Rop
PNG Prime Minister's XIII
PNG Kumuls
Rodrick Tai
PNG Prime Minister's XIII
PNG Kumuls

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References

  1. ↑ "New Cup coaches of 2023: Tepend at Hunters". Queensland Rugby League. 8 February 2023.
  2. ↑ "Broncos add explosive Papua New Guinea international Waine to 2023 squad". London Broncos RL. 1 February 2023. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
  3. ↑ "Tai's NRL dream likely – The National". www.thenational.com.pg. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
  4. ↑ "Hunters announce strategic pathways partnership with Dolphins". 19 May 2022.
  5. ↑ Pannifex<, Oscar. "From Hunters to Dolphins: A New Era in PNG Rugby League". pnghunters.com. Retrieved 7 March 2023.
  6. ↑ "Hunters clarify 'Phins deal – The National". www.thenational.com.pg.
  7. ↑ Pannifex, Oscar (25 April 2023). "Hunters invited to train with The Dolphins NRL squad - SP PNG Hunters" . Retrieved 4 August 2023.
  8. ↑ "Hunters Confirm head coach and training Squad for 2023". www.pnghunters.com. 25 November 2022.
  9. ↑ "Wynnum get Laka, re-sign Talita and release Kapinias – The National". www.thenational.com.pg.
  10. ↑ "Bradford Bulls - Rugby League Championship". www.bradfordbulls.co.uk.
  11. ↑ Pryde, Scott (21 November 2022). "Cowboys set to provide Kumuls forward with NRL opportunity". Zero Tackle.
  12. ↑ "Kitron Laka Becomes a Seagull in 2023 - Wynnum Manly Seagulls". 17 November 2022.
  13. ↑ "PNG Hunters: Cup gains and losses 2023". Queensland Rugby League. 9 March 2023.
  14. ↑ "Enforcer Samuel Yegip finds new home with Central Queensland Capras". postcourier.com.pg.
  15. ↑ Media, Broncos (1 February 2023). "Broncos add explosive Papua New Guinea international Waine to 2023 squad".
  16. ↑ Sports, Loop (16 February 2023). "Sepik Pride sign on Puara and Boas". Loop PNG.
  17. ↑ "Pride recruit two more Hunters for inaugural season – The National". www.thenational.com.pg. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
  18. ↑ https://www.qrl.com.au/news/2022/12/02/brightons-kumuls-recruit-fuels-lofty-club-wide-goals/ [ bare URL ]
  19. ↑ Nangoi, Donald (12 April 2023). "Paul given life, Wigmen confirm suspension". Post Courier. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
  20. ↑ "Hunters Overcome Silktails In First Melanesian Bowl – Kaiviti Silktails".
  21. ↑ "Hostplus Cup and BMD Premiership draws released". Queensland Rugby League. 23 December 2022.
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