2023 Papua New Guinea Hunters season

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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
CoachStanley Tepend[1]
Captain
  • Ila Alu
StadiumPNG 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.

Train and trial partnership with Dolphins (NRL)[edit]

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[edit]

Milestone games[edit]

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

2023 squad[edit]

PNG Hunters
First team squad Coaching 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[edit]

Gains[edit]

Player Signed From Until End of Notes
Epel Kapinias Wynnum Manly Seagulls
2023
 [9]

Losses[edit]

Player Signed To Until End of Notes
Keven Appo Bradford Bulls
2023
 [10]
Sylvester Namo North Queensland Cowboys
2023
 [11]
Kitron Laka Wynnum Manly Seagulls
2023
[12]
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[edit]

Pos Team Pld W D L B PF PA PD Pts
1 Burleigh Bears 20 15 1 4 2 547 376 171 35
2 Souths Logan Magpies 20 14 2 4 2 588 392 196 34
3 Brisbane Tigers 20 14 1 5 2 573 432 141 33
4 Central Queensland Capras 20 12 2 6 2 511 387 124 30
5 Redcliffe Dolphins 20 11 3 6 2 564 443 121 29
6 Wynnum Manly Seagulls 20 12 0 8 2 610 498 112 28
7 Northern Pride RLFC 20 11 2 7 2 363 442 -79 28
8 Sunshine Coast Falcons 20 11 1 8 2 525 408 117 27
9 Tweed Heads Seagulls 20 11 0 9 2 614 478 136 26
10 Papua New Guinea Hunters 20 9 1 10 2 464 514 -50 23
11 Norths Devils 20 8 2 10 2 551 530 21 22
12 Townsville Blackhawks 20 8 1 11 2 480 455 25 21
13 Western Clydesdales 20 3 0 17 2 452 684 -232 10
14 Mackay Cutters 20 3 0 16 2 332 606 -274 10
15 Ipswich Jets 20 0 0 20 2 342 871 -529 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[edit]

Pre-season[edit]

Date Round Opponent Venue Score Tries Goals
Saturday 25 February Trial 1 CQ Capras PNG Football Stadium 12-20 Konden,Morea,Kot
Saturday 4 March Trial 2 Kaiviti Silktails Lawaqa Park, Sigatoka, Fiji 26-12 Rop 3, Konden, Nima [20]
Legend:   Win   Loss   Draw   Bye

Regular season[edit]

Date Round Opponent Venue Score Tries Goals Attendance
Sunday, 12 March Round 1 Western Clydesdales Clive Berghofer Stadium 20-10 Nima 2, Komati, Kot Mavoko 2/4 goals
Saturday, 18 March Round 2 Souths Logan Magpies Logan Metro Sports Park 22-22 Komati 2, Tai, Kot, Morea Morea 1/5 goal
Saturday, 25 March Round 3 Brisbane Tigers PNG Football Stadium 36-38 Morea 3, Wane, Nima, Alu, Yakopa Morea 3/6, Komati 1/1 goals
Saturday, 8 April Round 4 BYE -
Saturday, 15 April Round 5 Northern Pride Barlow Park 14-34 Tai, Komati, Nima Solu 1/3 goal
Saturday, 22 April Round 6 Burleigh Bears Pizzey Park 20-46 Rop, Kapinias, Nima, Komati Morea 1/2, Solu 1/2 goals
Saturday, 29 April Round 7 Mackay Cutters PNG Football Stadium 18-10 Morea, Kot, Yakopa, Tai Mavoko 1/4
Saturday, 6 May Round 8 Ipswich Jets PNG Football Stadium 40-28 Nima 2, Morea, Tenza, Moide, Komati, Rop Mavoko 6/7
Friday, 12 May Round 9 Townsville Blackhawks Jack Manski Oval 4-54 Wane Mavoko 0/1
Saturday, 20 May Round 10 Wynnum Manly Seagulls BMD Kougari Oval 24-28 Tai 2, Wabo 2, Jesse Mavoko 2/5
Saturday,27 May Round 11 Northern Pride PNG Football Stadium 16-22 Yakopa, Mavoko, Tenza Mavoko 2/3
Saturday, 3 June Round 12 Tweed Heads Seagulls PNG Football Stadium 34-18 Moide, Igila, Morea, Tai, Wane, Rop Mavoko 5/6
Saturday, 10 June Round 13 Western Clydesdales PNG Football Stadium 40-4 Moide, Nima, Lau, Kimisive, Wabo, Morea, Tai Solu 5/6, Morea 1/1
Saturday, 17 June Round 14 Souths Logan Magpies PNG Football Stadium 10-40 Kot, Mire Solu 1/1, Mavoko 0/1
Sunday, 25 June Round 15 Sunshine Coast Falcons Sunshine Coast Stadium 34-10 Solu 2, Morea, Moide, Yakopa, Wane Mavoko 4/5, Solu 1/1
Saturday, 1 July Round 16 CQ Capras PNG Football Stadium 14-8 Rimbu, Wabo, Kot Mavoko 1/2 Solu 0/1
Saturday, 8 July Round 17 Burleigh Bears PNG Football Stadium 22-30 Nima, Kot, Morea, Wane Morea (2/4 + 1 pen.)
Saturday, 15 July Round 18 BYE
Sunday, 30 July Round 19 Brisbane Tigers Totally Workwear Stadium 18-32 Tai, Wane, Kot Mavoko 3/3
Saturday, 5 August Round 20 Redcliffe Dolphins PNG Football Stadium 26-22 Wane 2, Tau-Loi, Lau, Kot Mavoko (2/5 + 1 pen.)
Saturday, 12 August Round 21 Townsville Blackhawks PNG Football Stadium 22-18 Morea, Lau, Tau-Loi, Mavoko Mavoko 3/4
Saturday, 19 August Round 22 Norths Devils Bishop Park 30-40 Rop, Mavoko, Komati, Rimbu, Konden Mavoko (4/5 + 1 pen.) [21]
Legend:   Win   Loss   Draw   Bye

Statistics[edit]

* Denotes player on loan from the Central Queensland Capras.
Name App T G FG Pts
Ila Alu 18 1 - - 4
Koso Badi 7 0 - - 0
Casey Dickson 7 0 - - 0
Warren Glare 4 0 - - 0
Junior Igila 7 1 - - 4
Mathew Jesse 2 1 - - 4
Seal Kalo 10 0 - - 0
Epel Kapinias 20 1 - - 4
Philemon Kimisive 2 1 - - 4
Sakias Komati 13 7 1 - 30
Siki Konden 6 1 - - 4
Benji Kot 16 8 - - 32
Joshua Lau 5 3 - - 12
Jamie Mavoko 18 3 37 - 86
Joshua Mire 6 1 - - 4
Tom Moide 16 4 - - 16
Morea Morea 20 11 9 - 62
Brandon Nima 19 9 - - 36
Valentine Richard 4 0 - - 0
Judah Rimbu 18 2 - - 8
Junior Rop 18 4 - - 16
Trevor Solu 8 2 8 - 24
Rodrick Tai 19 8 - - 32
Sherwin Tanabi 7 0 - - 0
Whallen Tau-Loi 5 2 - - 8
Wesser Tenza 11 2 - - 8
Sanny Wabo 8 4 - - 16
Henry Wan 12 0 - - 0
Solo Wane 20 8 - - 32
Julius Yakopa 11 4 - - 16
Totals 88 56 0 464

Representatives[edit]

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

References[edit]

  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/
  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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