Former co-captain Adam Korave returns after a year off and joins 19 current premiership winning SP Hunters players.
Among the 24 new faces are Digicel Cup premiers Lae Snax Tigers and PNG Prime Minister’s team captain Charlie Simon, Tigers team mates Junior Rop, Mark Piti and John Andy. This includes Digicel Cup runners up Agmark Guria captain Stanley Olo, Illa Alu and Dilbert Isaac. Nine players from the other Digicel Cup teams have been included.
Israel Wari from Central and Joseph Singura of Madang make the squad after both were spotted at the PNG Games Rugby 9s competition currently being held in West New Britain.
Lae Academy players Charlie Angu, Ishmael Yombane and Joseph Konz join fellow Port Moresby Academy member Gong Morgan in the train squad.
SP Hunters coach Michel Marum said the squad will assemble in Port Moresby on December 4, 2017, to start a grueling pre-season training program.
“Only the 10 SP Hunters players – Ase Boas, Watson Boas, Wartovo Puara, Wellington Albert, Stanton Albert, Nixon Putt, Moses Meninga, Enock Maki, Stargroth Amean and Willie Minoga – who were members of the PNG LNG Kumuls team for the 2017 Rugby League World Cup campaign, will join the pre-season training camp on January 4, 2018,” Marum said.
Staff to assist Marum during the pre-season camps are: Nigel Hukula, Solomon Kuluniasi, Toua Kohu, Roger Laka, Joe Bruno, Toua Kohu, Glen Nami, Joe Sipa and Roderick Puname.
“The final 30-man SP Hunters squad and coaching staff to participate in the 2018 Queensland Intrust Super Cup will be announced in early January,” Marum said.
The 44-man train on squad is:
1. Ase Boas - SP Hunters
2. Watson Boas - SP Hunters
3. Wartovo Puara Jnr - SP Hunters
4. Wellington Albert - SP Hunters
5. Stanton Albert - SP Hunters
6. Nixon Putt - SP Hunters
7. Moses Meninga - SP Hunters
8. Enock Maki - SP Hunters
9. Stargroth Amean - SP Hunters
10. Willie Minoga - SP Hunters
11. Adex Wera - SP Hunters
12. Bland Abavu - SP Hunters
13. Buttler Morris - SP Hunters
14. Israel Eliab - SP Hunters
15. Muka Peter Kulu - SP Hunters
16. Rahdley Brawa - SP Hunters
17. Sailas Gahuna - SP Hunters
18. Wawa Paul - SP Hunters
19. William Mone - SP Hunters
20. Adam Korave - Ipswich League
21. Junior Rop - Lae Snax Tigers
22. Mark Piti - Lae Snax Tigers
23. John Andy - Lae Snax Tigers
24. Charlie Simon - Lae Snax Tigers
25. Junior Rau - Hela Wigman
26. Stanford Talita - Hela Wigman
27. Mekenzie Yer - Hela Wigman
28. Kenedy Ben - Mendi Muruks
29. Julius Yakopua - Mendi Muruks
30. Stanley Ola - Agmark Gurias
31. Illa Alu - Agmark Gurias
32. Dilbert Issac - Agmark Gurias
33. Junior Bobby - Enga Mioks
34. Baundo Aba - Enga Mioks
35. Brendon Gutano - POM Vipers
36. Patrick Morea - POM Vipers
37. Thomas Moide - POM Vipers
38. Kerry Pep - Paga Panthers
39. Gong Morgan - Academy – POM
40. Charlie Angu - Academy – Lae
41. Ismael Yombane - Academy – Lae
42. Joseph Konz - Academy – Lae
43. Joseph Singura - Madang
44. Israel Wari - Central