The SP Hunters made history this afternoon-beating the Sunshine Coast Falcons 12-10 in the Intrust Super Grand final at Suncorp Stadium, Australia.
The win was sealed two minutes out from full time with a try from Willie Minoga off an Ase Boas grubber.
The Hunters found themselves behind on the scoreboard after only two minutes when some second man play from the Falcons on the halfway line created space out wide for Matthew Soper-Lawler to race away and score.
The Falcons were in again four minutes later after a short ball from Ryley Jacks send a charging Joe Stimson over the line.
Stimson then added the extras to extend the Falcons lead.
Ball security was the problem for the Hunters and several visits inside their opponent’s half proved fruitless.
But the Hunters muscled up in defence determined not to leak any more points.
This ensured the score was left at 10-0 at the break.
The second half for the Falcons got off to the worst possible start after a knock on from the kick off.
And the Hunters made them pay dearly when Watson Boas was awarded a try by the video referee.
With a successful conversion from brother Ase, the game was right back in the balance.
More dropped balls close to the line from the Hunters denied them opportunities to push to the front.
This took the pressure right off the Falcons, and with the clock winding down, it was going to take something special to produce points.
With just minutes remaining, a penalty in their own half was all the Hunters needed.
40 metres out and with a full set of six, the Hunters were within striking range.
It came in the 78th minute off the boot of the captain and five-eighth, Ase who stabbed a kick in behind the try line for a flying Minoga to slam the ball down.
After being reviewed upstairs, the try was awarded and the score was locked up at 10-10.
It was the most important kick of his career. Cool as a cucumber, Ase slotted the winner through the posts with ease, to become the first team outside of Australia to win the Queensland Rugby League competition.
The win came with tears for both sides.
For the Hunters, it was tears of joy for the 8 million people of PNG that they vowed to win the grand final for.