Vice-captain Wellington Albert and Stargroth Amean have been ruled out of this weekend’s round one clash of the Intrust Super Cup, while Nixon Put will put on the SP Hunters jersey for the first time against the Central Queensland Capras in Australia.
In naming the 20-man extended squad this afternoon, Hunters coach Michal Marum said both Albert and Amean will be rested this weekend after suffering minor injuries from last weekend’s trial match in Cairns.
“Stargroth has a suspected fractured collar bone while Wellington has a sternum injury,” said Marum.
Marum added Junior Rop and Watson Boas are also out, injured.
On to Nixon Put, Marum named the Western Highlands youngster in the starting line-up after a stellar performance last weekend.
Put will be joined by fellow Hagen Eagles player and another debutant, Moses Meninga, in the squad that will travel down South on Thursday.
The final 18 man team will be named tomorrow afternoon.
SP Hunters 20-man squad (two to be omitted):
1) Bland ABAVU, 2)Butler MORRIS, 3) Adex WERA, 4) Willie MINOGA, 5) William AQUILA, 6) Israel ELIAB, 7) Ase BOAS (c), 8) Henry NOKI, 9) Sailas GAHUNA, 10) Esau SIUNE, 11) Nixon PUT, 12) David LOKO, 13) Stanton ALBERT, 14) Lawrence TU’U, 15) Ismael BALKAWA, 16) Enoch MAKI, 17) Moses MENINGA, 18) Radley BRAWA, 19) Karo KAUNA, 20) Noel JOEL.
The match will kick off at 6pm on Saturday at Browne Park in Rockhampton.