Preseason

The workshop was for trainers in PNGNRLC for season 2023, also in attendance was trainers Gure and Josiah. While franchise game development officials Norris and Gomara attended the MySideline data collection workshop.

MySideline is a competition and participant member system that services clubs and associations (includes schools) for the organization of rugby league participants.

The preseason which will run for 3 weekends will field U19 Boys, Open Men and Open Women teams.

CRU Match Coordinator Petero Kilori was at Bava Park nice and early to organize match officials and coordinate the matches throughout the day.

Kilori said every year they kick off preseason with 7s games. However due to a slight delay to the start of the new season, they have decided to run with 15s preseason first and then continue into season proper in the first week of April.

The Hunters trial matches were organized and played using the tri-series format. Hunters played Port Moresby Vipers in the first half and then took on the Gulf Isou in the second half.

While Hunters Head Coach Stanley Tepend and assistant Paul Aiton, watched from the sideline, yesterday’s trials gives them a better perspective of players skill level, how they work through their set pieces in attack and their defensive system, likewise game structure and staying consistent under fatigue was also crucial especially competing at the QRL level.

Into his second year in the Hostplus Cup, 24-year-old Rodrick Tai who is one of the four Kumul players that joined the Dolphins,ran out onto the field, and managed to score a try for the Dolphins.

Before the trial, Tai stated that last year was a big year for him.

“To make the Hunters squad, play a lot of games, then go to the World Cup and to get to come here, it’s been a very big year. I’m just stoked. I cannot believe it. It’s been good”.

The 22-player squad, which was announced to players at their training session earlier this morning, will travel to Marley Brown Oval in Gladstone to take on the Central Queensland Capras on Saturday night.

This will be the first appearance of a Dolphins NRL team ahead of their official competition debut next month against Sydney Roosters at Suncorp Stadium.

After an impressive start to their campaign in season 2022, notching up four consecutive matches on the trot, the Gulf franchise unfortunately could not maintain that winning streak, finishing off the season outside the top six.

Coach Laka though was quite impressed with the outcome saying, it’s a work in progress.

Since appointed head coach last year, his main focus was to blood in a lot of young boys from their development pathway around seasoned players, and help rebuild a new culture for the club.

Gun centre Joe Frank “the tank” 2022 five-eighth of the Year Saki Peter and rising prop forward Koso Badi have made the final 30-man squad after impressing Hunters Head Coach, Stanley Tepend at preseason training since  camp started in November.

The Hunters team will be further trimmed down to 25 before the season kicks off in March.

From the Gurias trio, Frank in particular who had a solid season with Gurias in 2022 has worked really hard to earn his spot.

The team have retained most of its players with others joining mostly players who have been in the Gulf Isou Development program for the last two years.

The program has yielding results and Head Coach, Roger Laka is not wasting time giving opportunities for the young budding players to showcase their talents this season. 

Few names from the development program who have tasted Digicel Cup season in 2022 are Kenny Laho, Charlie Horope, Samuel Kiap, Olo Ben and Graham Sinori.