rugby league

Coach Michael Marum was pleased with his players for holding out a fast finishing star-studded Townsville Blackhawks side, 28-26.

Tigers are an equally strong side which has a vast amount of experience. They missed out on the premiership last year, taking home the runners-up flag.

The last time the two teams met, at the Tap Out Energy Stadium, Tigers ran out victors 14-8.

The Tigers are coming off a comprehensive 56-22 victory over Central Queensland Capras last round with three players collecting doubles in their 10 tries to 4 whitewash of the opposition.

Hunters on second place are hoping to cause an upset to level with Blackhawks on 33 points with better percentage determining first and second spots.

The last time both teams met in Round 11, Hunters defeated Blackhawks 22-16 in Townsville.

Coach Michael Marum has shifted Lawrence Tu’u from the forwards to the centres to cover for Thompson Teteh who is down with a hamstring injury.

Marum said in a statement that he has faith in Tu’u to rise to the challenge in a position he has played before in past Hunters’ games.

Heli Niugini chief executive officer Navin Raju presented the jersey set to club president Kevin Pamba in the presence of club representatives and company staff last Friday.

The presentation took place at the Heli Niugini premises at the Madang airport.

Mr Raju said Heli Niugini was delighted to support the Warriors club which is a consistently top performing team in the Madang town competition and looked forward to the winning ways continuing.

STATE of Origin contests have long been famed as arenas epitomising physical aggression and tribal combativeness. However, that aggression is spilling over the sidelines with horrifying consequences.

There have been calls to ban live broadcasts of Origin games in Papua New Guinea because of violent outbursts that are erupting after matches, resulting in deaths.

Speaking to the ABC, an Enga police spokesman said the interstate matches drove people into a frenzy, and that the only way to eradicate this behaviour was to ban all live coverage.

Second rower David Loko and halfback Charlie Simon were standouts for the Tigers.

The match was a one-sided affair in the second stanza after a strong display of footy by both sides in the first half with scores tied at 6-4 in favour of the Tigers. 

Loko (pictured), a former PNG Hunters man, unleashed a man-of-the-match performance, showing much experience and leadership with hit ups, speed and offloads.

Simon scored two tries and booted all conversions and penalties.

Hunters delivered on the night a 34-12 victory which gave the event a historical significance, setting a record of seven straight wins in their two-year existence.

PNG Rugby Football League interim chief executive officer Shane Morris said it could be a record in the largest crowd of 15, 000 that has ever watched an Intrust Super Cup competition proper game.

This was also the first time in a long time that a rugby league game in PNG has been played under lights.