SP PNG Hunters

Upon their return from the Christmas break training has intensified with more emphasis on defense and endurance which will set the platform for the second period of their preseason training.

Since preseason training resumed last week, Coach Stanley Tepend and Assistant Paul Aiton have been impressed with the attitude and commitment shown by the players especially their work ethics at every training session which has been intense and challenging.

Speaking at yesterday’s Hunters media session,Tepend outlined the team’s strategy for the next seven weeks including inviting a Hostplus Cup team to come up to Port Moresby for a trial game towards the end  February.

When giving a snapshot on this year’s Hostplus Cup draw, Tepend said the Hunters will open their campaign this year with back to back away games against Clydesdales and Magpies on March 12^th and 18 respectively.

The Hunters first home game will be on March 25 against Brisbane Tigers at the National Football Stadium.

This arrangement is part of a strategic partnership between the SP PNG Hunters and the Dolphins NRL club which aims to get more local players of Papua New Guinea into the NRL Competition. 

The four Hunters players - Judah Rimbu, Rodrick Tai, Sherwin Tanabi and Emmanuel Waine - began training with the Wayne Bennett-coached Dolphins this week and will be working towards earning a fulltime NRL contract over the next eight weeks of preseason. 

This arrangement is part of a strategic partnership between the SP PNG Hunters and the Dolphins NRL club which aims to get more local players from Papua New Guinea into the NRL competition.

The four Hunters players, Judah Rimbu, Rodrick Tai, Sherwin Tanabi and Emmanuel Waine, began training with the Wayne Bennett-coached Dolphins this week and will be working towards earning a fulltime NRL contract over the next eight weeks of preseason.

The team officially resumed training on Monday minus four of the senior players who are currently on train and trial with the Dolphins in Brisbane.

With 8 weeks remaining  before the Hostplus Cup season kicks off on the weekend of March 11 and 12 -2023,the PNG Hunters have finalized their 30 man squad with the inclusion of returning Hunters and  a number of exciting young talents from the Digicel Cup who have earned their spots on merit.

Emmanuel Waine, Rodrick Tai, Sherwin Tanabi and Judah Rimbu have been called up to the Wayne Bennett-coached side for train and trial deals in 2023.

They join fellow Papua New Guinean and Kumul player, Jeremiah Simbiken in the squad.

This is through a strategic pathway signed between the PNG Hunters and the NRL Dolphins in 2022.

Of those four players, two will be selected by the Dolphins to stay on and train with their NRL squad for the remainder of the season.

From the initial 40-man squad, 30 players are returning to camp this weekend before preseason training resumes, while 10 have been released back to their respective clubs.

From 48 players named in the original train-on squad, nine were invited with own logistics and accommodation between November and December 2022, however eight players did not complete their stint for various reasons.

They have to live at home and come for training on a daily basis and this has shown to be tough for the new faces.

Hunters Head Coach, Stanley Tepend said this is the new training approach taken to build character, self-discipline and mental toughness.

He said previously, players had been accommodated but for this year, they have changed their strategy especially for those news players who have just joined the training camp.

With a host of supporters in attendance to finally farewell the Hunters from the Gold Coast, the PNG side produced a stunning 32-24 win over competition heavyweights Burleigh Bears in Round 19 of the QRL Hostplus Cup.

The occasion seemed to bring the best out of the Hunters who started strongly and maintained their dominance right through until the final stages to notch an emotional victory at their home-away-from-home in Runaway Bay.

This match is again potentially the last time the Hunters will play at their home-away-from-home on the Gold Coast in 2022, with plans to return to Papua New Guinea next week for the last game of the regular season still tentatively placed and pending approval from the QRL. 

The Hunters come into Round 19 on the back of a nail-biting 23-23 draw with the Townsville Blackhawks last weekend and will take plenty of confidence from that result.