PNG Hunters Team of the Decade

Now that the 2020 Intrust Super Cup season is over, and there’s nothing to look forward to this season, it is a good time to look back, and so we will with our Papua New Guinea Hunters Team of the Decade.

The Hunters may only fill just over half a decade, but looking back it has been an roller coaster journey, from a start-up team in the 2014 competition where they won their first game (at Redcliffe no less), and fell short of the finals by one win. In 2015 they arguably played their very best rugby league, finished the regular season in second, but were knocked out of the finals in straight sets.

2016 saw a fourth-place finish, but they had a surprise early finals exit at the hands of the Sunshine Coast Falcons in PNG. The Hunters would get their revenge a year later.

2017 saw PNG finish first in the regular season and become Intrust Super Cup Premiers. In the grand final they withstood an early barrage from the Falcons, and Gurgler favourite Willie Minoga stole the game in the last minute for our greatest moment in rugby league.

The next season saw the Hunters going into the last round needing to beat the Capras to make the top six, a team they had no trouble beating since their arrival. The results went against them and they missed the finals on points difference. 2019 was awful, with a lot of their best players going to other ISC clubs, the NRL, or overseas. The Hunters avoided finishing last, but won only four times and received a few hidings.

2020 saw the Hunters go through the season undefeated and continue their perfect record at Davies Park. More on that game can be found here or here.

Having the PNG Hunters in the Intrust Super Cup has been a great thing for PNG rugby league, with players getting some extra exposure (as opposed to just playing in the Digicel Cup). Although not as many have gone forward into the NRL as they probably deserve, Justin Olam has been the biggest current success. The sad passing of Kato Ottio at the Raiders denied us the chance to see another potential PNG superstar in the NRL.

With the history lesson done, it is time for us to pick the best players from our favourite team.

But who to include in the PNG Hunters Team of the Decade, to try and cover as many of the PNG rugby league heroes across their first six seasons?

We have had our go below, and while some are must-includes, there is plenty of debate to be had over others, so feel free to join in below.

 PNG Hunters Team of the Decade

1 – STARGROTH AMEAN

2 – GARRY LO

3 – NOEL ZEMMING

4 – ADEX WERA

5 – JUNIOR RAU

6 – ASE BOAS

7 – WATSON BOAS

8 – ENOCK MAKI

9 – WARTOVO PUARA JR

10 – WELLINGTON ALBERT

11 – WILLIE MINOGA

12 – NIXON PUTT

13 – MOSES MENINGA

 INTERCHANGE

14 – THOMPSON TETEH

15 – ISRAEL ELIAB

16 – MARK MEXICO

17 – KATO OTTIO

18 – OTI TONY BLAND ABAVU

PNG Hunters Team of the Decade Explanation

Willie Minoga was the first person selected in this side, not only for his grand final heroics, but his whole career for the Hunters. No one could spark a game in attack and defence like he could.

Stargroth Amean is an easy choice at fullback; he was safe and solid at the back and part of some brilliant attacks back in the day.

Garry Lo was the record try scorer in the Hunters’ first season and an excitement machine.

Junior Rau bookends the wingers; he’s the Hunters’ current winger and has been one of the best in their more lacklustre seasons.

Noel Zemming was very underrated, and his goal kicking proved the difference in several Hunters matches.

Adex Wera was a little underrated too, but always gave his all in any position in his distinctive headgear.

The Boas brothers are the obvious choice in the halves. Ase being the main man and captain during their 2017 premiership season, and Watson was super lively and the perfect complement to his brother.

Wartovo Puara remains the best hooker the Hunters have had, being with the team from the beginning until moving to the UK in 2019.

Enock Maki still charges the ball up like he first did and is still equally hard to stop.

Wellington Albert is making a decent name for himself in the UK and was a powerhouse for the Hunters.

Both Nixon Putt and Moses Meninga have impressed enough for the Hunters to get an Intrust Super Cup chance at NRL-aligned clubs, and their impact for the Hunters was immense over the years. Putt really shone for the Norths Devils last season and was missed by the Hunters.

For the bench we had to include Mark Mexico, who was super impressive in that first season for the Hunters; his move to Cronulla ultimately didn’t work out, which was a shame.

Thompson Teteh was a great servant in the centres, who like Mexico ended up in the UK.

Israel Eliab was a great contributor across many positions for the Hunters, especially in the early seasons.

Kato Ottio lit up the Hunters for a short while, was good enough to be signed by the Raiders, and was leading try scorer in the NSW Cup.

Finally, Oti Tony Bland (or Bland Abavu) was significantly taller than most PNG players, which is why he stood out a little more. He was an integral part of the Hunters’ success.

Pity the 2020 season ended so quickly, as we really liked the look of Joe Joshua and Stanley Olo in the Hunters’ win over the Souths Logan Magpies (in the only game of the season). They may well be the backbone of the PNG Hunters Team of the next decade.

PNG HUNTERS YOUTUBE MOMENTS