PNG Hunters Round 1 Match Summary v Wynnum Seagulls – Intrust Super Cup 2021

The 2021 Intrust Super Cup season kicked off on Saturday in fine style with the PNG Hunters and Wynnum Seagulls battling it out in the wet, and although the Seagulls got the opening round win there was plenty to like for the PNG Hunters, and we attempt to cover some of that with our PNG Hunters Round 1 Match Summary.

This is a collaboration between ourselves and Intrust Super Cup guru Matt Crowhurst to give some thoughts on the big opening weekend clash, not necessarily a match report.

And this is also an unashamedly pro PNG Hunters opinion piece, as this website remains one of the big PNG Hunters fans in South East Queensland. 

For the official QRL match report follow this link.

PNG HUNTERS ROUND 1 v WYNNUM SEAGULLS MATCH RESULT

PNG HUNTERS 18

Tries: Jokadi Bire 27′ Terry Wapi 49′ Wartovo Puara 71′

Goals: Charlie Simon 3/3 Conv

WYNNUM SEAGULLS 20

Tries: Junior Pauga 8′ Luke Bateman 15′ Jesse Arthars 23′

Goals: Jack Campagnolo 2/3 Conv + 2/2 Pen Goals

PNG Hunters Round 1 Match Summary

PNG HUNTERS DID WELL AGAINST A WYNNUM SIDE WITH NRL EXPERIENCE

It was hard looking through the team sheets for the clash against the Seagulls and not see the NRL experience and wonder if this would be a mismatch. And to be honest there were times during the first half where one thought the Seagulls might runaway with the game. Pardon the pun with a nod to the Hunters new home.

Wynnum had players like Jesse Arthars who featured for the Broncos in 2020, and while that may not be the rugby league world’s biggest brag, it was still more NRL games than any of the PNG Hunters played in 2020.

Then you had the imposing name of Isaac Luke on the bench for the Seagulls, a player who has done it all, except missing that South Sydney premiership win in 2014. Throw in former NRL player Luke Bateman and have even more NRL experience. 

But it’s not just the NRL experience, there’s the truckload of Intrust Super Cup experience, and luring Jack Campagnolo from the Northern Pride looks a particularly good bit of business for Wynnum for 2021 based on the first weekend.

Counter all that experience to the Hunters who named five rookies to start their 2021 season, and fair to say that all put on a decent display for their first adventure in the Intrust Super Cup.

Sure there were internationals in the Hunters line up like Terry Wapi, Edwin Ipape, Watson Boas and Wartovo Puara, but those internationals are rarely against tier one opposition and certainly don’t make up for week to week NRL experience. No offence to the Kumuls team we love.

But the workhorse Enock Maki, who has been such a solid foundation up the middle for the Hunters was missing, and that was a huge gap in experience missing.

Which puts the 20-18 loss to Wynnum into perspective as a promising first hit out of the season. Let’s not forget that Wynnum beat the Hunters by over 50 points at the last meeting in 2019. The Hunters have come a long way, literally and figuratively.

PRE SEASON? WHAT PRE SEASON?

One thing that should be raised at this point to underline the fantastic effort on Saturday was the fact that most of the PNG Hunters pre-season was sent in quarantine.

Not only did the Hunters have to quarantine in Australia, but they had to do so in PNG. Twice. This was after positive Covid tests were discovered among the players as they were to depart to Australia, 

So while other teams were training hard, and playing trials with or against the Broncos, PNG Hunters were biding their time patiently.

For the players to sacrifice an entire season away from home speaks to the commitment towards the PNG Hunters program, and it showed on the field on Saturday.

QRL COVERAGE

Before going too much further, how good is it to have more Hunters games on TV this season?

The coverage of the first game was most welcome and the QRL did a super job in their first in house broadcast. Happily streamed free on Kayo for all to see within Australia.

With more games expected to be available in 2021 it is easier than ever to follow the PNG Hunters throughout the Intrust Super Cup season.

SECOND HALF REVIVALS A GREAT SIGN UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT

Two games into Matt Church’s tenure as head PNG Hunter coach, and there has been two second half comebacks.

While Saturday’s result didn’t have quite the excitement and end result or indeed the weather of the Hunters unbelievable comeback against the Souths Logan Magpies in 2020’s only game, the fact that they kept a side like Wynnum with so much NRL experience to just two points in the second half demands respect for the Hunters’ effort.

In previous seasons a gap of 10+ points always seemed insurmountable, but this current squad under Matt Church seems to have more belief to be able to fight back.

And given those conditions in the second half on Saturday, the effort was even more commendable. 

Before teams may have feared the ferocious first ten minutes against the Hunters while they were fresh and fearsome, teams may well now look to their second half fighting spirit and know that a game against the Hunters will require the full 80 minutes of effort.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

It wouldn’t be a PNG Hunters Round 1 Match Summary without highlighting a few players that caught the eye.

You know you are on the way when Fox Sports have an article about you before a ball is kicked in 2021, let alone about the Intrust Super Cup. The PNG Hunters centre had as much hype as a Hunter player is likely to get pre season or even at all, and Jokadi Bire didn’t disappoint. He looked dangerous a lot of the time he had the football, and had the honour of being the Hunters’ first try scorer of 2021. Defence was reasonably solid too, so the right hand attack/defence of other teams will need to be at their best. Here’s hoping we get to see more of Bire in better conditions in the coming weeks. They say next Justin Olam, but we say he can light up the NRL all by himself.

Epel Kapinias caught the eye on Saturday, and he looked dangerous with the ball and solid in defence. He filled in at prop admirably on Saturday, and will be one of those names to watch in 2021.

Edwin Ipape injected some life into the Hunters when he arrived from the bench, and although Wartovo Puara was as effective as ever and indeed got the final Hunters try of the afternoon, Ipape did add a little something extra when he was on the field. To have the two great hookers in the team each week is a great idea, with the two players also able to play side by side as well as sharing the hooker duties.

Charlie Simon did a good job at halfback for the Hunters on Saturday. He ensured the game remained tight by slotting all available conversions, but also ran the game well alongside Watson Boas. Simon has always had a good deal of buzz about him, so let’s hope he can put a great season together for the Hunters and himself in 2021.

PENALTIES AND ERRORS STILL HURTING THE HUNTERS

A familiar story with the PNG Hunters over the season is the penalties and errors that happen when they least need them.

Of course the woeful weather can be excused for some of the handling, the penalties given away gave Wynnum too much momentum at times on Saturday. Although one could argue the Hunters were treated slightly more harshly than Wynnum.

It is certainly better than previous teams, but some more improvement means they will offer less chances to their opponents in 2021.

HIRING SCOTT BARKER IS A SIGN OF FUTURE SUCCESS

With no offense to any rugby league administrator, the hiring of Scott Barker as General Manager of the PNG Hunters for 2021 is a really good sign for the future.

While the PNG Hunters should always proudly represent the great nation of Papua New Guinea, the team should also try and improve the pathway to the NRL, so the rugby league world gets another 20 Justin Olams, and doesn’t let legendary talent like Willie Minoga, Garry Lo or Stargroth Amean among so many other go without the NRL eyes they deserved.

The hiring of a rugby league brain that was entrusted by Wayne Bennett can only be a good thing for the Hunters while they are based on the Gold Coast.

Being in Australia, and having more direct contacts with the NRL community can only be a good thing for the PNG Hunters and PNG rugby league fans. Perhaps with a Wayne Bennett connection there could be a casual agreement between the Rabbitohs and the Hunters for 2021, even if a Souths move didn’t quite work out for Kumul Edene Gebbie. Or, perhaps with talk of a second NRL from South East Queensland, and with Wayne Bennett always a chance to take that job, the new second NRL from SEQ could be a great potential hook up for both new NRL and the Hunters. If the Firehawks get the NRL nod that will leave Melbourne Storm a feeder team short…..

Either way, a confirmed NRL feeder program would be great and no more than the Hunters deserve.