2023 Papua New Guinea Hunters season

2023 Papua New Guinea Hunters season
2023 Papua New Guinea Hunters season
Team information
CEO	Scott Barker
Coach	Stanley Tepend
Captain	Ila Alu;
Stadium	PNG Football Stadium

The 2023 Hostplus Cup will be the PNG Hunters' tenth season in rugby league's Queensland Cup. The Papua New Guinea Hunters is a professional rugby league club from Papua New Guinea. The Hunters have announced a new strategic player pathways partnership with Dolphins (NRL) that will see four PNG Hunters players joining Dolphins (NRL) for a full NRL pre-season starting in early 2023 out of which two will remain with the Dolphins for the full NRL season and play for the Hunters on the weekends.^[1]

Season summary

Round 1:

Milestone games

Round	Player	Milestone
Round 1

2023 squad

PNG Hunters
First team squad								Coaching staff
Morea Morea – FB Liam Joseph – WG Brandon Nima – CE, WG Rodrick Tai – CE, WG, SR Solo Wane – WG Saki Peter – SO Judah Rimbu – HB, HK, SO Francis Kembis – PR, SR Wesser Tenza – HK Emmanuel Waine – PR, CE, LK Sherwin Tanabi – SR Junior Rop – SR, LK Ila Alu – LK, PR (c)		Tapia Solu – HK Jamie Mavoko – SO, HB Mathew Jesse – FB Benji Kot – CE, SR Epel Kapinias – SR Alex Max – SR Alex Rova – WG, CE Bernard Noel – CE, LK Henry Wan – PR Casey Dickson – PR Joejoe Wallames – FB, WG Joel Torombe – WG, FB Jimmy Bob – LK, PR		Junior Igila – CE Sylvester Bulu – FB Valentine Culligan – LK, PR Willie Tirang – CE, WG Joshua Mire – SO Micha Tom – SR Kafu Ken – SO, HB Kosova Badi – PR Steven Bruno – PR Seal Kalo – FB, WG Limbi Henry – HB, SO Wartovo Puara – HK				Head coach Stanley Tepend Assistant coach Paul Aiton Legend: (c) Captain(s) (vc) Vice-captain(s) Updated: 25 November 2022 Source(s): ^[2]

Squad movement

Gains

Player	Signed From	Until End of	Notes
Epel Kapinias	Wynnum Manly Seagulls	2023	^[3]

Losses

Player	Signed To	Until End of	Notes
Keven Appo	Bradford Bulls	2023	^[4]
Sylvester Namo	North Queensland Cowboys	2023	^[5]
Kitron Laka	Wynnum Manly Seagulls	2023	^[6]

References

^ "Hunters announce strategic pathways partnership with Dolphins". 19 May 2022.
^ https://www.pnghunters.com/2022/11/25/hunters-confirm-head-coach-and-training-squad-for-2023/ |title=Hunters Confirm head coach and training Squad for 2023 |date=25 November 2022 |website=www.pnghunters.com}}
^ "Wynnum get Laka, re-sign Talita and release Kapinias – The National". www.thenational.com.pg.
^ "Bradford Bulls - Rugby League Championship". www.bradfordbulls.co.uk.
^ Pryde, Scott (21 November 2022). "Cowboys set to provide Kumuls forward with NRL opportunity". Zero Tackle.
^ "Kitron Laka Becomes a Seagull in 2023 - Wynnum Manly Seagulls". 17 November 2022.

[1] "Hunters announce strategic pathways partnership with Dolphins". 19 May 2022.

[2] ttps://www.pnghunters.com/2022/11/25/hunters-confirm-head-coach-and-training-squad-for-2023/ |title=Hunters Confirm head coach and training Squad for 2023 |date=25 November 2022 |website=www.pnghunters.com}}

[transfers-3] "Wynnum get Laka, re-sign Talita and release Kapinias – The National". www.thenational.com.pg.

[4] "Bradford Bulls - Rugby League Championship". www.bradfordbulls.co.uk.

[5] Pryde, Scott (21 November 2022). "Cowboys set to provide Kumuls forward with NRL opportunity". Zero Tackle.

[6] "Kitron Laka Becomes a Seagull in 2023 - Wynnum Manly Seagulls". 17 November 2022.

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