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Papua New Guinea Hunters

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Papua New Guinea Hunters
Club information
Full namePapua New Guinea Hunters Rugby league Football Club
Nickname(s)The Hunters
Short namePNG Hunters
Colours  Red
  Black
  Gold
Founded2013; 11 years ago (2013)
Websitewww.pnghunters.com
Current details
Ground(s)
CEOScott Barker[1]
ChairmanStan Joyce
CoachMatt Church
CaptainIla Alu & Kevin Appo[2]
CompetitionHostplus Cup
Records
Premierships'1 (2017)
Runners-up0
Minor premierships1 (2017)
Most capped' – 130 Wartovo Puara

The Papua New Guinea Hunters (PNG Hunters) are a professional rugby league football club based in Papua New Guinea. They were formed in December 2013 and currently compete in the Queensland Rugby League, currently called the Hostplus Cup, a second tier of rugby league in Australia.[3] The Hunters are the second Papua New Guinean side to enter the Queensland Cup following the Port Moresby Vipers who competed for two seasons in 1996 and 1997. Every Hunters match is shown live on national free-to-air television. The Hunters' home ground is the National Football Stadium in Port Moresby and their team colours are red, black and gold.[4] The Hunters won the Intrust Super Cup in Queensland in 2017.

Papua New Guinea NRL Bid 2025

The Australian Labor Party have pledged their support behind the PNG Hunters entering the National Rugby League competition.[5] Papua New Guinea have introduced a National Schools Rugby League Championships[6] which started in 2019 to prepare its junior rugby league talent from the six year olds[7] to the Under 18 divisions for the future.[8] The PNG Government, Australian Government, PNGRFL and QRL signed an agreement which will see the Australian Government assisting to develop the sport in the country.[9] Titled 'Growing and Supporting Rugby League in Papua New Guinea', it is an Australian Government initiative to develop pathways for PNG teams[10] like the Hunters Under 19s[11][12][13] and Hunters Women's[14] to play in high-level Australian sporting competitions with a focus on female athlete development, wellbeing and education, and commercial sustainability under the three year program.[15] The PNG Government have officially launched the Papua New Guinea NRL Bid 2025 to participate in the Australian NRL Competition as the 18th team.[16]

PNG Hunters strategic pathways partnership with Dolphins (NRL)

The PNG Hunters have announced a strategic partnership with Dolphins (NRL) that will see four Hunters players joining the Redcliffe Dolphins (NRL) side during NRL pre-season in November,2022 of which two PNG players will be staying on for the full 2023 season. [17]

Stadiums

Kalabond Oval

Main article: Kalabond Oval

The Kalabond Oval which is in the town of Kokopo and has a capacity of 7,000 was the Hunters first home ground. The first ever home match in the Intrust Super Cup was against the defending champions Mackay Cutters on 8 March 2014 which the Hunters won 24-16. The ground was used for the club's first 2 seasons.

National Football Stadium

Main article: National Football Stadium

The National Football Stadium is in the capital city Port Moresby and after undergoing a major refurbishment it was announced in February 2016 that the Hunters would move to the ground for the 2016 season,[18] after they'd played one match there during the 2015 season against Souths Logan Magpies on 13 June 2015 winning 34-12.

2022 squad

PNG Hunters
First team squad Coaching staff
  • Kingstimer Paraia – HK, HB
  • Emmanuel Waine – SR, LK, CE
  • Samuel Yegip – PR
  • Kitron Laka – SR
  • Anthony Worot – PR
  • Gilimo Paul – CE
  • Benji Kot – CE, SR
  • Judah Rimbu – SO
  • Jordan Pat – PR
  • Wessa Tenza – HK
  • Ila Alu – LK (c)
  • Liam Joseph – WG
  • Francis Kembis – LK
  • Tyler Han – SO, FB

Head coach

  • Matthew Church

Assistant coaches

Legend:
  • (c) Captain(s)
  • (vc) Vice-captain(s)

Updated: 27 January 2022
Source(s): [19]


Notable players

See also

References

  1. ^ "Hunters reappoint Barker to CEO role". 25 October 2021.
  2. ^ "PNG Hunters: Cup gains and losses for 2022". 28 January 2022.
  3. ^ "Papua New Guinea gain entry to Queensland Cup 2014". ABC News. 28 November 2013.
  4. ^ Pangkatana, John (24 December 2013). "Q-Cup name unveiled". The National.
  5. ^ "Sport: Australia's Labor commits to backing PNG team in NRL". 19 December 2018.
  6. ^ "Schools league gets K6 million – the National".
  7. ^ "League unveils mini mod concept". 5 May 2019.
  8. ^ "K6 million windfall for schools, KPHL invigorates PNGRFL program". 17 June 2021.
  9. ^ "Australia, PNG ink sport deal – the National".
  10. ^ "Investment in game's future – the National".
  11. ^ "Junior Hunters eyed – the National".
  12. ^ "Vital to build on relocation – the National".
  13. ^ "Golden chance". 29 March 2022.
  14. ^ "Australia, PNG ink sport deal – the National".
  15. ^ https://www.qrl.com.au/news/2021/04/01/qrl-takes-lead-in-unique-pacific-program [dead link]
  16. ^ "Papua New Guinea launches bid to become NRL's 18th team". 4 May 2022.
  17. ^ "Hunters announce strategic pathways partnership with Dolphins". 19 May 2022.
  18. ^ one.png.com/2016/02/national-football-stadium-is-new-home.html
  19. ^ "Hunters Name Official 26-man Squad". www.postcourier.com.pg. 27 January 2022.
  20. ^ "Justin Olam - Storm". www.melbournestorm.com.au. Archived from the original on 5 March 2017.
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