The resurgent SWG Enterprise Valley Hunters are on the cusp of making history when they go head-to-head with the Supreme Industries Harlequins in the Pepsi Moni Plus Capital Rugby Union Preliminary Final on Sunday, September 8th, 2024, at Sir Hubert Murray Stadium in Port Moresby.
Before the 2024 season began, no one even tipped, let alone predicted the Valley Hunters to appear in the finals. How the Hunters flipped the script and imposed their presence this season has shocked and surprised the rugby union community in the nation’s capital.
Since the Valley Hunters’ inception in the CRU competition in 2008, they’ve yet to play in the grand final. In 2023, they collected the loathed wooden spoon, languishing at the bottom of the ladder.
Endeavouring to come out of the doldrums, the cellar-dwellers did a soul-searching in the off-season of 2023 and signed key personnel to turn the fortunes around for the struggling club.
With a masterstroke recruitment, the Valley men secured the services of brothers Frank Genia and Will Genia, including a few additional players to bolster their pack, and build a premiership team around those key signings.
Lo and behold, the hapless Valley Hunters of yesteryears have been a formidable side in the 2024 CRU campaign, beating both the premiership heavyweights in Kramer Ausenco Brothers and Supreme Industries Harlequins in the regular season, and putting the competition on notice.
Coach Frank Genia and his assistant, with the undivided support of Will Genia and the management, had developed a winning culture at the SWG-sponsored franchise, turning the once-struggling club to a powerhouse.
As the clock winds down to the blockbuster on Sunday, the rejuvenated Valley Hunters are optimistic to make history and taste their first appearance in the big dance, but the relentless jesters of Bava Park (Harlequins) will be equal to the task, as they have an unfinished business to settle with their arch-rivals, the Kramer Ausenco Brothers.
The Preliminary Final showdown between the SWG Valley Hunters and Supreme Industries Harlequins should be a mouthwatering affair to watch on Sunday, September 8th, 2024. Prepare your popcorn and get ready to be entertained.
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