After seven years of not appearing in the finals, the desperate SP PNG Hunters held off the fast-finishing Brisbane Tigers with a 46-24 drubbing to keep their finals hope alive in front of a vocal crowd on Sunday, August 18th, 2024, at Santos National Football Stadium in Port Moresby.
With their season hanging by a thread, the Hunters rose to the challenge and broke the seven-year hoodoo, pulling off a much-needed win against the Tigers to secure a spot in the finals, while setting their sights for a top 4 finish in the final round of the regular season.
The rejuvenated Hunters were ruthless in the first half. They went firing on all cylinders, running rings around the fatigued Tigers outfit and scored five unanswered tries to take a convincing 28-0 lead over the visitors at half time.
The high-flying SP Brewery-sponsored side maintained the rhythm and asserted their dominance in the second stanza. The home side onslaught kept the Tigers at bay and left them gasping for air as the Hunters continued to pile tries on the hapless Matthew Church-coached team.
However, the Paul Aiton-coached men were complacent in the final quarter of the match because of the huge margin. The reigning premiers (Tigers) capitalised on Hunters’ complacency and scored four successful tries to reduce the deficit. The Tigers tried to claw their way back into the contest but time was not on their side, leaving the full time score at 46-24.
Hooker Judah Rimbu and fullback Sanny Wabo bagged two tries each, while skipper Ila Alu, wingers Solo Wane and Brandon Nima, including interchange utility Finley Glare, scored a try respectively. The forwards were doing the damage in the middle-third and setting the platform upfront, while the backline cruised over the try line with ease, and halfback Jamie Mavoko nailed 7/8 conversions.
Coach Paul Aiton was pleased with the win and thanked the fans for their continuous support. Though the Hunters have not shown their premiership credentials yet, they may be the dark-horse for the title.
“The last 20 minutes was disappointing, but I’m very happy for the boys. They’ve worked hard the whole season, so it’s really good to get a win at home. Thank you all for the support and we look forward to seeing you all again on the weekend,” coach Aiton said.
Just his first season at the helm, rookie coach Paul Aiton, will lead the Hunters to their first finals since 2017. Mr. Aiton and his 17 strong men have defied the odds, weathered the storm, and proved everyone wrong to book a finals berth in 2024, ending the seven-year drought.
The final game (round 23) of the Queensland Rugby League Hostplus Cup regular season will see the SP PNG Hunters host the Western Clydesdales at Santos National Football Stadium on Saturday, August 24th, 2024. It’s a must win game for the Hunters to cement their spot in the playoffs.
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