The clash of the titans during the Pepsi Moni Plus Capital Rugby Union Preliminary Final blockbuster on Sunday, September 8th, 2024, at the Sir Hubert Murray Stadium in Port Moresby, saw the resurgent SWG Enterprise Valley Hunters pull off a gritty 14-10 victory over the formidable Supreme Industries Harlequins and advance to the big dance.
Before the 2024 CRU started, no one even tipped or predicted the Valley Hunters to crack the top 4, let alone appear in the finals. Having won the loathed wooden spoon and languishing at the bottom of the ladder in 2023, the valley men did a soul-searching in the off-season and signed key personnel to turn the fortunes of the struggling club around.
Led by coach Frank Genia and his assistant, including the undivided support of his brother Will Genia and the club founders, the new look Valley Hunters outfit came with all guns blazing and took the 2024 CRU competition by storm, putting the premiership heavyweights like Brothers and Harlequins on notice and securing their first ever grand final appearance since 2008.
With so much at stake for both sides, the Valley Hunters and the Harlequins rose to the occasion and delivered a highly-entertaining and mouth-watering battle, leaving the loyal fans on the edge of their seats in a thrilling grandstand finish.
As anticipated, the intensity and physicality of the match was felt in the early proceedings, living up to the hype and expectations of the fans. Both teams left everything on the field in the first half, with the Hunters taking a slight 11-5 lead over the Harlequins.
The intense contest continued in the second spell, where the players went full throttle at each other and put their bodies on the line. The battle of the gladiators saw the determined Valley Hunters run away with a 14-10 margin to stun the Billy Rapilla-coached Harlequins.
Coach Frank Genia expressed satisfaction to make history with the Valley Hunters in breaking their finals drought and steering the club to their maiden grand final berth in the 2024 CRU campaign.
“It was a great win for the men, rewarding them for their commitment, which is good for the game that we now have a new contender in the grand final,” an elated coach Genia said.
“This is my first time to lead the Valley Hunters to their first ever Capital Rugby Union Grand Final. CRU is the heartbeat of rugby union in the country, and is the toughest competition. So, this is a huge achievement.”
Genia admitted that the performance was not really polished, so there is still room for improvement in the remaining few days leading up to the decider against the reigning champions, the Kramer Ausenco Brothers.
“I think we were good in some areas and not so good in others. One area in particular that we need to improve on is our defence. Brothers have a big experienced pack and experienced backline, so there will be another different but tough challenge again. Regardless, we are looking forward to the challenge,” Genia added.
Mr. Genia mentioned that the meteoric rise of the Valley Hunters this season was not a fluke, as they had already strategized the game plan in the earlier part of the season, and now they are reaping their hard work.
“We put together a plan at the start of the season to build and evolve our game. We have been steadily progressing towards that goal, and the feeling of making it to the grand final is satisfying and rewarding, especially for the team,” Genia stated.
“What I learned was that if players are open to change and willing to learn new things, they start to see the game from a different perspective. And when they stay committed, not only are they continuing to learn, but it translates to improved performances on the weekend.”
Coach Frank Genia has urged the die-hard fans of the SWG Enterprise-sponsored Valley Hunters to turn up in numbers and root for the rejuvenated valley men when they take on the Kramer Ausenco Brothers in the 2024 Pepsi Moni Plus Capital Rugby Union Grand Final on Saturday, September 21st, at Santos National Football Stadium.
Comentarios