2017 PNG Hunters season

2017 PNG Hunters season
2017 PNG Hunters season
Queensland Cup Rank	1st
Team information
CEO	Reatau Rau
Coach	Michael Marum
Captain	Ase Boas;
Stadium	National Football Stadium

Rugby league team season

The 2017 Intrust Super Cup was the PNG Hunters fourth season in the Queensland Cup and they also won their first premiership title that year.^[1]

Season Summary

The PNG Hunters won their first ever minor premiership and went on to claim their maiden premiership edging out the Sunshine Coast Falcons in the grand final 12–10. They then advanced to the NRL State Championship final against the NSW Cup champions Penrith Panthers where they were beaten 42–18 in Sydney on NRL Grand final day.^[2] Ten of their players were selected in the 23-man PNG Kumuls squad for the 2017 Rugby League World Cup.^[3]

2017 squad

PNG Hunters
First team squad								Coaching staff
Adex Wera – FB, WG Stargroth Amean – WG Bland Abavu – CE Butler Morris – CE Wawa Paul – WG Ase Boas – SO Watson Boas – HB Enoch Maki – PR Wartovo Puara – HK Esau Siune – PR Stanton Albert – SR Wellington Albert – SR Moses Meninga – LK		Nixon Put – SR David Loko – PR Eddie Dafa – PR Gahuna Sailas – SO Edward Goma – FB Israel Eliab – CE Anderson Benford – SR Willie Minoga – WG Lawrence Tu'u – FB Karo Kauna Jnr – WG						Head coach Michael Marum Assistant coaches Nigel Hukula Roger Laka Legend: (c) Captain(s) (vc) Vice-captain(s) Updated: 5 January 2017 Source(s): [1]

^[4]

Squad movement

Gains

Player	Signed From	Until End of	Notes
Wellington Albert	Penrith Panthers	2017	^[5]
Stanton Albert	Penrith Panthers	2017	<^[6]
Israel Eliab	London Broncos	2017	<^[7]
Willie Minoga	Townsville Blackhawks	2018	^[8]

Losses

Player	Signed To	Until End of	Notes
Thompson Teteh	Redcliffe Dolphins	2017	^[9]

References

^ Wenzel, Murray (24 September 2017). "PNG Hunters win Intrust Super Cup grand final in last minute". The Sydney Morning Herald.
^ Bungard, Matt (1 October 2017). "NRL grand final 2017: Penrith Panthers far too strong for PNG Hunters in State Championship". The Sydney Morning Herald.
^ "Kumuls named for RLWC | Loop PNG". Archived from the original on 2018-05-13. Retrieved 2018-12-27.
^ Taule, Troy (5 January 2017). "2017 Hunters squad revealed". Loop PNG.
^ "Albert Brothers ready to let loose". Loop PNG.
^ "Albert Brothers ready to let loose". Loop PNG.
^ "Eliab returning to form". Pacific Star Limited.
^ Layne, Max (16 December 2016). "Willie Minoga Returns to the PNG Hunters".
^ "Teteh signs on with the Redcliffe Dolphins". News Limited. 8 November 2016. Retrieved 28 December 2018.

[1] Wenzel, Murray (24 September 2017). "PNG Hunters win Intrust Super Cup grand final in last minute". The Sydney Morning Herald.

[2] Bungard, Matt (1 October 2017). "NRL grand final 2017: Penrith Panthers far too strong for PNG Hunters in State Championship". The Sydney Morning Herald.

[3] "Kumuls named for RLWC | Loop PNG". Archived from the original on 2018-05-13. Retrieved 2018-12-27.

[4] Taule, Troy (5 January 2017). "2017 Hunters squad revealed". Loop PNG.

[5] "Albert Brothers ready to let loose". Loop PNG.

[6] "Albert Brothers ready to let loose". Loop PNG.

[7] "Eliab returning to form". Pacific Star Limited.

[8] Layne, Max (16 December 2016). "Willie Minoga Returns to the PNG Hunters".

[9] "Teteh signs on with the Redcliffe Dolphins". News Limited. 8 November 2016. Retrieved 28 December 2018.