Hunters beat ladder leaders Bears

Both sides came out firing in the second half but again it was the Hunters who would quickly gain ascendency, winning the ruck with their power game through the middle and kicking effectively thanks to Rimbu and Paraia in the halves.

Eventually the Hunters’ possession and field position would translate into points when Kot scored seven minutes into the second stanza.

In what’s become a pet play for the Hunters this season, Rimbu took possession down the left edge and drifted outwards before dropping his backrower underneath. It’s usually an action we’ve seen Kitron Laka execute with great success in 2022, but this time it was vice-captain Keven Appo charging onto Rimbu’s pass to break the line and find Kot in support.

The line breaks kept coming for the Hunters when Wesser Tenza orchestrated a short side raid as the Hunters were working out their own end soon after. Tenza used his vision and guile from dummy half to send Paraia at the retreating edge defence and Paraia summed things up smartly to tip Sherwin Tanabi into a hole off his hip. Tanabi’s run broke the Bears’ line before he found Tenza in support back on his inside.

Rimbu was next to score for the Hunters as the clock wound down and the scoreboard kept ticking over. Interchange forward Jordan Pat was the instigator this time with a late offload in front of the posts landing in the hands of Puara, who then drew in two more Bears defenders with a swerving run before passing Rimbu into space on the left edge to score.

The Bears were finally afforded the chance to build some pressure when they earned consecutive sets on the Hunters' line late in the second half. Burleigh winger Francis would capitalise on this in the 67th minute to finish off a smooth right edge movement by the visitors.

Finding their second win late in the piece, the Bears would then score back-to-back tries when Alofiana Khan-Periera crossed in the 71st. The Hostplus Cup’s leading try-scorer showcased his trademark speed to burn the Hunters defence in a 60-plus metre effort that took the Bears to 12 points.

Two more late consolation tries to the Bears helped add some respect to the final score when Francis crossed for his second at the 67-minute mark and Josiah Afu scored in the final seconds.

The end result was all about the Hunters though, with a stunning win over the competition leaders.  

Coach’s comments

PNG Hunters head coach Matt Church was delighted with the result.

“I’m just really pleased that we get to finish our time here on a high,” Church said.

“Relocating to the Gold Coast has been an incredibly challenging period for the club and I’m really proud of the boys efforts today against a quality side.

“Our kicking game was much-improved, we completed well and we stuck to the game plan – things we have been working hard at all season. It’s rewarding to see the fruits of that labour today.”

The Hunters will play Mackay Cutters in the final round of the season.

The Bears will go up against Wynnum Manly Seagulls.