Round 14B wrap: Falcons move into top four with massive win over Hunters

The Sunshine Coast Falcons have surged into the top four on the Hostplus Cup ladder after a statement victory over the PNG Hunters on Sunday.

Claiming the inaugural Darryl Van de Velde Cup, the Falcons showed they could be a force to be reckoned with in this year's finals series, posting a massive 66-8 win over the Hunters on home turf at Sunshine Coast Stadium.

In what was a delayed Round 14 match, Sunshine Coast coach Brad Henderson said ahead of the clash that it was his team's "most important game of the year so far" and it was clear how much was at stake for the Falcons from the opening minutes.

Heading into the game - the Falcons' last at home for 2024 due to a stadium redevelopment - the Sunshine Coast and PNG were both sitting on 22 points on the Hostplus Cup ladder, in sixth and seventh respectively.

They were separated only by differential and a win was crucial for both sides heading into the final five weeks of the regular season.

And it was the Falcons who flexed their muscle, running in 12 tries to two.

Henderson said after the game that while he didn't talk too much about the importance of the game beforehand, he could see the playing squad had picked up on the significance themselves.

"I probably didn't spell it out to the boys that way but they picked up on it, particularly with the coaching staff's intent during the week," he said.

"They knew it was important and they were geared and prepped for a really, really tough and physical contest.

"It certainly was that in the end but PNG couldn't build any momentum and it was due to our aggression and patience with the footy."

Centre Scott Galeano and five-eighth Luke Polselli both bagged first half doubles, with Galeano crossing for the opener in the eighth minute.

Taine Couper and Cody Hunter also scored tries in the opening stanza to take a 32-4 halftime lead, with Solo Wane the Hunters' sole tryscorer.

Polselli then secured a hat-trick with another four-pointer in the second half, with the Falcons not taking the foot off the accelerator with tries to Louis Geraghty, Kyle Paterson and Zacariah Miles, and a double to forward Caius Faatili.

Alex Max was the only other tryscorer for the Hunters.

While Henderson said it took a team effort, he was full of praise for playmaker Polselli for his efforts on both sides of the ball and was also impressed by the defence of hooker Danny Heenan.

"Luke Polselli... He just got reward for all his effort," Henderson said.

"Sometimes his effort goes unrewarded and he was outstanding early on with the football in hand, really dangerous. But just defensively as well.

"You have to be brave to jump in front of these Hunters players. They spotted him up but he never took a backwards step."

With all teams now caught up on 19 rounds of football, the Falcons sit in fourth place behind the Northern Pride, Norths Devils and Burleigh Bears. The Hunters meanwhile remain in seventh spot as they head into a bye.

There are now five rounds remaining before finals kick off, with the competition hitting the road next week for Country Week, presented by Ford.

The Falcons will head to South Kolan to take on the Ipswich Jets, with Mt Isa, Tamborine Mountain, Dalby, Middlemount, Cooktown and Bowen to play host to the remaining fixtures.

The last time the Falcons met the Jets, Ipswich pulled off an upset victory and Henderson said despite a growing injury list for his team, they are primed and ready to get one back in Country Week.

"Mentally it helps to a degree," Henderson said of the impact of Sunday's win moving forward.

"I'd like to think mentality won't be an issue from here on out. We're in the top four which is really nice but if you get there, you want to stay there. It adds new pressures.

"We feel like we owe Ipswich one next week and we've been really good at bouncing back against teams that got us earlier in the year.

"With the injury list we've got, we're very day-by-day, week-by-week but I'm looking forward to South Kolan and I think we'll be close to our best."