SUNSHINE COAST: The Papua New Guinea Hunters face a nervous wait as the Queensland Cup judiciary decides if forwards Timothy Lomai and Dion Aiye have cases to answer after both were reported for dangerous throws in their 16-4 win over the Sunshine Coast Falcons on Sunday.
Lomai and Aiye were penalised and put on report by referee Robert Gallacher after lifting and driving opponents past the horizontal in a match marred by a high error rate. Both tackles were deemed reckless rather than intentional by commentators but in light of National Rugby League player Alex McKinnon’s serious spinal injury earlier in the year the game is moving to eradicate any dangerous lifting in tackles.
Hunters coach Michael Marum would also be trying to address his side’s poor completion rate which saw them turn over half their possession in an 80-minute arm-wrestle.
The Falcons were supposed to be soft touches but the Sunshine Coast stragglers competed well to stay within eight points of their more fancied visitors for most of the match.
The win by the Hunters and upset results elsewhere have the new boys just one point from top spot that is now shared by the Ipswich Jets, Northern Pride and Norths Devils.
Both sides were guilty of poor ball handling and a lack of execution in attack but they still managed to entertain the crowd.
Despite launching a late surge towards an unlikely victory, the Falcons couldn’t control the ball for extended periods and looked devoid of fifth-tackle options, ensuring that they remain winless at the foot of the Q-Cup table.
Hunters captain Israel Eliab, who claimed the man-of-the-match award, bagged a double the first of which was a long range effort in the sixth minute. An attacking grubber by Falcons’ five-eighth Brett Doherty ended up in the 23-year-old’s mitts and he raced 95-metres to hand the Hunters a 4-0 lead against the run of play.
The Hunters crossed again in the 11th minute when halfback Roger Laka scooted away to score next to the posts after good lead-up work from Sebastian Pandia, Laka duly adding the extras making it 10-0. In the 18th minute PNG were awarded a penalty and Laka stepped up again to add a further two points, extending the Hunters’ lead to 12-0.
Constant errors crept into the contest from the 20-minute mark until the final five minutes of the half as a result of the free-flowing and carefree style of football created by both sides. In the 35th minute the Falcons were finally rewarded with a four-pointer.
Hunters centre Thompson Teteh fluffed a defensive take and Doherty running the angle touched down 12m to the right of the uprights after being fed the scraps by Rowan Klein. The 21-year-old failed to convert his own try to keep the score at 12-4 heading into half-time.
The razzle-dazzle football continued after the break with both sides coming close to crossing the stripe, however, as was the case in the first 40, a lack of execution ensured the scoreboard would remain unchanged until Eliab scored with 15 minutes remaining.
Hunters 16 (Israel Eliab 2, Roger Laka tries; Roger Laka 2 goals) def Falcons 4 (Brett Doherty try).
Lomai and Aiye were penalised and put on report by referee Robert Gallacher after lifting and driving opponents past the horizontal in a match marred by a high error rate. Both tackles were deemed reckless rather than intentional by commentators but in light of National Rugby League player Alex McKinnon’s serious spinal injury earlier in the year the game is moving to eradicate any dangerous lifting in tackles.
Hunters coach Michael Marum would also be trying to address his side’s poor completion rate which saw them turn over half their possession in an 80-minute arm-wrestle.
The Falcons were supposed to be soft touches but the Sunshine Coast stragglers competed well to stay within eight points of their more fancied visitors for most of the match.
The win by the Hunters and upset results elsewhere have the new boys just one point from top spot that is now shared by the Ipswich Jets, Northern Pride and Norths Devils.
Both sides were guilty of poor ball handling and a lack of execution in attack but they still managed to entertain the crowd.
Despite launching a late surge towards an unlikely victory, the Falcons couldn’t control the ball for extended periods and looked devoid of fifth-tackle options, ensuring that they remain winless at the foot of the Q-Cup table.
Hunters captain Israel Eliab, who claimed the man-of-the-match award, bagged a double the first of which was a long range effort in the sixth minute. An attacking grubber by Falcons’ five-eighth Brett Doherty ended up in the 23-year-old’s mitts and he raced 95-metres to hand the Hunters a 4-0 lead against the run of play.
The Hunters crossed again in the 11th minute when halfback Roger Laka scooted away to score next to the posts after good lead-up work from Sebastian Pandia, Laka duly adding the extras making it 10-0. In the 18th minute PNG were awarded a penalty and Laka stepped up again to add a further two points, extending the Hunters’ lead to 12-0.
Constant errors crept into the contest from the 20-minute mark until the final five minutes of the half as a result of the free-flowing and carefree style of football created by both sides. In the 35th minute the Falcons were finally rewarded with a four-pointer.
Hunters centre Thompson Teteh fluffed a defensive take and Doherty running the angle touched down 12m to the right of the uprights after being fed the scraps by Rowan Klein. The 21-year-old failed to convert his own try to keep the score at 12-4 heading into half-time.
The razzle-dazzle football continued after the break with both sides coming close to crossing the stripe, however, as was the case in the first 40, a lack of execution ensured the scoreboard would remain unchanged until Eliab scored with 15 minutes remaining.
Hunters 16 (Israel Eliab 2, Roger Laka tries; Roger Laka 2 goals) def Falcons 4 (Brett Doherty try).