The 2023 Hostplus Cup was the PNG Hunters' tenth season in rugby league's Queensland Cup. The Papua New Guinea Hunters is a professional rugby league club from Papua New Guinea.
Train and trial partnership with Dolphins (NRL)
The PNG Hunters' strategic partnership with Dolphins saw four Hunters players, Tai, Tanabi, Waine and Judah Rimbu, trained with the Dolphins side during NRL pre-season in January 2023. Waine then left to join the London Broncos, while Tai was recalled together with Morea Morea in April to be part of the Dolphins for a month to train. Tai's trial was extended after that one month, while Morea returned to the Hunters in May.
Season summary
Milestone games Round Player Milestone Round 1Morea Morea (#112), Siki Konden (#113), Sakias Komati (#114), Tom Moide (#115), Joshua Mire (#116), Valentine Richard (#117) Hostplus Cup debutsRound 1Samson Komati scored his first tryRound 2Morea Morea scored his first Hunters tryRound 3Sanny Wabo (#118) Hostplus Cup debutRound 5Junior Igila (#119), Trevor Solu (#120), Koso Badi (#121) Hostplus Cup debutsRound 8Tom Moide scored his first Hostplus Cup tryRound 8Seal Kalo (Hunters #122) Hostplus Cup debutRound 10Sanny Wabo scored his first Hostplus Cup tryRound 11Jamie Mavoko scored his first Hostplus Cup tryRound 12Junior Igila scored his first Hostplus Cup tryRound 13Joshua Lau (Hunters #123) scored his first try on his DebutRound 14Joshua Mire scored his first try at Hostplus cup level Round 15Trevor Solu scored his first try at Hostplus cup levelRound 16Whallen Tau-Loi (PNG Hunters #124) Hostplus Cup debutRound 20Whallen Tau-Loi First Hostplus Cup tryRound 22Siki Konden First Hostplus Cup try
2023 squad
Squad movement Gains Player Signed from Until end of NotesEpel KapiniasWynnum Manly Seagulls
Losses Player Signed to Until end of NotesKeven AppoBradford BullsSylvester NamoNorth Queensland CowboysKitron LakaWynnum Manly SeagullsKingstimer ParaiaSouths Logan MagpiesSamuel YegipCentral Queensland CaprasEmmanuel WaineLondon BroncosWartovo PuaraSepik PrideLiam JosephRabaul GuriasDilbert IsaacRedcliffe DolphinsGilmo PaulPort Moresby Vipers
Ladder PosTeamPldWDLBPFPAPDPts1 Burleigh Bears2015142547376171 352 Souths Logan Magpies2014242588392196343 Brisbane Tigers201415257343214133 4 Central Queensland Capras 2012262511 387 124305 Redcliffe Dolphins2011362564443121296 Wynnum Manly Seagulls2012082610 498 112287 Northern Pride RLFC2011272363 442 -79288 Sunshine Coast Falcons201118252540811727 9 Tweed Heads Seagulls2011092 614 478 136 2610 Papua New Guinea Hunters209 1 10 2 464 514 -50 2311 Norths Devils2082102551530 212212 Townsville Blackhawks2081112480455 252113Western Clydesdales2030172452684 -2321014 Mackay Cutters2030162332 606 -2741015 Ipswich Jets2000202342871 -5294
The team highlighted in blue clinched the minor premiership. Teams highlighted in green qualified for the finals. The team highlighted in red clinched the wooden spoon.
Fixtures Pre-season Date Round Opponent Venue Score Tries Goals Saturday 25 FebruaryTrial 1 CQ CaprasPNG Football Stadium12-20Konden, Morea, Kot Saturday 4 MarchTrial 2 Kaiviti SilktailsLawaqa Park, Sigatoka, Fiji26-12Rop 3, Konden, Nima Legend:
Regular season
Date Round Opponent Venue Score Tries Goals AttendanceSunday, 12 MarchRound 1 Western ClydesdalesClive Berghofer Stadium20-10Nima 2, Komati, Kot Mavoko 2/4 goals Saturday, 18 MarchRound 2 Souths Logan MagpiesLogan Metro Sports Park22-22Komati 2, Tai, Kot, Morea Morea 1/5 goalSaturday, 25 March Round 3 Brisbane TigersPNG Football Stadium36-38Morea 3, Wane, Nima, Alu, YakopaMorea 3/6, Komati 1/1 goals Saturday, 8 AprilRound 4 BYE-Saturday, 15 AprilRound 5 Northern PrideBarlow Park14-34Tai, Komati, Nima Solu 1/3 goalSaturday, 22 AprilRound 6 Burleigh BearsPizzey Park20-46Rop, Kapinias, Nima, Komati Morea 1/2, Solu 1/2 goalsSaturday, 29 April Round 7 Mackay CuttersPNG Football Stadium18-10Morea, Kot, Yakopa, Tai Mavoko 1/4 Saturday, 6 MayRound 8 Ipswich JetsPNG Football Stadium40-28 Nima 2, Morea, Tenza, Moide, Komati, Rop Mavoko 6/7 Friday, 12 MayRound 9 Townsville BlackhawksJack Manski Oval4-54WaneMavoko 0/1 Saturday, 20 MayRound 10 Wynnum Manly SeagullsBMD Kougari Oval24-28Tai 2, Wabo 2, Jesse Mavoko 2/5 Saturday,27 MayRound 11 Northern PridePNG Football Stadium16-22Yakopa, Mavoko, Tenza Mavoko 2/3 Saturday, 3 JuneRound 12 Tweed Heads SeagullsPNG Football Stadium34-18Moide, Igila, Morea, Tai, Wane, Rop Mavoko 5/6 Saturday, 10 JuneRound 13 Western ClydesdalesPNG Football Stadium40-4Moide, Nima, Lau, Kimisive, Wabo, Morea, Tai Solu 5/6, Morea 1/1 Saturday, 17 JuneRound 14 Souths Logan MagpiesPNG Football Stadium10-40 Kot, Mire Solu 1/1, Mavoko 0/1 Sunday, 25 JuneRound 15 Sunshine Coast FalconsSunshine Coast Stadium34-10Solu 2, Morea, Moide, Yakopa, Wane Mavoko 4/5, Solu 1/1 Saturday, 1 July Round 16 CQ CaprasPNG Football Stadium14-8 Rimbu, Wabo, Kot Mavoko 1/2 Solu 0/1 Saturday, 8 JulyRound 17 Burleigh BearsPNG Football Stadium22-30Nima, Kot, Morea, WaneMorea (2/4 + 1 pen.)Saturday, 15 July Round 18 BYE Sunday, 30 July Round 19 Brisbane TigersTotally Workwear Stadium18-32 Tai, Wane, Kot Mavoko 3/3 Saturday, 5 August Round 20 Redcliffe DolphinsPNG Football Stadium 26-22Wane 2, Tau-Loi, Lau, Kot Mavoko (2/5 + 1 pen.) Saturday, 12 August Round 21 Townsville BlackhawksPNG Football Stadium 22-18Morea, Lau, Tau-Loi, MavokoMavoko 3/4 Saturday, 19 August Round 22 Norths DevilsBishop Park 30-40Rop, Mavoko, Komati, Rimbu, Konden Mavoko (4/5 + 1 pen.) Legend:
Statistics
*Denotes player on loan from the Central Queensland Capras.
NameAppTGFGPtsIla Alu181--4Koso Badi70--0Casey Dickson70--0Warren Glare40--0Junior Igila71--4Mathew Jesse21--4Seal Kalo100--0201--4Philemon Kimisive21--4Sakias Komati1371-30Siki Konden61--4Benji Kot168--32Joshua Lau53--12Jamie Mavoko18337-86Joshua Mire61--4Tom Moide164--16Morea Morea20119-62199--36Valentine Richard40--0Judah Rimbu182--8Junior Rop184--16Trevor Solu828-24198--3270--0Whallen Tau-Loi52--8112--8Sanny Wabo84--16120--0208--32Julius Yakopa114--16 Totals 88 56 0 464
Representatives The following players played representative matches in 2023.
PNG Prime Minister's XIII 2023 Pacific Rugby League Championships Seal Kalo Epel Kapinias Benji Kot Tommy Moide Morea Morea Judah Rimbu Junior Rop Rodrick Tai
References