UPDATE: Want to know how it ended up?
Follow our full report from Nothing But League.
The big game of the weekend is not on Friday night, and does not feature names like Inglis, Boyd and Kenny-Dowall. It features names like Minoga, Boas and Etuate Tamanikaitai Qionimacawa.
Well that is according to us, and we’ll be watching, and for those with Fox Sports, you should be too.
It is the middle game in a triple header of International rugby league on Saturday afternoon/evening, and promises much.
We’ve already done a full preview with our friends at Nothing But League, so why not click here for the full preview at Nothing But League.
We’re big fans of all things PNG rugby league, and think they can beat the Fijians this weekend.
More so, we’re hoping the PNG players currently not with an NRL club get the chance to shine, especially Gurgler favourite Willie Minoga. We’ve raved about him for years, and now Australia gets another chance to see him in action thanks to Fox Sports. But there’s other PNG players to watch, like the brothers Boas, Stargroth Amean, and well, the entire squad.
Get on the Kumuls bandwagon.
SO WHAT DO WE THINK
We think the Kumuls are primed to run around last year’s loss to Fiji and win 28-24. Whilst Fiji has the bigger names from the NRL, the PNG side benefits from a lot of combination from the PNG Hunters and ex Hunters players with the added spark of the Titans additions. With the Hunters improvements in the Intrust Super Cup since this fixture last year, the form line is strong for a Kumuls win.
Having a wager? We think the PNG side is tremendous value at $2.20. And why not throw a first try scorer bet on – we select Ase Boas @ $26 or David Mead @ $17.
SQUADS
PNG KUMULS
1             David Mead                      NRL – GC Titans
2             Justin Olam                       PNG Hunters
3             Kato Ottio                         NRL – Canberra Raiders
4             Nene Macdonald           NRL – GC Titans
5             Stargroth Amean           PNG Hunters
6             Ase Boas                            PNG Hunters
7             Watson Boas                    PNG Hunters
8             Luke Page                         Burleigh Bears
9             Wartovo Puara                PNG Hunters
10          Henry Noki                       PNG Hunters
11          Rhys Martin                      Townsville Blackhawks
12          Rod Griffin                        NRL – Wests Tigers
13          Adam Korave                   PNG Hunters
14          Adex Wera                       PNG Hunters
15          Brandy Peter                   PNG Hunters
16          Willie Minoga                   Townsville Blackhawks
17          Kurt Baptiste                    NRL – Canberra Raiders
18          Timothy Lomai                PNG Hunters
FIJI BATI
Sisa Waqa                                                           Canberra Raiders
Tyrone Phillips                                                  Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs
Junior Roqica                                                    Cronulla Sharks
James Storer                                                     Illawarra – Port Kembla
Brayden Wiliame                                             Manly Warringah Sea Eagles
Fabian Goodall                                                 Manly Warringah Sea Eagles
Benjamin Nakubuwai                                    Melbourne Storm
Maurice Kennedy                                           Mounties
Akuila Uate                                                        Newcastle Knights
Daniel Saifiti                                                      Newcastle Knights
Korbin Sims                                                       Newcastle Knights
Sitiveni Moceidreke                                       North Sydney Bears
Eloni Vunakece                                                                Sydney Roosters
Kane Evans                                                        Sydney Roosters
Kevin Naiqama                                                 West Tigers
Etuate Tamanikaitai Qionimacawa           Fiji based
Iliavi Chris Ravu                                                Fiji based
Ratu Jowasa Tubailagi Drodrolagi             Fiji based
Tui Kamikamica                                                Sunshine Coast Falcons
Tuimasi Pio Moceiwaiyevo Seci                 Fiji based
