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
