SP PNG Hunters coach Paul Aiton has appealed to supporters to rally behind his young playing group, saying criticism on social media is adding unnecessary pressure to a team already battling injuries and inexperience.

Ahead of Sunday's Hostplus Cup clash against the Wynnum Manly Seagulls, Aiton acknowledged supporters' passion but urged fans to remember the Hunters are rebuilding with a youthful squad.

"There's a lot of outside noise," Aiton said.

"I understand because our supporters are passionate, but there's also a lot of pressure on these young men."

Aiton said players were not immune to criticism circulating online.

"You can't tell players not to look at social media, but they're young people and that's part of life now. They're getting pressure at training, pressure from outside, and pressure from family as well. We're trying to take some of that pressure off them," he said.

The Hunters have fielded several debutants this season after a lengthy injury toll forced continual changes to the squad.

According to Aiton, many players have only managed a handful of games before injuries disrupted their progress, making consistency difficult.

Despite the club's struggles, Aiton said he had been encouraged by the commitment shown by his players, particularly during last week's defeat when the Hunters played much of the game with 12 men following the dismissal of Sonny.

"The scoreline didn't show it, but the effort from our players when we were a man down was next level. A lot of players really stood up."

Aiton said the Hunters continued to review every performance and remained focused on developing the next generation of players, with emerging talent from the Digicel ExxonMobil Cup and National Youth Competition already being monitored for future opportunities.

He finished with a heartfelt message to supporters.

"Our second pillar as a club is family. In Papua New Guinea, when someone in the family is doing it tough, everyone comes together to support them. I appeal to our fans to get behind these young men. Some have only played one or two games and they're getting blasted on social media."

"I don't think that's family. We're all one family, so let's come together and show these boys the support they deserve," said Aiton.