The SP PNG Hunters are remaining optimistic despite a difficult start to the season, with Head Coach Paul Aiton praising his players’ resilience as the team prepares for a crucial Round 10 clash against the Souths Logan Magpies.
Now in his third season at the helm, Aiton admitted the Hunters’ campaign has been heavily impacted by injuries and constant squad reshuffles, with the side managing just two wins so far this season.
“Surprisingly, we’re handling it pretty good,” Aiton said.
“Obviously we want to win, but the biggest thing hurting us at the moment is our injuries. We haven’t been able to put the same squad out in back-to-back weeks.”
The Hunters have again been forced into multiple changes this week, with several key players unavailable through injury and suspension. Youngster Hercules Kondo is set to make his debut, while Carlos Lung has been named despite carrying an ankle injury.
Aiton said the constant disruption has made it difficult for combinations to develop.
“You’ve probably seen week-to-week there’s players missing or switching positions because we don’t have the manpower,” he explained.
“We’ve got guys who can play different roles, which is good, but it’s not their preferred positions or what we trained for during pre-season.”
Despite the setbacks, Aiton believes there are encouraging signs within the group, pointing to noticeable improvements in defence and overall performance in recent weeks.
“Against the Falcons we went from over 40 missed tackles to 18, so we fixed that,” he said.
“The following week we only had 20 missed tackles and worked on our attack. There are small wins there, and we hold onto those.”
The Hunters pushed competition leaders close in recent rounds, with Aiton praising the squad’s determination despite mounting pressure from outside criticism.
“There’s a lot of outside noise, but the boys keep their heads down, stay positive and train hard,” he said.
“We can see improvement every week and our numbers show that. That gives the boys confidence that we’re heading in the right direction.”
The inclusion of experienced forward Sylvester Namo is expected to provide added strength and leadership to the side. Aiton said Namo had already shown maturity and strong intent since re-joining the squad.
“He’s here to prove something. He’s not here just to play — he wants to achieve something this year,” Aiton said.
The Hunters also welcome back Seal Kalo this week, while Lynchill Kiap has been named to start at hooker.
Although the team remains outside the top eight, Aiton insists finals football is still within reach.
“It’s a very tight competition and we still have a chance to make the eight. That’s the goal right now — to make sure we’re in that eight and fighting in the finals.”
The SP PNG Hunters will host the Souths Logan Magpies this weekend in a must-win match for the PNG side.
