Norths will put their record finals streak on the line tomorrow when the PNG Hunters hit Bishop Park for a Hostplus Cup grand final qualifier.

The Devils have won seven consecutive finals matches – a record since the Queensland Cup era began in 1996, surpassing Ipswich’s previous mark of five.

But the Hunters will arrive on PNG Independence Day with four consecutive finals wins of their own including last Sunday’s impressive performance to eliminate the Falcons on the Sunshine Coast.

The Devils have had the benefit of a week off following their qualifying final win over Redcliffe and coach Dave Elliott said his players were ready.

“This is a real opportunity to play a preliminary final in front of a large home crowd,” Elliott said.

“Teams don’t often get the chance to play games on occasions like this so it’s a chance to take it in and enjoy the challenge.

“We saw PNG last weekend – they had really good support on the Sunshine Coast and they played very well. They’re always a tough team, they play with energy and they deserve to be in the final four.”

The Devils fell to the Hunters when they last met at Bishop Park in a Round 17 match decided by a stunning try in the final seconds.

Both teams have named very similar squads for this match.

The winner will qualify for the grand final against Redcliffe, who ended the Northern Pride’s 13-match winning streak with a thrilling golden-point win in Cairns today.

This is the first time the Devils and Hunters have played in a finals match.

The Devils’ last preliminary final at home came two years ago when they overcame a Falcons team featuring current NRL players Sualauvi Faalogo, Grant Anderson, Wil Warbrick, Daniel Atkinson, Tyson Smoothy and Jack Howarth.