By William Crutcher
Almost nine months after their last loss, Norths’ winning streak came to an end when the resilient PNG Hunters claimed a tense Hostplus Cup victory at Bishop Park yesterday.
Since the Devils’ fell to Sunshine Coast Falcons on 24 August last year, they had won 11 straight matches including a grand final, NRL State Championship showdown and seven matches to start this season.
The Hunters left Bishop Park with a 24-18 victory, making the most of Devils’ errors to leave the home team equal with their 2021 record of consecutive wins in the Queensland Cup era.
But the Devils had positives to take from the arm wrestle, played out before a lively crowd on a day in which the teams commemorated National Road Safety Week with a short pre-game ceremony.
Three-time premiership winning Devil Jack Ahearn played his first game for 2025 while Brody Tamurua became Devil #1372 when he took the field from the bench in the 48th minute.
The Devils provided their squad with valuable experience against the Hunters with tireless forward Kenny Bromwich as the only player from the Dolphins NRL squad.
The Devils finished the round on top of the ladder with their 7-1 record and the best points differential in the competition to shade Townsville Blackhawks (7-1) on 16 points each, with four points back to the Hunters, Burleigh, Wynnum Manly and Ipswich.
“The Hunters are always tough to beat. They make teams work very hard and they were the best team out there,” Devils coach Rohan Smith said.
“This is a tough competition. Wins aren’t easy. There’s plenty we can analyse and then we’ll get ourselves ready for next weekend.”
The Devils fell behind 2-0 to a penalty goal in the sixth minute before they laid on two tries in four minues.
Devils centre Blake Paskins, in his 50th Hostplus Cup match went over on the left edge in the 12th minute after a Jordan Lipp short ball to James Flack featured in Norths’ first try.
The Devils continued to attack down the Hunters’ right edge as they picked up their second try of the match four minutes later as Lipp put Flack over to extend the Devils’ lead to 12-2.
But the Devils have a history of close games with the Hunters aside from last September’s comprehensive preliminary final win.
PNG struck back with tries in the 21st and 36th minutes to draw level at halftime.
This included a turning point when the Devils were again on the attack only for an intercept pass to spark a 90-metre Hunters try.
Devils’ co-captain Jacob Gagan crossed from an eventful, pinballing kick in the 56th minute for the home team’s last points of the game.
The Hunters scored in the 55th and 77th minute to win the game as Norths’ mistakes made their job more difficult.
The Devils take a plane flight for the first time this season for Saturday’s clash with the Cutters in Mackay before returning home to host Tweed Seagulls on Saturday 31 May.
PNG HUNTERS 24 (Solo Wane, Alex Max, Jamie Mavoko, Sanny Wabo tries, Trevor Solu 4 goals) bt NORTHS DEVILS 18 (Blake Paskins, James Flack, Jacob Gagan tries, Jordan Lipp 3 goals) at Bishop Park.
Photo by Alan Drinnen
