The SP Papua New Guinea (PNG) Hunters Fullback Sanny Wabo leads a thrilling victory over the Tweed Seagulls in Round 5 of the Queens Rugby League Hostplus Cup today 5th April, at the Cbus Super Stadium in the Gold Coast.
Wabo stood out scoring a hat-trick with the support of his teammates, in smart attack and defense formation, leading his side to a team effort victory, 26-20.
Despite the Seagulls opening the scoreboard early with a try by Phoenix Steinwede in the 2nd minute, the Hunters calmly responded with a barrage of points through the momentous performance by Sanny Wabo and Murray Connors within 20 minutes.
The Seagulls kept the game tight with tries from Jay Kirk, Zane Harrison, and JJ Collins in the second half, with Lindon McGrady converting two of them.
Despite the momentum shifting in favor of the home side late in the game, the Hunters’ resilience held firm.
Wabo glowed on the field in the 18th, 47th, and 68th minutes, solidifying his impact as a game-changer, scoring three tries.
He was well supported by Solo Wane and Connors, who added to the scoreboard in the 15th and 26th minutes respectively.
Jamie Mavoko’s reliable boot added three conversions to the tally, helping the Hunters maintain a slim lead throughout.
Remarkably, the Hunters managed to secure the win despite two players being sent to the sin bin—Clent Lama in the 36th minute and Gairo Voro in the 56th—leaving the team temporarily down to 12 men on two occasions.
The Seagulls, although valiant, will look to bounce back stronger in round-6.
The Hunters proved too strong in a match dominated by attacking flair and hard-hitting defense, the team will now recover and look to take on the Ipswich Jets Next week Sunday 13th April, 2025.