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http://www.cairnspost.com.au/sport/...his-friday-night/story-fnjpuwrj-1227236180049
PNG Hunters to play trial game against Northern Pride at Barlow Park this Friday night
IT’S the game the Far North had pleaded for, and now it’s the game the business community has finally helped to deliver.
The PNG Hunters will play a Barlow Park trial on Friday night, just months after a disappointed Northern Pride were told they would not host the Intrust Super Cup entertainers in 2015.
The inaugural Total Food Network Challenge may not be for competition points, but that is unlikely to matter to the huge PNG population in Cairns.
Last year’s round 18 clash between the clubs attracted a Pride-record 4390 fans, making a mockery of the QRL’s eventual decision not to award the premiers a rematch this season.
That led to an outpouring of anger from the Far North, one that will be partially quelled by confirmation the Hunters will indeed return.
Officials only started planning for the match last Friday when it was decided Saturday’s clash between the Hunters and Ipswich would be scratched due to wet weather.
“They decided they still needed a trial match so this is where it’s ended up,” Pride CEO Rod Jensen said.
“So it fell in our lap on Friday afternoon.”
As well as a record crowd, last year’s match attracted huge corporate interest – a corporate network feared lost after the initial snub of hosting the PNG side.
So when the opportunity came up, major sponsor Total Food Network Challenge, among others, jumped at the chance to get the Cairns trial over the line.
“There were a number of other businesses at the end of last year who voiced their concerns that they would like to have that game back in Cairns,” Jensen said.
“The PNG nationals here, the Wantoks Association and the Hunters themselves wrote the QRL to get a game here.
“Even with that begging we still missed out.
“It’s just fortunate that we have been able to get this trial, a match that everyone wanted to see.”
The fact the game will go ahead at such short notice is a minor miracle in itself.
The timeslot, while clashing with the Taipans’ NBL finals game at the Convention Centre, means the Pride will have to fork out nearly $7000 to get Barlow Park resprayed for the FNQ Heat’s NPL fixture on Saturday.
PNG, who pay for every visiting team’s travel costs during the regular season, will fund their own airfares to get to the Far North showdown. But, in an indication of the pulling power of this contest, the Cairns Colonial Club Resort has chipped in by providing accommodation.
“It’s not about us making a dollar out of this,” Jensen said.
“We are treating this as our first full game of the season.
“There will be a jumping castle and fireworks, the full spectacle.”
Hunters CEO Brad Tassell labelled the clash with the reigning premiers a real coup for his club.
“I know the Pride were disappointed they weren’t allocated a home game against us this season and this certainly will make up for that,” he said.
“Cairns is one of our biggest support bases in the state and we are really happy that we can now play in Cairns this year.
“When I picked up the phone to Rod he worked really hard to get it done.”
Total Food Network Challenge senior executive John Battiato said the involvement for the fruit and vegetable wholesaler was a no-brainer.
“We’ve got a huge connection with Papua New Guinea and Cairns,” he said.
“We’re very happy at this short notice to get the Hunters here.
“It’s all about supporting the local community and local sport.”
Tickets will be from $17, with admission for children under 12 free.
PNG Hunters to play trial game against Northern Pride at Barlow Park this Friday night
IT’S the game the Far North had pleaded for, and now it’s the game the business community has finally helped to deliver.
The PNG Hunters will play a Barlow Park trial on Friday night, just months after a disappointed Northern Pride were told they would not host the Intrust Super Cup entertainers in 2015.
The inaugural Total Food Network Challenge may not be for competition points, but that is unlikely to matter to the huge PNG population in Cairns.
Last year’s round 18 clash between the clubs attracted a Pride-record 4390 fans, making a mockery of the QRL’s eventual decision not to award the premiers a rematch this season.
That led to an outpouring of anger from the Far North, one that will be partially quelled by confirmation the Hunters will indeed return.
Officials only started planning for the match last Friday when it was decided Saturday’s clash between the Hunters and Ipswich would be scratched due to wet weather.
“They decided they still needed a trial match so this is where it’s ended up,” Pride CEO Rod Jensen said.
“So it fell in our lap on Friday afternoon.”
As well as a record crowd, last year’s match attracted huge corporate interest – a corporate network feared lost after the initial snub of hosting the PNG side.
So when the opportunity came up, major sponsor Total Food Network Challenge, among others, jumped at the chance to get the Cairns trial over the line.
“There were a number of other businesses at the end of last year who voiced their concerns that they would like to have that game back in Cairns,” Jensen said.
“The PNG nationals here, the Wantoks Association and the Hunters themselves wrote the QRL to get a game here.
“Even with that begging we still missed out.
“It’s just fortunate that we have been able to get this trial, a match that everyone wanted to see.”
The fact the game will go ahead at such short notice is a minor miracle in itself.
The timeslot, while clashing with the Taipans’ NBL finals game at the Convention Centre, means the Pride will have to fork out nearly $7000 to get Barlow Park resprayed for the FNQ Heat’s NPL fixture on Saturday.
PNG, who pay for every visiting team’s travel costs during the regular season, will fund their own airfares to get to the Far North showdown. But, in an indication of the pulling power of this contest, the Cairns Colonial Club Resort has chipped in by providing accommodation.
“It’s not about us making a dollar out of this,” Jensen said.
“We are treating this as our first full game of the season.
“There will be a jumping castle and fireworks, the full spectacle.”
Hunters CEO Brad Tassell labelled the clash with the reigning premiers a real coup for his club.
“I know the Pride were disappointed they weren’t allocated a home game against us this season and this certainly will make up for that,” he said.
“Cairns is one of our biggest support bases in the state and we are really happy that we can now play in Cairns this year.
“When I picked up the phone to Rod he worked really hard to get it done.”
Total Food Network Challenge senior executive John Battiato said the involvement for the fruit and vegetable wholesaler was a no-brainer.
“We’ve got a huge connection with Papua New Guinea and Cairns,” he said.
“We’re very happy at this short notice to get the Hunters here.
“It’s all about supporting the local community and local sport.”
Tickets will be from $17, with admission for children under 12 free.
