Aiton urges fans to back the Hunters

The SP PNG Hunters' season is on life support, winning only two games and languishing at the bottom of the ladder after Round 15 of the Hostplus Cup.

Despite the horror campaign in 2026, coach Paul Aiton has called on the fans to continue to support the team.

Player movement, injuries, and suspensions have contributed to the Hunters’ downfall, with Aiton urging the fans to stick with the team as they aim to win a few games to end the season on a high note.

The fans are frustrated with the team’s lackluster performance and inconsistency on social media platforms, especially Facebook, criticizing the players and even calling for Aiton’s axing.

“There’s a lot of outside noise, which is unfortunate, but I do understand their passion for the game,” Aiton said.

“Internally, we’ve changed things a lot. This game is fun to play, and we brought more of that into our training sessions.

“We are putting pressure on the players, who are getting pressure outside, and from their families. There’s a lot of pressure on them, so we are trying to take that pressure off the players during training.” 

The team has grappled with injuries, with Aiton saying: “We’ve got a lot of debutants, possibly a few will make their debut this weekend. 

“This week alone, we’ve lost four players due to injuries. That’s what we’ve been facing weekly. But in saying that, this also gives a chance for other young boys to wear the Hunters’ jersey.”

Aiton mentioned that the players’ performance would be reviewed, noting that the consistent players would retain their spots, others would be dropped, and emerging players from the National Youth Competition would be scouted.

“Most definitely, the players’ performance will be reviewed. We review every game, and at the end of the season, their performance will be reviewed,” he commented.

“There are a lot of young players coming from NYC to the DEM Cup. We watch every game and assess their performance. They are all under the radar.” 

With the upcoming World Cup, the players have a slim chance to make the squad, but Aiton hopes that Kumuls coach Jason Demetriou will select a few players, especially those who are in form. 

“Our poor form doesn’t really help, but I’m sure JD (coach Jason Demetriou) will have a look at a few of our players,” Aiton said.  

“There are a lot of games left for the players to put in good performances and put their hands up for selection.”

The Hunters’ mentor admitted that they could not achieve the goals they had set in the pre-season, but noted that they look to take one game at a time to wrap up the season positively.

Aiton explained that they had taken some positives this season, creating opportunities for emerging players to taste the elite competition and preparing the youngsters for next season.

Though the Hunters have fallen from grace, Aiton urged the fans for their unwavering support: “The second pillar of our team is family.

“We find that in PNG, we are all one family. Normally, when something’s happening to a family member or they are not doing well, we all come together to support them.

“I appeal to the fans that we are all one family. You have to remember how many players we lost through injuries and suspensions, so I urge you all to come together and show some support.”

Coach Aiton revealed that Joel Gena and Seal Kalo are under injury cloud, hinting that Felix Beki is on the cusp of making his long-awaited debut in the halves. A few changes will be made, with Zebedy Kip and Whallan Tau-Loi returning from injuries.

The SP Brewery-sponsored PNG Hunters will travel to Brisbane to face the 10th-placed Wynnum Manly Seagulls in Round 16 of the Hostplus Cup on Sunday, 5 July 2026, at BMD Kougari Oval.