PNG coach Michael Marum has backed the minor premiers to avoid another finals fade out, saying the Hunters are better equipped this year to deal with outside expectations.
Marum’s side finished the regular Intrust Super Cup season on top of the ladder for the first time in club history and will this week host the Redcliffe Dolphins in a preliminary final on Sunday.
With the winner of the clash to advance straight to the September 24 grand final, Marum admitted there was plenty of pressure on the Port Moresby side to deliver.
The Hunters have made the finals over the past two seasons, but failed to progress to the premiership decider.
But Marum said the fact the club had won the minor premiership showed they were learning how to overcome outside expectations.
“There’s a lot more pressure on not only myself but the players and their families. It’s going to be big for the country,” Marum said.
“Leading into the Wynnum Manly game (to win the minor premiership), there was a bit more pressure on the boys to go out and get the result. It came with a lot of expectations … but we got that over now.
“We understand the importance of this weekend’s game. We’re playing at home and we finished No.1. But I don’t want to put too much pressure on the players.
“All we can do is make sure we prepare them really well and that they go out there on Sunday and play their best footy.”
The last time the two sides met in Port Moresby was in Round 7, with the Hunters holding on to a narrow 12-10 victory.
The Dolphins took revenge in Round 21 with a massive 28-12 win in Redcliffe.
The memory of that loss still burns for Marum, and he knows his team won’t take Adam Mogg’s men for granted.
“We respect the Dolphins side, they’re a quality side,” he said.
“We just have to turn up and play our best game.
“We came a long way since pre-season to where we are now and we’ve done really well to get to this stage. All we can ask for is a good finish.”
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