13 Mar 2014

Sport: PNG Hunters praised for lifting standards

10:23 am on 13 March 2014

The Papua New Guinea Hunters next opponents say the Queensland Cup newcomers have brought a new-found professionalism to the state competition.

The Hunters are one of just five unbeaten teams after two rounds, following wins against Redcliffe and reigning premiers the Mackay Cutters.

Next up the take on the Central Queensland Capras, the only team to have beaten them in their brief history in a pre season trial last month.

The Hunters squad is living and training together full-time and Capras coach Jason Hetherington says it certainly raises the standards.

"All our guys are part-time. We train a couple of times a week and they're working the rest of the time. [It's] hard for us to get a consistent full contingent of players for training due to work commitments and that out of town and all these different things but certainly having a full-time programme certainly will help them. It will educate them on the travel, it will educate them on how to play football, their strength and conditioning will be good and to me, it sounds like a terrific programme they've got running up there".

Jason Hetherington.