The Wynnum Manly Seagulls have proved too strong for an underwhelming PNG Hunters outfit, recording a comfortable 36-18 victory in Round 6 action of the Intrust Super Cup.
The travel-weary Hunters, who played haven’t played at their Kokopo home in a fortnight, were never in the contest in Sunday's clash at Kougari Oval.
In other Round 6 results, defending premiers Northern Pride opened their 2015 account with an 18-16 comeback victory over the Redcliffe Dolphins in Cairns.
Trailing 16-0 after 51 minutes, a hat-trick to young winger Linc Port and Graham Clark's match winner saw the Pride home at Barlow Park.
A season-ending knee injury to promising fullback Joe Bond compounded the loss for the Dolphins who sit ninth on the ladder with the Pride remaining last.
In Saturday's other match the Mackay Cutters won their fifth-straight match after edging CQ Capras 14-12 in Rockhampton and moved up to third as a result.
In Sunday's four other fixtures Easts Tigers survived without stand-in Melbourne Storm fullback Cameron Munster as they snapped Burleigh's three-match winning streak with a hard fought 22-20 victory at Pizzey Park; Ipswich Jets soared up to second after they won their fifth in a row with a 24-18 win over Norths Devils; Townsville Blackhawks remain top of the table after they cruised to a 46-20 victory over Souths Logan Magpies and the Sunshine Coast Falcons made it two in a row after holding off the Tweed Heads Seagulls 28-24.
However on Brisbane's bayside, it was Wynnum Manly who led 16-6 at the break with the Seagulls extending their lead when Albanian-born prop Olsi Krasniqi found the line in the 51st minute before the home side scored again only minutes later through fullback Daniel Ogden.
Ogden's try was his 100th in the Intrust Super Cup and allowed Wynumm Manly to enjoy a comfortable 28-6 lead with 24 minutes remaining.
It started to look ominous for the Hunters when Brisbane Broncos' English import Greg Eden planted the ball down in the left corner with halfback Matt Seamark steering his conversion inside the right post for a 34-6 lead.
Eden's try seemed to shift the Hunters into gear as Brandy Peter picked himself up a try moments later after PNG regathered the ball from the kick-off.
The Hunters went back-to-back when skipper Israel Eliab scored under the posts to take the score to 34-18 with 11 minutes to go.
Any momentum the Hunters garnered from their pair of quick-fire tries evaporated when they spilt the ball coming out of their own end in the next set.
Wynnum Manly received a penalty in the next phase of play and opted to take the two points to extend their advantage to three converted tries at 36-18.
Wynnum Manly opened the scoring in the seventh minute courtesy of a burrowing try from dummy-half by hooker Alehana Mara with Seamark adding the extras for a 6-0 lead.
A 40/20 kick by five-eighth Patrick Templeman enabled Wynnum to go back on the offensive and they crossed moments later when Man of the Match Mitchell Frei crashed over.
The Hunters' response was instantaneous after front-rower Esau Siune charged over the line from close range on the back of a penalty to take the score to 10-6.
Wynnum went further ahead when John Te Reo grounded a grubber from Seamark and the halfback slotted the conversion for a 16-6 lead in the 33rd minute.
Handling errors hindered both teams for the remainder of the half ensuring the scoreboard remained untouched heading into the break.
The only sour note of the half was a neck injury to Wynnum's Tanu Wulf on the stroke of half-time.
Wynnum Manly Seagulls 36 (Alehana Mara, Mitchell Frei, John Te Reo, Olsi Krasniqi, Daniel Ogden, Greg Eden tries; Matt Seamark 6 goals) def. PNG Hunters 18 (Esau Siune, Brandy Peter, Israel Eliab tries; Noel Zeming 3 goals) at BMD Kougari Oval, Wynnum. Half-time: Seagulls 16-6. Man of the Match: Mitchell Frei.
Click here for detailed results from Round 6 of the Intrust Super Cup
