There are away trips, and then there's Papua New Guinea. The noise, the atmosphere, the passion, Santos National Football Stadium in Port Moresby is unlike anywhere else in the competition, and the Magpies experienced every bit of it on Saturday.
The Hunters drew first blood inside two minutes through Bruce Bawase, and the crowd was electric from the opening whistle. The Magpies steadied, with Byron Johnson levelling in the 21st minute after a Rory Ferguson line break, before Kienan Tempest crossed in the 26th to have Souths ahead 4-8. The noise didn't stop, it never does in PNG, but the Magpies were holding their own.
The second half told a different story. Teapo Stoltman crossed twice in quick succession early in the second half to extend the lead, with Kylem Vunipola adding the conversions to make it 4-20. The Hunters kept fighting, as they always do in front of their home crowd, but the Magpies were clinical.
Callum Eggerling crossed in the 68th minute for a try off the back of impressive ball handling and running from forwards Pride Petterson-Robati and Max Banditt. Eggerling’s try had the travelling contingent on their feet, capping it off with a celebration that lit up the ground and gave everyone something to talk about on the way home.
Vunipola continued his impressive fresh season form with two penalty goals and two conversions to finish with a polished kicking display.
The Hunters hit back late, Carlos Lung crossing twice in the final two minutes to make the score respectable, but the Magpies held on for a 30-20 win in one of rugby league's most unique and special atmospheres.
A win in PNG, the third win of their last four appearances in PNG. Soak it in.