Yesterday the Queensland Rugby League announced the 2018 Intrust Super Cup fixtures.
The season will kick-off on Saturday March 10 with Grand Finalists Sunshine Coast Falcons taking on 2016 champions Burleigh Bears at Sunshine Coast Stadium.
Suncorp Stadium will host the Grand Final on September 23 with the winner to take on NSW Intrust Super Premiership champions on NRL Grand Final Day, September 30.
2018 CHANGES
TV GAMES FOR 2018
The biggest change for the 2018 Intrust Cup Season is the move of the TV game from Sunday to Saturday on Channel Nine. The Intrust Super Cup Launch Media Release explained, “Following a programming change, television games will now be played on Saturdays, starting in the 12noon time slot before moving to 1pm in April.”
BYES
The QRL have cleaned up the bye rounds in the new 2018 Intrust Cup Draw, which are back to back in rounds 9 and 10. Round 9 will have four games, round 10 will have three which makes a change from the lack of games each week in past draws especially on finals eve.
The competition has a representative round break from June 22 to June 24 with the Pacfic Tests likely to feature a large contingent of PNG Hunters and Intrust Super Cup players.
FEATURED ROUNDS AND VENUES
ROUND 3 – XXXX RIVALRY ROUND – March 24/25
The traditional weekend is back, featuring local derbies and great rivalries.
ROUND 8 – ANZAC DAY WEEKEND – April 28/29
Features the recently created ANZAC match between Burleigh and PNG Hunters.
ROUND 16 – INDIGENOUS ROUND – June 30/July 1
This year’s Indigenous round features the same matches as the Rivalry Round
ROUND 19 – COUNTRY WEEK – July 21/22
The complete round goes on the road to regional centers and towns across Queensland.
MATCHES OUTSIDE OF THE REGULAR HOME GROUNDS
The following Intrust Super Cup matches will be played at alternate venues outside Country week with Gladstone and Emerald among the new venues used in 2018.
ROUND 4 – Norths v Wynnum @ Suncorp Stadium
ROUND 5 – Central v Burleigh @ Marley Brown Oval, Gladstone
ROUND 7 – Central v Northern Pride @ Alan McIndoe Oval, Emerald
ROUND 16 – Norths v Souths Logan @ Suncorp Stadium
ROUND 17 – Tweed Heads v Wynnum @ Ron Stark Oval, Stradbroke Island
ROUND 23 – Central v Sunshine Coast @ Salter Oval, Bundaberg
2018 Intrust Super Cup Fixtures
