Intrust Super Cup Round 18 Preview

With the latest NRL Round featuring no Queensland teams at all, the Intrust Super Cup Round 18 provides the perfect excuse to get into some Queensland based rugby league this weekend.

And a good weekend ahead it looks like being with some quality clashes across the state, and Papua New Guinea to get into.

There are two important clashes involving the only teams that look capable of breaking into the Top 6 when Souths Logan take on Ipswich and Easts play Mackay. Further up the table it is 2nd v 3rd as Sunshine Coast take on Redcliffe.

There’s three other clashes in Port Moresby, Rockhampton and Cairns to keep an eye on too, and we have a mini preview of all the games below.

You can follow the action, results and ladder from Round 18 and all the rounds at our Intrust Super Cup Match Centre.

QUICK MATCH BY MATCH PREVIEW

We have a quick preview of all of the Intrust Super Cup Round 18 games below, for more details including team lists click on the links to each match.

EASTS TIGERS v MACKAY CUTTERS
Saturday 3:00pm

An important game kicks off the weekend at Suzuki Stadium Langlands Park when Easts Tigers welcome the in form Mackay Cutters.

There will likely be less general interest in the game this weekend, after last weekend saw Nate Myles turn out for the Tigers, but this will be just as important to both clubs.

The Tigers kicked a last minute field goal to beat Storm stablemate Sunshine Coast in a 17-16 thriller, a result which saw them get within two points of the Falcons. They remain fourth, and even a win won’t see them climb any higher due to for and against. A loss could see them drop to sixth.

A Tigers loss is what the Cutters will be hoping to hand out, and the Mackay based side do arrive in good form having been unbeaten in 4 games. That run includes three wins against  teams in the lower half of the ladder, but does include a draw against Townsville. They are 5 points shy of sixth place, but a win here will keep them in the race for another week.

Previous 2017 Result – Mackay 33 Easts 10

Find out more here.

SUNSHINE COAST FALCONS v REDCLIFFE DOLPHINS
Saturday 4:30pm

Arguably the match of the round on the Sunshine Coast on Saturday as the second placed Redcliffe Dolphins make the trip up the Bruce Highway to take on the third placed Falcons.

The Dolphins appear to have got their season back on track with three consecutive wins, the last of which last weekend was a hard fought win over the Magpies. They overtook the Falcons last weekend after the Falcons suffered a second straight defeat.

Those two defeats for the Falcons have come at the hands of Townsville and Easts Tigers no less, and the loss to the Tigers was down to a last minute field goal.

The Sunshine Coast will be depleted this weekend thanks to the NRL’s awful four game round minus Origin stars, but it does give some Intrust Super Cup players their big chance to impress. Jahrome Hughes and Ryley Jacks are the big names to be joining the Storm for this weekend. Redcliffe have no such concern as the Broncos have a bye this weekend.

Previous 2017 Result – Redcliffe 46 Sunshine Coast 28

Find out more here.

NORTHERN PRIDE v NORTHS DEVILS
Saturday 5:30pm

Two strugglers meet in Cairns on Saturday evening, with the Pride having not won in six games, and the visiting Devils not won in seven.

Norths’ losing run has seen coach Mark Gliddon announce that he will step down at the end of the season, and the form slump is a shame for the Devils as they had led the competition at some stage in the 2017 season. No sign of the big name signing Chris Sandow either. There’s still quality in the backline headlined by Michale Lucas and Delouise Hoeter who have scored 20 tries between them in 2017.

Northern Pride need a win just as badly, as a bye and guaranteed two points for last placed Tweed Heads will put pressure on the Pride to avoid defeat and being on equal points as the Seagulls. They haven’t been too far away of late form wise against the Hunters and Mackay, so should be confident to beat the Devils.

Either way it looks like either team will end a long losing run this weekend.

Previous 2017 Result – Norths 20 Northern Pride 22

Find out more here.

CENTRAL CAPRAS v WYNNUM SEAGULLS
Saturday 6pm

The Central Capras welcome the Wynnum Seagulls in Saturday’s final game, and are looking to break a 4 game losing run. Central, currently third last, were right in the game in Port Moresby last weekend until a Stargroth Amean hat trick in the last 10 minutes took the game away from them.

They face a Wynnum side who are small losing run of two games, last weekend’s loss to Souths Logan a lot more respectable than the thrashing Mackay handed out at Wynnum two rounds ago.

With the Seagulls still a mathematical chance of making the finals, they will need to keep getting the 2 points or start planning for holidays in September.

Previous 2017 result – Wynnum 22 Central 34

Find out more here.

SOUTHS LOGAN MAGPIES v IPSWICH JETS
Sunday 1:40pm
TV GAME – Channel 9

An interesting and important clash awaits on Sunday for the TV Game as sixth and seventh meet at Davies Park.

Souths Logan currently sit four points above their Round 18 opponents, and a win this weekend will just about sort out the top 6 with Ipswich and other top 6 aspirants needing to win three more games than the Magpies to overtake them in the last 7 rounds.

The Magpies got back to winning ways last weekend against Wynnum after a losing run of two games against the current top two sides prior to that. They will be wary of the Jets who have already being them once in 2017 in a very entertaining game that was also a TV game.

The Jets responded well last weekend to the 44-0 flogging handed to them by Burleigh in Round 16 by defeating their Gold Coast rivals Tweed Heads 40-14. Their try scoring machine Michael Purcell got a hat trick in that game, and the competition’s equal second highest try scorer needs to keep scoring in multiples if he is going to catch the Blackhawks’ Jonathon Rueben. He is seven tries ahead.

It should be entertaining, and the added pressure of Ipswich trying to keep their season alive and Souths Logan trying to kill off some potential competition for the top 6 will no doubt make it a good view for anyone with a lazy Sunday planned.

Previous 2017 Result – Ipswich 36 Souths Logan 30

Find out more here.

PNG HUNTERS v BURLEIGH BEARS
Sunday 3pm

Round 18 concludes in Port Moresby as the table topping PNG Hunters meet last year’s premiers Burleigh Bears.

The Hunters got home against Central last weekend after a late Stargroth Amean hat trick in the last 10 minutes blew out a scoreline that was tight for most of the game, and the Capras actually led in the second half.

Despite leading the competition the Hunters have had to tough it out in recent weeks, with a win over the lowly Northern Pride only being secured after the Hunters took the lead for the first time in the 72nd minute. Before that they were beaten by Tweed Heads at home and just got past Souths Logan 12-8.

The Hunters home form, which was previously impenetrable, has looked less so in 2017 against some of the lower sides. The trade off has been a vast improvement in away results, so as long as they keep winning it’s all good. But the full stadiums of 15,000+ and guaranteed home wins have gone, and it seems just that little bit harder at the National Football Stadium at the moment.

The form of Stargroth Amean should excite Hunters fans heading into this weekend, as should the return to form of Israel Eliab who has scored two good tries in consecutive weeks. Willie Minoga’s opening try against the Capras showed all the powerful running for which he has become one of the competition’s favourite players.

Burleigh’s two game winning streak was ended by Redcliffe last weekend, and a win in Port Moresby looks unlikely, but there was much to like about their 44-0 demolition two rounds ago in the TV game that should mean the Bears are not completely without hope. Tweed Heads have taken two points in Port Moresby with worse recent form.

The Bears have named a very strong side, featuring the recently returned Jamal Fogarty in the halves, and can even afford to name PNG International prop Luke Page on the bench. With the injury crisis easing at the Titans, Burleigh will start to get better players coming back from the NRL.

Previous 2017 Result – Burleigh 6 PNG Hunters 42

Find out more here.

Intrust Super Cup Round 18 Tips from the Team

How much of an expert are our experts? Find out and follow our tips below. This year we have no less than the CEO of Intrust Super Brendan O’Farrell and Channel Nine’s expert commentator Scott Sattler.

Brendan O’Farrell – CEO Intrust Super

Easts Tigers
Redcliffe Dolphins
Northern Pride
Central Capras
Souths Logan Magpies
PNG Hunters

Scott Sattler – Channel 9 and Penrith Legend

Easts Tigers
Redcliffe Dolphins
Northern Pride
Central Capras
Souths Logan Magpies
PNG Hunters

Dan White – Nothing But League’s Northern Queensland and NRL Contributor

Easts Tigers
Sunshine Coast Falcons
Norths Devils
Wynnum Seagulls
Souths Logan Magpies
PNG Hunters

Matt Crowhurst – Tigers TV

Coming soon.

Shannon Meyer – Intrust Super Cup Enthusiast

Easts Tigers
Redcliffe Dolphins
Northern Pride
Central Capras
Ipswich Jets
PNG Hunters

HOW ARE WE TIPPING?