Round 2 of the Queensland Cup has been run, and the games gave the teams a chance for revenge from last year, a chance to avenge a loss last week, and in the rare cases put a second win in a row on the board early. Unlike last week, all the teams leading at half time went on to win.
A quick rundown of all the games are below, with the exception of the Northern Pride v Sunshine Coast which was postponed due to the threat of the cyclone. De ja vu this week as the cyclone seems to be doing an about face and turning into Cairns.
The excellent mini video reviews on the QRL website are also worth a look if you need to catch up.
THE STANDINGS
PNG 4 pts (+26), NORTHS 4pts (+14), WYNNUM 4pts (+6), SOUTHS LOGAN 2pts (+14), IPSWICH 2pts (+10), EASTS 2pts (+4), TOWNSVILLE 2pts (+2), MACKAY 2pts (+2), CENTRAL 2pts (-28), SUNSHINE COAST* 0pts (-6), NORTHERN PRIDE* 0pts (-8), BURLEIGH 0pts (-16), REDCLIFFE 0pts (-18)
* Played only 1 game
SOUTHS LOGAN 48 CENTRAL CAPRAS 12 @ Gary Larson Oval. Miriam Vale (H/T 24-6)
SOUTHS LOGAN MAGPIES 48 (Josh Damen, Samisoni Vaioleti, Matt Trnka, Herschel Gideon, Mitch Garbutt, Scott Doyle, Travis Waddell, Sam Gardel tries; Scott Doyle 7, Dylan Taikato-Simpson goals) def CQ CAPRAS 12 (Russell Webber, Garrett Field tries; Matt Minto 2 goals).
Souths Logan adventure in Miriam Vale was a positive one as the Magpies turned around a big loss against the Hunters in Round One with an even more comprehensive win against the Capras who were closer to being the home side than the hosts.
The Magpies were the first try scorers in the 9th minute, only to be pegged back three minutes later by the Capras. Central were as close as they were going to get in this match as the next three tries, all great moves starting from around halfway were scored by Souths Logan. The half time lead of 24-6 provided the perfect symmetry to the eventual full time score.
The second half was more of the same from the latter parts of the first half with more Souths Logan tries, and by the time Central scored the next points late in the game they were 42-12 down. A late try to the hosts gave them their eighth try all up and a big 36 point win, showing all that the PNG result may well be the exception than the rule in 2015.
MACKAY CUTTERS 34 TWEED HEADS SEAGULLS 18 @ Stadium Mackay (H/T 16-6)
MACKAY CUTTERS 34 (Josh Chudleigh 2, Sam Clune, Zack Walker, Justin Tavae, Cameron Cullen, Tyson Martin tries; Rex Johnson 3 goals) def TWEED HEADS SEAGULLS 18 (Damian Sironen, Mark Offerdahl, Jai Ingram tries; Blake Anderson 3 goals).
After being the third wheel at the Townsville Blackhawks inaugural Queensland Cup game in Round 1, Mackay would have been glad to be back at home, and being the number one North Queensland side at the ground.
It was certainly a better experience for the Cutters, who took care of the Tweed Heads Seagulls on the second leg of their northern road trip after beating Redcliffe in Round 1.
Mackay were first on the board, but their lead didn’t last long as they dropped the ball from the kick off, and Tweed took advantage with the next set. Like the game not far away in Miriam Vale, the home side took a stranglehold of the game and skipped away by half time with two more first half tries, giving a lead of 16-6 at the break.
Tweed who came back twice against Redcliffe to run away with a sizeable win were not helped by untimely injuries and were eventually down to just 14 players for a good chunk of the second half. Mackay took advantage and extended the half time lead to 34-6 with 12 minutes to go, and had the game all but won against the depleted Seagulls. To their credit, Tweed kept fighting and were rewarded with two more tries which gave respectability to the scoreline and some momentum for next round.
IPSWICH JETS 36 TOWNSVILLE BLACKHAWKS 24 @ North Ipswich Reserve (H/T 26-0)
IPSWICH JETS 36 (Nemani Valekapa 2, Matt Parcell 2, Chris Walker, Kurt Capewell tries; Wes Conlon 6 goals) def TOWNSVILLE BLACKHAWKS 24 (Zac Santo, Wayne Ulugia, Mosese Pangai, Rhys Matsen, Tom Humble tries; Tom Humble 2 goals).
It was Defence Force Appreciation Day at Ipswich on Sunday and the local crowd and TV viewer lucky enough to tune in were treated to some great defence themed jerseys and some outstanding attacking rugby league. Although it took some adjusting to the Ipswich team being in predominantly blue and the blackhawks in green and white instead.
Some people, and quite rightly, get excited over the attacking flair on offer from the PNG Hunters, but the Jets also have plenty to offer in this department and the first half was a case in point of what they offer. Not many sides, if any, would dream of a low, short kick off and regather for the first play of the game, but it is exactly what Ipswich did, and although their first try didn’t arrive until the 20th minute, it was good Sunday afternoon entertainment.
The first try grabbed a large portion of the headlines, as one of the biggest headline players in the comp this year Chris Walker scored the first try of his comeback. Some have even talked up a Broncos return already, and as good as his try was, it may be wise to wait and see a little longer.
The camouflage uniforms of Ipswich may have been more effective than Townsville first thought as the Jets seem to evade tackle after tackle on route to some excellent side to side and length of field attacks, and a further three tries in quick time gave the Jets a 26-0 lead, Townsville very little ball, and a halftime lead that looked hard to lose.
After the break Townsville showed some of the reason they are fancied as a dark horse for this year’s Queensland Cup as they came back strongly in the second half to push the Jets to 30 – 24 with a handful of minutes left, and Ipswich fans would have been getting nervous after last week’s very late loss to Wynnum.
The battle of defence force flying machine ultimately came down in Ipswich’s favour as a late try extended the score to its full time destination of 36-24, but both side would have been reasonably happy with large portions of their game on Sunday. Both look likely to playing football come September.
WYNNUM SEAGULLS 18 EASTS TIGERS 14 @ BMD Kougari Oval (H/T 12-6)
WYNNUM MANLY SEAGULLS 18 (Peter Gubb, Greg Eden, Brendan McKinnon tries; Matthew Seamark 3 goals) def EASTS TIGERS 14 (Cameron Munster, Shane Neumann, Mahe Fonua tries; Shaun Nona goal)
Another instalment of the eastside local derby after multiple meetings last year, and Wynnum got some revenge for missing out on the Grand Final with a win over the Tigers.
The match featured the usual tough contest, actually boiling over into fisticuffs a few times during the match, and players being sent to the sin bin for throwing actual punches.
Like against Ipswich the week before, Wynnum left it late to pinch a win and make it 2 from 2, and it was superior goal kicking that got them home with the match ending with two tries a piece. Easts meanwhile have played the two toughest opponents from last year and have a win and a small loss. Both sides look likely to play each other again a few more times.
A much better report from someone who was there can be found at http://thetigers.com.au/late-surge-gets-wynnum-home-2/ and they even have a podcast.
NORTHS DEVILS 20 BURLEIGH BEARS 12 @ Bishop Park (H/T 10-0)
NORTHS DEVILS 20 (Luke Pollock, Kainga Turner, Michael Lucas tries; Darren Nicholls 4 goals) def BURLEIGH BEARS 12 (Tyler Chadburn, Jason Chan tries; Tyler Chadburn 2 goals)
A similar game to the one Norths won last week at the Sunshine Coast, as they dominated most of the game and had a strong lead, but some late tries against made it less comfortable than they would prefer.
Norths scored first in the 17th minute to take the lead, and a bustling try just before half time gave the home side a 10-0 lead. More unanswered points in the second half to the Devils gave them an 18 point lead over the Bears and a comfortable win awaited.
Whether there was something in the air on Sunday in Brisbane, but the game at the occasionally dubbed Bashup Park lived up to its name and former action as both sides were reduced to 11 men after a second half fracas.
This may have fired up the Bears who scored 12 points late to make the score line interesting and the home side a little nervous after last week, but the Devils held on and gave themselves a 100% start to 2015. Burleigh meanwhile are still looking for their first win after two rounds.
PNG HUNTERS 30 REDCLIFFE DOLPHINS 24 @ Kalabond Oval (H/T 20-12)
PNG HUNTERS 30 (Adex Wera 3, Stargroth Amean 2, Thompson Teteh tries; Roger Laka 3 goals) def REDCLIFFE DOLPHINS 26 (Evander Cummins 2, Aaron Whitchurch, Darcy Etrich, Martin Cordwell tries; Luke Capewell 3 goals)
After 58 and 72 points were scored in total in these two teams games last week, you could be reasonably certain that there was going to be plenty of points at Kokopo on Sunday. That was indeed the case with 56 points being scored in an entertaining game in Papua New Guinea, the Hunters scoring four more than the Dolphins to remain undefeated so far.
PNG led 10-0 early with two tries on the board before Redcliffe got one back to make it 10-6. Another try to Redcliffe had them on top during the first half and leading 12-10 before some PNG magic in the last 5 minutes of the first half led to two tries and the half time lead of 20-12.
Redcliffe scored first in the second half, and the sides traded penalties and tries throughout to leave the score 26-22 to PNG with just 11 minutes of play remaining. There were two more tries in that final passage of play, but they were shared 1 each and the Hunters came out on top 30-26.
The end result is PNG with 2/2 and Redcliffe with the opposite, but there’s plenty to offer in attack from both sides, and defence will surely get a close examination for both sides also. Redcliffe will be happy to have Evander Cummins scoring tries and Aaron Whitchurch back from his short Broncos stint.
