just the four games make up the Intrust Super Cup Round 24, and most of them involve teams in the lower end of the competition, indeed the PNG Hunters and Souths Logan Magpies are the only sides from the Top 6 in action this weekend.
The Magpies are looking to respond to the thrashing handed out by the Tigers last weekend, and it is the unfortunate Capras who have to face them at Davies Park.
Ipswich and Mackay meet to see who can finish as best of the rest in seventh. At Piggabeen Tweed Heads and Northern Pride face off, the home side looking for at least one win in the last two rounds to avoid last.
The big story could be in Port Moresby where the Hunters could take the minor premiership with a win at home over Wynnum, and what a reward for the Hunters since their inception in 2014. A finals tilt and great rugby league story awaits.
Follow all the scores, and team list for each game via our Intrust Super Cup Match Centre.
IPSWICH JETS v MACKAY CUTTERS
Saturday 3pm
An entertaining game awaits to kick off the Intrust Super Cup Round 24, as the Ipswich Jets and Mackay Cutters face off in the battle for the tag of best of the rest and seventh place.
The Jets are still mathematically capable of making the finals, being just two points behind the Townsville Blackhawks with two rounds to go, but Townsville have a guaranteed tow points to come from the bye and Ipswich will need to overcome a 159 point deficit in for and against.
That means Ipswich will likely need to win Saturday’s game by 60 or more, and for all their entertainment and free wheeling attack, a win that big against a Mackay side who have been in reasonable form lately is unlikely.
A new addition for the Jets is Jayden Connors, who scored a double on his debut two games ago is at the back replacing Wes Conlon, and forms a dynamic duo with try scoring machine Michael Purcell. The Pandia brothers also have plenty to play for as the World Cup is on the horizon, and spots in the Kumuls side will be getting more competitive.
There are fewer well known names for the Cutters, but they find themselves just two points shy of Ipswich, and a win will see them take over seventh spot.
TWEED HEADS SEAGULLS v NORTHERN PRIDE
Sunday 1:40pm
TV Game
Two of the competition’s three bottom sides meet at Piggabeen for the Intrust Super Cup’s TV game for the weekend.
The Seagulls, who have lost 6 in a row since beating the Hunters in Port Moresby, need one win at minimum to get off the bottom of the intrust Super Cup ladder. A good start will be this weekend at home to the Northern Pride who aren’t in great form themselves, having only won once since Round 10.
A win will see Tweed and the Pride on the same amount of points, but the Pride have plenty of advantage with their far superior for and against. So whilst the TV game features teams at the bottom of the ladder there’s still plenty to play for.
Matthew Musumeci is a name to keep an eye on at the back, as the fullback has been quoted as a Billy Slater type player, and has been plucked from the local Cairns competition.
SOUTHS LOGAN MAGPIES v CENTRAL CAPRAS
Sunday 2pm
Souths Logan’s chances of a top two position were dashed last weekend as the Easts Tigers came to Davies Park and ruined their three game winning run as they handed them a 46-10 thrashing.
The Magpies can still finish in the top 4 and get home ground advantage in the first week of the finals, although if they do miss out on the top 4 it may be a blessing in disguise as Souths Logan have 5-6 record at home this year and have yet to beat a fellow top 6 side at home.
They have named a very strong squad, and should easily win this match, but the Capras, despite currently sitting second last have plenty to play for.
The Capras and Comets before them have spent some time around the foot of the Intrust Super ladder have managed to avoid the dreaded wooden spoon for most of those seasons. They currently sit just a point above last placed Tweed Heads, and all they have to do is match the Seagulls results to avoid last.
Wins, will also help that cause, but it is hard to see a team who have the season’s worse losing streak, currently 9 games without a win, beating a side full of the quality that Souths Logan have at their disposal this weekend.
PNG HUNTERS v WYNNUM SEAGULLS
Sunday 3pm
The equation for the PNG Hunters is simple, win one of their last two games and they take out their first minor premiership since joining the Intrust Super Cup in 2014.
This Saturday will be the last home games during the regular season, and what a way to repay their loyal fans than to get the win that will earn them the great honour of best of the regular season. Whilst it is not as stunning a feat as Townsville’s minor premiership in their debut season, it is a fair effort if they do achieve it within four seasons as they have no reliance on a feeder arrangement and their players come from the local competition.
Stargroth Amean has been named despite going off with a head knock last weekend, and will be a welcome return for the PNG side. Try scoring machine Adex Wera is named on an extended bench, but will find it hard to dislodge the two starting centres Israel Eliab and Willie Minoga who were both superb last weekend in Townsville.
Wynnum are set for a solid midfield finish, but no finals. They can spoil the party, and Port Moresby has been no fortress in 2017 for the Hunters with surprise losses at home to Norths and Tweed Heads, and a last start home draw against Mackay. The late season introduction of Shaun Nona will be promising if they can keep him for next season.
But it will all be about the Hunters, and it could be a big day out in Port Moresby on Sunday afternoon.
INTRUST SUPER CUP ROUND 24 TIPS
Follow our tipsters below for their selections for the upcoming weekend of Intrust Super Cup. We have no less than the CEO of Intrust Super and Penrith Grand Final hero Scott Sattler.
Brendan O’Farrell – CEO Intrust Super
Ipswich Jets
Tweed Heads Seagulls
Souths Logan Magpies
PNG Hunters
Scott Sattler – Channel 9 and Penrith Legend
Coming soon – stay tuned
Dan White – Nothing But League’s Northern Queensland and NRL Contributor
Ipswich Jets
Tweed Heads Seagulls
Souths Logan Magpies
PNG Hunters
Shannon Meyer – Nothing But League Contributor
Ipswich Jets
Tweed Heads Seagulls
Souths Logan Magpies
PNG Hunters
HOW ARE WE TIPPING?
| Tipster | CORRECT | GAMES | % | Last Weekend |
| Scott Sattler | 96 | 150 | 64% | 3 |
| Matt Crowhurst | 52 | 83 | 63% | NA |
| Shannon Meyer | 92 | 150 | 61% | 4 |
| Brendan O Farrell | 89 | 150 | 59% | 3 |
| Dan White | 87 | 150 | 58% | 3 |
