Intrust Super Cup Round 9 Result Wrap Up

After last weekend produced a plethora of upset, the Intrust Super Cup Round 9 was about the big teams making big statements before the International break next weekend.

Redcliffe, PNG Hunters, Sunshine Coast, Townsville and Easts all had wins ranging from close to comfortable to thrashing to nil. No surprise that all five of these teams remain in the top 5 and are now separated by just two points.

The other winners saw Norths get back into the winner’s circle with a big win in Mackay and Ipswich continued their turnaround with a third straight win. They are now just two points off the final Top 6 spot.

Follow the links below to each game for a separate match review and all of the scores for the match. Or visit our Intrust Super Cup Match Centre, which has full reviews, preview and the all important ladder.

The clash of the two most recent premiers went to the 2015 winners as the Ipswich Jets beat Burleigh Bears  18-12 in a tight clash at North Ipswich Reserve. In the end penalty goals and conversion goal kicking was the difference with both sides scoring two tries, but a late try to the man who knows how to score them – Michael Purcell – was needed for the win. Burleigh had led 10-8 at the break. It was Ipswich’s third straight win, and Burleigh’s second straight loss and leaves them with just two wins and one spot above Tweed Heads in last.

Port Moresby based fans got a rare Saturday afternoon match and they were reward with the PNG Hunters had a comfortable 26-10 over the Northern Pride. Fan favourite Willie Minoga scored a double in the Hunters four tries, fully justifying his call up for the Kumuls for Saturday’s Test Match against the Cook Islands. In fact the Hunters supplied 11 of the 18 man squad named for the Test Match, and where they will lack NRL front liners they will make up for in continuity. The Northern Pride, held to 10-0 at half time made it interesting in the second half with two tries to get to 20-10, but the Hunters had enough to hold them off and scored the last try of the game to seal the result. The Hunters stay in second behind Redcliffe, the Pride are fourth last with three wins in nine games.

The Easts Tigers beat the Central Capra 36-24 to prove last weekend’s big loss in Mackay was just a blip, but the Rockhampton based Capras made them work for it. The visitors scored after just two minutes, and the two sides traded converted tries in a first half that ended 18-18. The Tigers may have been worried when Central scored the first try after the break, but they responded and kicked on with four unanswered tries to run out 36-24 winners, a Gerard McCallum double a part of those four. Easts remain in the Top 5 pack, Central drop to third last.

Wynnum’s poor run at home continued as they lost 22-16 to the Townsville Blackhawks on Saturday evening. A win looked quite possible against Townsville as two tries in the first 6 minutes gave them an early 10-0 lead, but the strong Blackhawks responded with three of their own in 10 minutes to lead 14-10 at half time. A try to each side after half time had the game in the balance 18-16 with more than 25 to go, but the Blackhawks got that vital final try with three minutes to go, and with the two competition points. The win sees Townsville remain within two points of the competition lead, whereas the Wynnum Seagulls continue their fall down the ladder to 10th.

A rare trip out of South East Queensland to Mackay saw a good result for the side from that region as the Norths Devils comfortably beat Mackay 34-10. Mackay came into the game confident after knocking off the Easts Tigers the week before, and Norths were on a run of three straight losses, but the Devils great second half saw them run out six tries to two winners. Norths lead by just 12-10 at the break after their two early tries were matched by the Cutters. But Mackay failed to score after the break whilst Norths scored four tries of their own to run out comfortable winners.

The Dolphins retained their position at the top of the Intrust Super Cup as Redcliffe Redcliffe easily defeated the Souths Logan Magpies 52-12 which showed the might of Redcliffe, and that as promising as the Magpies season is, they have a little way to go to compete with the top teams. The Magpies did score first in the fourth minute, but that was all the joy they had as Redcliffe scored four tries in the first half to lead 24-6, and then followed that up with five more tries in the second to rack up their first 50 point haul for the year. Harsh on the Magpies who continue to supply their best to the Broncos, whilst Redcliffe continue with most of their best. They can even survive without Benji Marshall.

The weekend’s last game saw the biggest thrashing of Intrust Super Cup Round 9 as the Sunshine Coast beat the last placed Tweed Heads Seagulls 58-0. In the perfect response to losing the competition lead to Redcliffe last weekend, the Falcons ran in 11 tries to break Tweed Heads hearts and continue their impressive 2017 season. 2017 Melbourne Storm regulars Tohu Harris and Ryley Jacks were amongst the try scorers which highlights the importance of their links to the NRL side. Tweed Heads remain last on one win, and it looks as if they will only have their Gold Coast neighbours for company at the bottom this year.

You can follow the action, results and ladder from Round 9 and all the rounds via our Intrust Super Cup Match Centre.