The Intrust Super Cup returned will a full set of games for Round 9, and the wash up of it leaves the teams in the competition outside of Townsville with plenty to think about. Their dismantling of a Burleigh side who weren’t travelling too bad after consecutive away wins by 72 points will leave many wondering who will be able to beat them.
The only side who have, the Jets, are one of three teams only 2 points off in equal second after they, Wynnum Manly and Mackay all won their games at home.
Some reshuffling at the bottom as four of the bottom five played each other, some teams like Norths and Redcliffe lucky enough to break a long win less streak, others like Central and Souths Logan left still looking for a turn around.
As ever the QRL website provide mini highlight packages on all the games, although the Townsville video will need to be long to fit in all the tries.
[table]Position,P,W,L,B,F,A,+/-,Pts
Townsville Blackhawks,9,8,1,0,388,138,250,16
Wynnum Manly Seagulls,9,7,2,0,247,150,97,14
Mackay Cutters,9,6,2,1,209,132,77,14
Ipswich Jets,9,7,2,0,258,198,60,14
PNG Hunters,9,6,3,0,244,212,32,12
Easts Tigers,9,5,4,0,222,166,56,10
Tweed Heads Seagulls,9,4,4,1,196,184,12,10
Northern Pride,9,4,5,0,200,206,-6,8
Burleigh Bears,9,4,5,0,190,238,-48,8
Redcliffe Dolphins,9,2,6,1,204,252,-48,6
Sunshine Coast Falcons,9,2,6,1,140,229,-89,6
Norths Devils,9,3,6,0,144,277,-133,6
Souths Logan Magpies,9,1,7,1,152,282,-130,4
CQ Capras,9,1,7,1,138,268,-130,4[/table]
IPSWICH JETS 32 def EASTS TIGERS 24 @ North Ipswich Reserve (H/T 12-10)
Round 9 opened up at Ipswich for what was arguably the game of the round between two seasoned and successful Intrust Super Cup sides.
Before the game, there was little to choose between the Jets and Tigers, and it was only a late try to Ipswich that proved the decisive point as the lead changed four times after Ipswich took an early 10-0 lead in the first half. That first half lead was equalled with two quick Tiger tries before an Ipswich penalty just before half time gave the home side a lead of 12-10 at the break.
Easts were first to score after the break to lead 16-12 before two tries to Ipswich wrestled back the lead to 22-16 with 20 minutes remaining in the second half. That lead looked unlikely to stand, and so it proved as Easts equalled with a try and then nudged ahead with a penalty goal to lead by 2 with 12 minutes remaining.
The lead didn’t last long as the Jets helped themselves to two penalty goals and took back the lead with 5 minutes to go. Given the see sawing contest you could have expected anything to happen in the last five minutes, and that anything did in fact happen for the home side who sealed a home win by scoring a converted try with two minutes to go.
Playing in a Mothers Day inspired pink jersey the Jets provided a nice early present for their mums, and will looking to make them even happier with a win in Mackay next round. Easts meanwhile head back to Tapout Energy Stadium to face Redcliffe.
TOWNSVILLE BLACKHAWKS 78 def BURLEIGH BEARS 6 (H/T 38-6) @ Jack Manski Oval
As if the Blackhawks needed to remind anyone in this year’s Intrust Super Cup of their dominance, but they went up a notch on Saturday with a huge win over the Burleigh Bears, fresh from away wins against Redcliffe and Ipswich. Townsville are unbeaten at home this year, and in their current form look unlikely to lose too many more than the one loss currently registered against them in their first year in the competition.
One could argue that with their roster they should be leading the competition, and a look through the try scorers amongst the 14 tries scored, it does read like a better than average Supercoach line up. But sides still need to do it on the field, a problem the Townsville side certainly don’t seem to have.
It wasn’t all one way traffic early however with Burleigh responding to an early Townsville try with one of their own to be on equal terms at 6-6 after 6 minutes gone. It wasn’t until the 18th minute that the Blackhawks notched their second of the afternoon, but that is when barn door was opened to the punishment of the Bears for the rest of the afternoon. Townsville were at least fair about the onslaught with 7 tries in each half, taking a 38-6 lead to the half time break.
Sometimes in games with a lop sided half time score the side in front drops off in the second half, but unfortunately for Burleigh this was not the case as the points kept flowing all the way to 78th minutes as Townsville scored their 14th try to wrap up Burleigh’s biggest ever loss at 78-6.
Burleigh will get a week off to think about it next round, whilst the next potential victim for the competition leaders will be the Tweed Heads Seagulls next Sunday on TV for all to see.
WYNNUM MANLY SEAGULLS 22 def TWEED HEADS SEAGULLS 12 @ BMD Kougari Oval (H/T 10-6)
The battle of the birds ended just like 2011 Grand Final with a win to the Wynnum side who cemented their place in equal second spot with Ipswich and Mackay.
A tough battle as one would expect between the two sides played out on Saturday night, with a tough opening exchange halted by a try to the home side, whose lead was quickly erased by Tweed with one of their own leaving the score line 6-6.
Wynnum hit back before half time to lead 10-6, and they were first to score in the second half as two more tries had the game well in control for the home side at 22-6. Amongst those tries was number 12 for Daniel Ogden for the season who hasn’t looked back since passing 100 career tries. Tweed however weren’t finished and another try to Kalifa Faifai Loa left the match in the balance at 22-12 with 14 to play.
Whilst there was enough time for Tweed Heads to snatch a victory, there were no more points for either side, giving the home side their fourth win in a row, and momentum as they fly up to Rockhampton to take on Central next week. Tweed have the much harder task of stopping the red hot Townsville side at Piggabeen next Sunday afternoon.
MACKAY CUTTERS 50 def SUNSHINE COAST FALCONS 16 @ Stadium Mackay (H/T 20-6)
Mackay scored their first win in four weeks after a bye, international break and a Round 7 loss to PNG with a convincing 50-16 win over the Sunshine Coast Falcons for the TV audiences on Sunday afternoon. The win kept their place among the equal second teams just one win away from the Blackhawks.
The visiting Sunshine Coast were looking to turn around three straight losses, and hopes were high for an upset win as they were the first to score in Mackay. They even held onto the lead when Mackay scored their first try and the score remained at 6-4. It was to be the Falcons peak as the home side stepped it up several gears to score three more tries before half time to lead 20-6 at the break. The only game on Sunday in the Intrust Super Cup that wasn’t drawn at half time.
The second half provided more misery for the Falcons as the Cutters went on a scoring spree and by the 66th minute were 44-6 in front and heading for plenty more. To the Sunshine Coast’s credit they scored 2 tries to 1 in the final minutes of the game to put some respectability back on their scoreboard, but the reality is 50 points conceded, and their fourth consecutive loss. They welcome fellow strugglers Souths Logan at the coast next weekend in a game neither team dares to lose. At the other end of the ladder Mackay get another home game against equal 2nd placed Ipswich.
NORTHS DEVILS 26 def CENTRAL CAPRAS 22 @ Bishop Park (H/T 12-12)
The battle of the basement at Bishop kicked off on Sunday afternoon, with both sides desperate to halt a terrible run of losses. Norths came into the game having not won since Round Two and were on the receiving end of a 62 point loss last start at Wynnum, whilst Central haven’t won since an opening round win. A bye for Central up until now had saved them from bottom spot, but a brave loss on Sunday to Norths gave them that “honour”.
Norths looked to be on their way to salvation after leading 12-0 in the first half, one of those to Broncos weekend discard Dale Copley. But Central brought some of their tenacious home form to Brisbane and fought back with two tries of their own, and making the home crowd nervous locking it up 12-12 at half time.
The second half continued the Noah theme as the tries came in twos again, first to the Devils who pushed the lead back out to 22-12, only for the Central side to hit back with a double of their own and take the lead for the first time in the match at 24-22. There were still 20 minutes left, and plenty of opportunities for either side to break their form slump. There was to be only one score in those remaining 20 minutes and to the delight of the north siders and increased hurt for the Capras it was the home side Norths who scored the last try, and notch up win number three with a pending bye soon to move them further up the ladder.
The Devils will fancy welcoming the PNG Hunters to Brisbane next weekend with their indifferent away form, whilst Central will no doubt be tough at home to Wynnum.
REDCLIFFE DOLPHINS 34 def SOUTHS LOGAN MAGPIES 28 @ Davies Park (H/T 16-16)
Similar to the game at Bishop Park, this was a game between two sides in poor form and in desperate need of a win. Both sides have struggled at home this year, and unfortunately for the Magpies that statistic continued as the Dolphins grabbed their second win of the year in a game of swinging momentum.
The first chunk of momentum went the way of the home side who raced out to a 16-0 lead after 22 minutes and could start to dream of a much needed win to save their season. The problem was that they were playing a side in a similar predicament who matched the Magpies three try effort by half time to lock it up at 16-16.
Redcliffe continued their run after the break with the first, and although this was matched temporarily by a fourth Souths Logan try, the Dolphins skipped ahead again with two more tries to lead by 10 with not long to go in the game. With two minutes to go Souths Logan reduced the score to 34-28, and one wondered if there was a final swing of momentum left in the game.
There wasn’t, and although it was a better performance from Souths Logan it ultimately left them one of two teams on one win for the year, and off the very bottom of the ladder on points scored only as they have the same for and against as last placed Central. The Magpies can continue their quest for a win at the Sunshine Coast next round, whilst Redcliffe have the unenviable task of attempting to make it two in a row away to Easts.
PNG HUNTERS 36 def NORTHERN PRIDE 16 @ Kalabond Oval (H/T 10-10)
The marathon Intrust Super Cup review ends in Papua New Guinea as the Hunters proved that they are still a force to be reckoned with in this year’s competition with a strong home win over the reigning premiers Northern Pride who had been on a run of four straight wins.
The usual electric style of the PNG side was on show as no hangover remained from the international break of which many of the Hunters players were involved in the loss to Fiji.
Two tries to each side left the game in the balance at 10-10 at half time, but the Hunters stepped it up in the second half with 5 tries to one, including one to our favourite Hunter Willie Minoga, as they maintained their unbeaten home form in 2015.
An improvement in away form will keep the PNG in the top five, and they have the perfect opportunity to do that away to Norths next round. The Pride can take a break from the heat of PNG by enjoying the heat of Cairns with a bye next weekend.
ROUND 9 GAMES IN DETAIL
IPSWICH JETS 32 (Kurt Capewell 2, Marmin Barba, Josh Cleeland, Sam Martin tries; Carlin Anderson 6 goals) def EASTS TIGERS 24 (Eddie Tautali, Richie Kennar, Tommy Butterfield, Jake Foster tries; Shaun Nona 4 goals) at North Ipswich Reserve.
TOWNSVILLE BLACKHAWKS 78 (Kyle Feldt 3, Zac Santo 2, Jonathon Reuben 2, Nathan Norford 2, Robert Lui, Michael Parker-Walshe, Anthony Mitchell, Glenn Hall, Corey Jensen tries; Robert Lui 7, Kyle Feldt 4 goals) def BURLEIGH BEARS 6 (Ryley Jacks try; Tyler Chadburn goal) at Jack Manski Oval.
WYNNUM MANLY SEAGULLS 22 (Daniel Ogden, Matthew Grieve, Mitchell Buckett, Mitchell Frei tries; Matthew Seamark 3 goals) def TWEED HEADS SEAGULLS 12 (Kalifa Faifai Loa 2 tries; Jamal Fogarty 2 goals) at BMD Kougari Oval.
MACKAY CUTTERS 50 (Jordan Pereira, Justin Tavae, Zack Walker, Brad Lupi, Josh Chudleigh, Sam Hoare, Aleki Falepaini, Brenden Treston, Michael Sio tries; Liam Taylor 7 goals) def SUNSHINE COAST FALCONS 16 (Sam Young, Travis Robinson, Brett Doherty tries; Ryan Hansen 2 goals) at Stadium Mackay.
NORTHS DEVILS 26 (Dale Copley, Rogan Dean, Krys Freeman, Brett Greinke, Byron Creighton tries; Sean Loxley 3 goals) def CQ CAPRAS 24 (Jake Ainsworth, Dan Randall, Ian Webster, Josh Mitchell tries; Ian Webster 4 goals) at Bishop Park.
REDCLIFFE DOLPHINS 34 (Curtis Johnston, Aaron Whitchurch, John Brady, Shane Pumipi, Josh Benjamin, Darcy Etrich tries; Luke Capewell 5 goals) def SOUTHS LOGAN MAGPIES 28 (Dallas Anderson, Matt Trnka, Ashley Taylor, Scott Doyle, Mitch Garbutt tries; Scott Doyle 4 goals) at Davies Park.
PNG HUNTERS 36 (Adex Wera 2, Noel Zeming, Ase Boas, Wartovo Puara, Kato Ottio, Willie Minoga tries; Noel Zeming 3, Oti Bland Tony goals) def NORTHERN PRIDE 16 (Luke George 2, Patrick Kaufusi tries; Javid Bowen 2 goals) at Kalabond Oval, Kokopo.
