PREVIEW: Intrust Super Cup Round 8
The Intrust Super Cup goes on the road this weekend with three of the six games in new locations as Redcliffe take their home game to Burpengary, Souths Logan head to Yeppoon to play the Capras, and Hervey Bay welcome Intrust Super Cup as the Falcons take on the Jets on the Fraser Coast.
There’s also a big clash of the two FNQ sides in Townsville as the Blackhawks and Pride fight for the far north supremacy and the top spots on the ladder.
Two games come from the Gold Coast, one is the TV Game at Piggabeen between the Seagulls and Cutters, and the now traditional Anzac Day finishes off Round 8 on Monday as the PNG Hunters take on the Bears at Pizzey Park.
With all of the top 6 sides facing off against each other it is a premium weekend of Intrust Super Cup football this weekend.
REDCLIFFE vs EASTS
This weekend the Redcliffe Dolphins and the Easts Tigers make their first trip to Redcliffe’s temporary home at Burpengary Sporting Complex.
Both are coming off the back of disappointing efforts last weekend and will be desperate to put on a better show this weekend. The Tigers lost 30-16 to the Pride in Cairns and while Barlow Park is always a tough place to win the Tigers will be disappointed that they never really looked like winning.
The Dolphins have been the very definition of an up and down side this year. After defeating the national champion Ipswich Jets in Round 6 they were lucky to beat the last placed Cutters last outing. They have an experienced and settled line up and will be looking for the likes of Whitchurch, Nicholls, Strasser and Sam Anderson to lead the way.
The Tigers are bolstered by the return of dynamic second rower Jake Foster who adds a lot to their attack out wide and along with Storm contracted players Cheyse Blair, Suliasi Vunivalu (who made his NRL debut last weekend) and Christian Welch will be looking to take charge and dominate from the start.
Last time: Round 24 2015, Tigers 32-22. Though magic man Marlon Doak, who scored a hat trick for the Dolphins that day will not face the Tigers this weekend.
Prediction: Similar to last time, Tigers by 8 in a high scoring affair.
Redcliffe Dolphins v Easts Tigers
Burpengary Sporting Complex on Saturday, April 23 – 2pm
Redcliffe Dolphins
1. Luke Capewell 2. Jonus Pearson 3. Jack Ahearn 4. Daniel Randall 5. Aaron Whitchurch 6. Zach Strasser 7. Darren Nicholls 8. Samuel Anderson (c) 9. Shane Pumipi 10. Rulon Nutira 11. Harley Aiono 12. Johnnie Fox 13. Christopher Gesch 14. Brandon Lee 15. Joseph Bradley 16. Tyson Andrews 17. Charlie Faingaa
Coach: Adam Mogg
Easts Tigers
1. Guy Hamilton 2. Suliasi Vunivalu 3. Jamie Anderson 4. Cheyse Blair 5. Whetu Austin 6. Billy Walters 7. Brentt Warr 8. Matthew White 9. Christopher Ostwald 10. Christian Welch 11. Jake Foster 12. Dane Hogan (c) 13. Dean Britt 14. Francis Tualau 15. Matthew Zgrajewski 16. Luke Lavelle 17. Leon Ellia-Niukore
Coach: Scott Sipple
Quick Stats
Redcliffe v Easts @ Burpengary Sporting Complex, Burpengary
Kick Off – Saturday 2pm
Last Year – Redcliffe 22 Easts 32 / Easts 12 Redcliffe 19
FALCONS AND JETS LAND IN HERVEY BAY FOR A HISTORIC CLASH
The Intrust Super Cup arrives on the Fraser Coast for the first time on Saturday night and it is the closest the region has come to the competition outside of Country Week since the Bundaberg Grizzlies played from 1996 to 1998.
The Sunshine Coast are playing Grand Finalists for a second consecutive week, and if they can put two halves together like the impressive first half last weekend where they were outstanding against the Blackhawks, then it would be more misery for Ipswich.
The reigning premiers have now lost 5 of their last 6, and a game against the improved Sunshine Coast side will not make life any easier. Another loss will keep them grounded in the bottom four and a long way from defending their title.
Quick Stats
Sunshine Coast v Ipswich @ Stafford Park, Hervey Bay
Kick Off – Saturday 6:30pm
Last Year – Sunshine Coast 10 Ipswich 36 / Ipswich 34 Sunshine Coast 16
SOUTHS LOGAN TAKE FOOTBALL TO CAPRAS TERRITORY IN YEPPOON
Souths Logan had a solid victory last weekend over Tweed Heads and will be facing up to the Bear Slayers in the CQ Capras. Many expected the Capras to be dominated by the high flying Bears, but they came out and blew the Bears away with a four try first half that will have the Magpies wary of a similar ambush.
The Capras have been inconsistent so far this season, after a strong away win against the Cutters they have struggled at home with only the one win over the disappointing Jets. It is away that they are grabbing the points and as they head down for the night match at Yeppoon, it will be interesting to see if they can rack up another victory.
Whenever a team is inconsistent, you can look to the halves to be the difference makers and for this game we have a treat as Jack Joass and Samuel Scarlett face off against Maipele Morseau and Matthew Minto. All four are showing some form and this game should be a highlights reel just from the action involved in the engine room.
Both teams had solid wins, but I think the home ground advantage may be a little bit to much as we head into the cooler months. I think the night air in Yeppoon may help the locals and we should see the Magpies take the match in a close one. Final Score: Magpies 26 Capras 20.
Quick Stats
Souths Logan v Central @ Webb Park, Yeppoon
Kick Off – Saturday 7pm
Last Year – Souths Logan 48 Central 12 / Central 10 Souths Logan 22
CUTTERS SEEKING FIRST SEASON WIN AT TWEED
Mackay fell short in a spirited challenge to the Redcliffe Dolphins as they continue to improve but are just not getting into the points as they struggle during the start of the season. They will be hoping to finally enter the win column as they travel down to Piggabeen and face the similarly struggling Seagulls for Sundays televised match on channel 9. The Seagulls did lead at half time but were over-run comfortably and will need to fight the entire eighty minutes if they want to take the points this Sunday.
The Cutters have not won yet this season, and yet they have trimmed back their losses to close margins as we have gone deeper in the season, they should not be far from a win and this presents one of their best chances in recent weeks. Tweed Heads have struggled in scoring and are only averaging 15 points per game, so they will need to find a scoring spark if they are to kick start their season as well. Both sides will have to start racking up the wins if they want to get to the finals, as they languish four and five wins away already.
We will head out to the centres this week as it will be finishing off that will determine the winners. Shaun Carney will be facing off against Johnny Faletagoa’I and it would not surprise me in the slightest if it was one of these two that score the go ahead try.
David Simpson will have his lads primed for Prime Time (well 1:40pm at least) and will be heading home to Mackay with their first win of the season. Final Score: Cutters 18 Seagulls 8.
Quick Stats
Tweed Heads v Mackay @ Piggabeen
Kick Off – Sunday 1:40pm
Last Year – Tweed Heads 24 Mackay 20 / Mackay 34 Tweed Heads 18
TV Game – Channel 9 from 1:30pm
BLACKHAWKS HOST ANZAC DERBY
Last weekend saw the Blackhawks start to play after half time. Before the break the SC Falcons had controlled the game and led on the scoreboard and ask some serious questions of the Blackhawks. They answered with a dominant second half and the final 10 minutes blew the margin out in what was a closer game than the final score-line presented. The Pride did not have any of these problems and if the same side turns up at Jack Manski oval this Sunday then we will not only have a great game to watch, but a season definer for the Pride after a sluggish start.
Do I believe that this will happen, not really? The Blackhawks showed in the second half how potent they are in attack and when Jahrome Hughes gets moving, it is hard to stop him. We saw that the attacks can come from any point in the park, a large mobile and very fit forwards pack was brutal in setting up the opportunities and the backline calmly efficient in finishing off the offerings. Pride did do very well against an inconsistent Easts Tigers, anytime you put up thirty points, it means you have the attack, but whether or not they can do so against the form side in the competition is a question that they are wanting to answer with a win.
The Fullback battle, Linc Port has been cutting it up and playing to his potential in recent weeks, he is facing up to last week’s Man of the Match, the previously mentioned Jahrome Hughes. Both exhibit both the speed and the skills that would not be out of place in an NRL side.
Both spines are well heeled with these quality full backs, they are both well serviced with the halves pairings and it is no surprise that the Hookers are both also well-known quality products. This game should be an excellent showcase of two of the top sides of the last 18 months, and 4pm Sunday cannot come soon enough. Final Score: Blackhawks 34 Pride 20.
Quick Stats
Townsville v Northern Pride @ Jack Manski Oval
Kick Off – Sunday 4pm
Last Year – Townsville 42 Pride 24 / Pride 10 Townsville 52
BURGEONING ANZAC DAY TRADITION CONTINUES AT BURLEIGH
The third instalment of the now traditional Anzac Day clash kicks off on Monday as the PNG Hunters and Burleigh Bears meet on the special day.
Given the huge Anzac Day celebration that is held at Burleigh Heads and the close association and history with Papua New Guinea during the second World War, it is right that such a game is held between these two sides.
The football is pretty good too with last year’s clash an absolute ripper, with the Hunters looking down and out before a stirring comeback in the second half took them all the past the Bears for a 38-32 win.
The record is one a piece so far, and with these sides sitting second and fifth just two points apart, this game is an important one for plenty of reasons.
Quick Stats
Burleigh v PNG Hunters @ Pizzey Park
Kick Off – Monday 3:30pm
Last Year – Burleigh 32 PNG 38 / PNG 44 Burleigh 24
TIPSTERS TIME
MATT PRITCHARD (Editor) (27/47)
Redcliffe, Sunshine Coast, Capras, Mackay, Townsville, PNG.
DAN WHITE (North Queensland Correspondent) (30/47)
Redcliffe, Sunshine Coast, Souths Logan, Mackay, Townsville, PNG.
SHANNON MEYER (SEQ + PNG Correspondent) (29/47)
Redcliffe, Sunshine Coast, Souths Logan, Mackay, Townsville, PNG.
SCOTT SATTLER (Channel 9 + Penrith Legend) (27/47)
Redcliffe, Sunshine Coast, Capras, Tweed, Northern Pride, Burleigh.
MATT CROWHURST (Tigers TV) (24/47)
Easts, Sunshine Coast, Souths Logan, Tweed, Northern Pride, Burleigh.
WHAT HAPPENED LAST WEEKEND?
Catch up here
LADDER
| Team | P | W | D | L | B | +/- | Pts |
| Townsville Blackhawks | 7 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 137 | 12 |
| PNG Hunters | 7 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 57 | 12 |
| Northern Pride | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 75 | 10 |
| Redcliffe Dolphins | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 60 | 10 |
| Burleigh Bears | 7 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 48 | 10 |
| Easts Tigers | 7 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 36 | 9 |
| Sunshine Coast Falcons | 7 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | -5 | 8 |
| CQ Capras | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 1 | -15 | 8 |
| Norths Devils | 7 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 0 | -18 | 7 |
| Souths Logan Magpies | 7 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0 | -27 | 6 |
| Ipswich Jets | 7 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | -35 | 4 |
| Tweed Heads Seagulls | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 | -108 | 4 |
| Wynnum Manly Seagulls | 7 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | -113 | 2 |
| Mackay Cutters | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | -92 | 0 |
