Time for a quick look at Intrust Super Cup Round 24, the final weekend of the regular season.
There are still important things to be decided, like the Minor Premiership between Redcliffe and Burleigh, the treasured home finals, and the final make up of the top six, with one team out of the Northern Pride, PNG Hunters or Ipswich Jets to miss out. Tough on the Northern Pride as they could have sealed top six with a win last weekend.
It’s all ahead in the Intrust Super Cup Round 24.
THE BATTLE FOR THE TOP
The minor premiership is up or grabs this weekend between Redcliffe and Burleigh after they got the better of their opponents Northern Pride and Townsville in the top four battle last weekend. The equation for Redcliffe is simple, win and they are minor premiers, lose and it all depends on Burleigh.
Redcliffe sit only behind Easts Tigers in the second half of the season form, but did have a stumble a few rounds ago where they lost to Ipswich and drew with Mackay at home. They regrouped and have beaten top four opponents Townville and the Pride in the last two weeks to put themselves in pole position for first place. Adam Mogg has done a great job with a squad has less of the NRL talent than quite a number of other sides, and with Cameron Cullen have a general who has done it all recently with Burleigh. They should take care of the Falcons, but haven’t won at Dolphin Oval since Round 18, where coincidentally they beat the Burleigh Bears.
Talking of the Bears, they will play a home final regardless of the result this weekend, but they could finish between 1st and 3rd depending on results, so the vital first week of the finals is up for grabs. Their assignment is the tougher of the two sides, having to go to Suzuki Stadium against the competition’s form side in the Easts Tigers. They are on a run of three straight wins however, including beating the Townsville Blackhawks last weekend. Whatever the result, it should be some game to kick off the Intrust Super Cup Round 24.
How They Stand
1st Redcliffe – 33pts +189
2nd Burleigh – 32pts + 132
Who They Play
Redcliffe play Sunshine Coast (H)
Burleigh play Easts Tigers (A)
THE BATTLE FOR THE TOP SIX
Townsville Blackhawks are the only side who are guaranteed finals football out of this group, and can actually still finish second if they win and Burleigh lose, thanks to their huge points difference. Either way they will be playing a game at Jack Manski Oval in the finals, but who wouldn’t want the vital extra week off. Townsville were on track to possibly finish first, but have stumbled the past two weeks against the other top teams in Redcliffe at home and Burleigh away. The losses also bring into question their premiership credentials, despite boasting arguably the best squad in the competition. They take on Wynnum this weekend, who have found some form at home after struggling for wins at Kougari for most of the season.
Easts Tigers are the form team heading into the finals, having lost just twice in the second half of the season, and their come from behind win over the Souths Logan Magpies in last weekend’s TV game shows the type of attitude that will win finals games. Their only loss in the last nine games came against Redcliffe in Country Week. The Tigers are effectively safe in the top six, needing an extraordinary amount of bad results to go against them, but a home finals would be a just reward for their late season form. A win should secure that. But they do play Burleigh who also have something to play for – a potential minor premiership. It should be a TV Game worth tuning in for with plenty on the line.
The Northern Pride were staring at real possibility of a home final in week 1 before last weekend, but now can be thrown out of the top six after their tight loss last weekend in Cairns to the Redcliffe Dolphins, and the Ipswich Jets and PNG Hunters posting big wins. They play one of those sides well beaten last weekend in the Tweed Heads Seagulls, and at home where they are usually hard to beat. This should mean that the Pride will play finals football.
For a brief moment, of less than a day, the Ipswich Jets had taken sixth place from the PNG Hunters with a big win over Tweed Heads. This meant the PNG Hunters would need to win, and win well. No problem it seemed for the team coming into this round on the longest winning run (six games and counting) as they posted one of their biggest wins of the year against Wynnum 40-16, making it four good wins in a row on PNG soil, beating Norths, Northern Pride and Burleigh. Sadly, they’ll probably miss out on a home final, but that may just give fans of the Intrust Super Cup their first glance of the reigning premiers on TV, or not given they have had no TV games this year unbelievably. But winning is a must, to keep the Jets from stealing their finals spot. They play the Central Capras in Rockhampton, a ground where they have had mixed success in the past, and the Capras broke through with a win last start.
Ipswich will try their best to steal that place, and given their result last weekend, look very capable of doing so. The Jets boast one of the swiftest back three in the Intrust Super Cup (in Michael Purcell, Marmin Barba and Wes Conlon) and they scored eight tries between them last weekend. But they face stiffer opposition this weekend, because although Norths officially are out of finals contention after last weekend’s surprise loss to Mackay, the Devils will still want to finish the year on a high and build for an eve more successful 2019. A win is a must for Ipswich, but it may not even be enough by the time they play as all of their rivals would have played Saturday night. Either way, not a bad game to go and watch, as Sunday’s only fixture.
How They Stand
3rd Townsville – 30pts +219
4th Easts – 28 pts + 103
5th Pride – 28pts +70
6th PNG Hunters – 28pts +42
7th Ipswich – 26pts +40
Who They Play
Townsville play Wynnum (A)
Easts play Burleigh (H)
Northern Pride play Tweed Heads (H)
PNG Hunters play Central (A)
Ipswich play Norths (A)
Intrust Super Cup Round 24 Predictions
BRENDAN O’FARRELL – CEO Intrust Super
BURLEIGH BEARS to beat Easts Tigers
TOWNSVILLE BLACKHAWKS to beat Wynnum Seagulls
SOUTHS LOGAN MAGPIES to beat Mackay Cutters
NORTHERN PRIDE to beat Tweed Heads Seagulls
REDCLIFFE DOLPHINS to beat Sunshine Coast Falcons
PNG HUNTERS to beat Central Capras
IPSWICH JETS to beat Norths Devils
Burleigh Bears Townsville Blackhawks Souths Northern Pride Redcliffe Dolphins PNG Hunters Jets
ADRIAN VOWLES – FOG
Coming soon
SHANNON MEYER – ISC Fan
EASTS TIGERS to beat Burleigh Bears
TOWNSVILLE BLACKHAWKS to beat Wynnum Seagulls
MACKAY CUTTERS to beat Souths Logan Magpies
NORTHERN PRIDE to beat Tweed Heads Seagulls
REDCLIFFE DOLPHINS to beat Sunshine Coast Falcons
PNG HUNTERS to beat Central Capras
NORTHS DEVILS to beat Ipswich Jets
Intrust Super Cup Round 24 Matches
Easts Tigers v Burleigh Bears at Suzuki Stadium, Saturday, August 25 – 1.10pm – TV GAME
Wynnum Manly Seagulls v Townsville Blackhawks at BMD Kougari Oval, Saturday, August 25 – 5pm
Mackay Cutters v Souths Logan Magpies at BB Print Stadium Mackay, Saturday, August 25 – 6pm
Northern Pride v Tweed Heads Seagulls at Barlow Park, Saturday, August 25 – 6pm
Redcliffe Dolphins v Sunshine Coast Falcons at Dolphin Stadium, Saturday, August 25 – 6pm
CQ Capras v PNG Hunters at Browne Park, Saturday, August 25 – 6pm
Norths Devils v Ipswich Jets at Bishop Park, Sunday, August 26 – 3pm
Intrust Super Cup Round 24 Teams
Easts Tigers v Burleigh Bears
Easts Tigers
1. Scott Drinkwater 2. Linc Port 4. Marion Seve 3. Shane Neumann 5. Brett Kelly 6. Leon Ellia-Niukore 7. Brayden Torpy 8. Albert Vete 9. Tommy Butterfield 10. Dave Tyrrell 11. Jake Foster (c) 12. Jarred Tuite 13. Jack Svendsen 14. Chris Ostwald 15. Ash Little 16. Tino Faasuamaleaui 17. Matthew Groat
Burleigh Bears
1. Kurtis Rowe 2. Henare Wells 3. Sami Sauiluma 4. Joshua Berkers 5. Toby Mcintosh 6. Dylan Phythian 7. Jamal Fogarty 8. Luke Page (c) 9. Pat Politoni 17. Jai Whitbread 11. Jamie Dowling 12. Hayden Schwass 13. Sam Coster 10. Matt White 14. Jeff Lynch 15. Kai O’donnell 18. Matthew Robinson
Wynnum Manly Seagulls v Townsville Blackhawks
Wynnum Manly Seagulls
1. Daniel Ogden 2. Peter Gubb 3. Jeriah Goodrich 4. Delouise Hoeter 5. Edward Burns 6. Shaun Nona 7. Jayden Berrell 8. Stedman Lefau 9. Mitch Cronin (C) 10. Patrick Carrigan 11. Adam Tuimavave-Gerrard 12. Til Vea 13. Max Elliott 14. Mitch Frei 15. Alex Barr 16. Salesi Funaki 17. Lachlan Lee
Townsville Blackhawks
1. Carlin Anderson 2. Jonathon Reuben 3. Shaun Hudson 4. Levi Dodd 5. Kalifa Faifai-Loa 6. Zach Dockar-Clay 7. Jaelen Feeney 8. Brenden Santi 9. Krys Freeman 10. Rod Griffin 11. Temone Power 12. Andrew Davey 13. Joe Boyce 15. Daniel Beasley 17. Cade Maloney 18. Andrew Niemoeller (C) 22. Sione Lousi
Mackay Cutters v Souths Logan Magpies
Mackay Cutters
1. Yamba Bowie 2. Sheldon Bobbert 3. Nathan Saumalu 4. Jayden Batchelor 5. Kurt Wiltshire 6. Kyle Laybutt 7. Nicho Hynes (c) 8. Jordan Grant 9. Cooper Bambling 10. Nicholas Brown 11. Jye Andersen 12. Shane Wright 13. Bennett Leslie 14. Jayden Hodges 15. Lona Kaifoto 16. Jack Brock 17. John O’brien
Souths Logan Magpies
1. Corey Allan 2. Benaiah Bowie 3. Lenny Magey 4. Cameron Booth 5. Paul Rokolati 6. Guy Hamilton 7. Sam Scarlett 8. George Fai 9. Travis Waddell 10. Sam Lavea 11. Brendon Gibb 12. Daniel Tamou 13. Phil Dennis (c) 14. Manaia Cherrington 15. Rory Ferguson 16. Cody Mcintosh 17. Rhys Melville
Northern Pride v Tweed Heads Seagulls
Northern Pride
1. Jack Murphy 2. Murray Taulagi 3. Brett Anderson 4. Javid Bowen 5. Enari Tuala 6. Jordan Biondi-Odo 7. Jack Campagnolo 8. William Bugden 9. Ryan Ghietti (c) 10. Darryn Schonig 11. Graham Clark 12. Tom Hancock 13. David Murphy 14. Connor Jones 15. Emry Pere 16. Troy Kapea 17. Sheldon Powe-Hobbs 18. Shawn Bowen 19. Matthew Musumeci 20. Justin Castellaro 21. Nathan Wales
Tweed Heads Seagulls
1. Alex Grant 5. Kiah Cooper 4. Shaun Carney 3. Brendan Elliot 2. Ryland Jacobs 6. Eli Levido 7. Rex Johnson 15. Kalani Going 9. Jack Cook 16. Leilani Latu 11. Lamar Manuel-Liolevave (c) 12. Bryce Cartwright 13. Kirk Murphy 10. Jaleel Seve Derbas 17. Tristan Lumley 18. Sam Meskell 20. Maia Sands
Redcliffe Dolphins v Sunshine Coast Falcons
Redcliffe Dolphins
1. Trai Fuller 2. Josh Beehag 3. Kotoni Staggs 4. Tom Opacic 5. Jeremy Hawkins 6. Bryce Donovan 7. Cameron Cullen (c) 8. Nick Slyney 17. Hugh Pratt 10. Sam Anderson 11. Toby Rudolf 12. Aaron Whitchurch 13. Jamil Hopoate 9. Jake Turpin 14. Myles Taueli 15. James Taylor 16. Tom Geraghty
Sunshine Coast Falcons
1. Ryan Papenhuyzen 2. Matt Soper-Lawler 4. Sandor Earl 3. Khan Ahwang 5. Iliesa Ratuva 21. Caleb Daunt 6. Rhys Jacks 18. Lachlan Timm 17. Christopher Lewis (c) 10. Jacob Hind 12. Thomas Eisenhuth 11. Jye Ballinger 13. Louis Geraghty 15. Connor Donehue 19. Lachlan Roe 20. Harrison Muller 22. Stephen Buckley
CQ Capras v PNG Hunters
CQ Capras
1. Zeik Foster 18. Maipele Morseau 3. Connor Broadhurst 4. Nathan Bassani 5. Chanel Seigafo 6. Blake Goodman 7. Jack Madden (c) 8. Oliver Percy 9. Billy Gilbert 11. Jerry Key 15. Luke George 12. Dave Taylor 13. Jamie Hill 10. Brad Lupi 14. Aaron Teroi 16. Aaron Flanagan 17. Junior Kirisome
PNG Hunters
1. Edene Gebbie 2. Junior Rau 3. Thompson Teteh 4. Adex Wera 5. Brendon Gotuno 6. Ase Boas (c) 7. Charlie Simon 8. Enock Maki 9. Wartovo Puara 10. Moses Meninga 11. Nixon Putt 12. Rahdly Brawa 13. Stanton Albert 14. Watson Boas 15. Ila Alu 16. Mekenzie Yei 17. Dilbert Issac 18. Butler Morris 19. Silas Gahuna 20. Patrick Morea
Norths Devils v Ipswich Jets
Norths Devils
1. Jack Ahearn 2. Herbie Farnworth 3. Zach Strasser 4. Gehamat Shibasaki 5. Paul Ulberg 6. Todd Murphy 7. Troy Dargan 15. Sam Tagataese 9. Michael Sio 10. Carne Doyle-Manga 8. Jamayne Taunoa-Brown 14. Guy Williams 13. John Palavi (c) 11. Iain Riccardi 12. Ethan Bullemor 16. Riley Leota 19. Jack Miers
Ipswich Jets
1. Michael Purcell 2. Marmin Barba 3. Richie Pandia 4. Isimeeli Hafoka 5. Wes Conlon 6. Chris Ash 7. Dane Phillips 8. Tyson Lofipo 9. Jayden Connors 10. Nat Neale (c) 17. Billy McConnachie 12. Ben White 13. Ben Shea 11. Rowan Winterfield 14. Sam Caslick 16. Huskie Teutau 19. Mitch Carpenter 15. Seb Pandia
