QRL and Nothing But League Intrust Super Cup Team of the Year
The QRL held their Awards night during the week and as part of the night announced the Courier Mail Best & Fairest Medal for player of the year, the XXXX People’s Choice award, and the Intrust Super Cup team of the year.
PNG Hunters captain and five-eighth Ase Boas took out the Player of the Year award and the People’s Choice. Boas got home by one vote to comeback kid and Redcliffe prop Matt Lodge. Three votes behind was the Capra’s hooker Krys Freeman, which is some effort considering his team finished last in this year’s Intrust Super Cup. Tied three votes back were Brodie Croft and Michael Purcell, plenty of excitement coming from those two players in 2017.
Ase Boas’ win made it a big night for the Hunters whose coach Michael Marum was crowned coach of the year. Whilst awards are great, I’m sure the Hunters will trade them in for that premiership.
Also on the night the QRL named the team of the year, which has a player nominated per position for the 2017 Intrust Super Cup season. The team named on the night is listed below.
QRL’s Intrust Super Cup Team of the Year:
- Fullback: Jamayne Isaako (Souths Logan Magpies)
- Winger: Jonathon Reuben (Townsville Blackhawks)
- Centre: Justin Olam (Sunshine Coast Falcons)
- Five-Eighth: Billy Walters (Easts Tigers)
- Halfback: Brodie Croft (Easts Tigers)
- Prop: Matt Lodge (Redcliffe Dolphins)
- Hooker: Pat Politoni (Burleigh Bears)
- Second Row: Blake Leary (Townsville Blackhawks)
- Lock: Sam Anderson (Redcliffe Dolphins)
- Coach: Michael Marum (PNG Hunters)
But why should the QRL have all the Team of the Year fun. Our Nothing But League have also nominated their team of the year, with our squad of 17 ready for perusal and debate.
Intrust Super Cup Team of the Year (Shannon Meyer)
- Stargroth Amean (PNG Hunters)
- Michael Purcell (Ipswich Jets)
- Delouise Hoeter (Norths Devils)
- Justin Olam (Sunshine Coast Falcons)
- Jonathon Reuben (Townsville Blackhawks)
- Billy Walters (Easts Tigers)
- Brodie Croft (Easts Tigers)
- Luke Page (Burleigh Bears)
- Tommy Butterfield (Easts Tigers)
- Matt Lodge (Redcliffe Dolphins)
- Willie Minoga (PNG Hunters)
- Blake Leary (Townsville Blackhawks)
- Jye Ballinger (Sunshine Coast Falcons)
- Ase Boas (PNG Hunters)
- Matt Minto (Souths Logan Magpies)
- Guy Hamilton (Sunshine Coast Falcons)
- Jamayne Isaako (Souths Logan Magpies)
Not too many differences from the QRL side, and a few extras by naming a full 17 players.
Stargroth Amean instead of Jamayne Isaako at fullback, whilst the Souths Logan fullback has been great, the PNG Hunters custodian has been outstanding this year, including a terrific performance for the Kumuls in the Pacific Test against the Cook Islands.
Michael Purcell is a try scoring machine and favourite. Delouise Hoeter has also scored regularly for Norths and was great in the Qld Residents win over NSW. The halves and other selections in the back are the same.
Tommy Butterfield gets the nod as hooker, and has yet another great season for Easts and was the difference in the Kumuls test win in May. He’ll be hoping to get a PNG call up in the very competitive position of hooker for the World Cup. Luke Page always seemed to trying hard for a Burleigh team which had a slow start to the season.
An unsung hero of the Sunshine Coast’s season Jye Ballinger is in the 13, and his team mate Guy Hamilton also makes it into the top 17.
A couple of five eighths that will feature in finals football – Ase Boas and Matt Minto – make the top 17.
And no Intrust Super Cup Team of the Year list would be complete without Willie Minoga in it.
