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BURLEIGH BEARS
After losing out in the season long battle for the minor premiership, Burleigh were knocked out of the finals with consecutive losses to eventual premiers Redcliffe and Easts.
With minimal losses of their 2018 squad excluding former NRL prop Matt White retiring, they are primed to be at the top of another Intrust Super Cup season. They have recruited a little extra quality for their 2019 squad, the retention of occasional Titan Tyronne Roberts-Davis gives the team plenty of scoring power.
The squad still features former Player of the Year Jamal Fogarty, PNG International Luke Page and quality hooker Pat Politoni in the middle of the park, and having wingers of the quality of Troy Leo and Roberts-Davis means Bears will be hard to beat again in 2019.
Trials Form: Sat 16th Feb – Easts 24 Burleigh 4
Trials Form: Sat 23rd Feb – Burleigh 18 Tweed Heads 20
IN AND OUT
GAINS: Jacob Hind (Sunshine Coast Falcons), Jack Buchanan (Toronto Wolfpack), Oliver Percy (CQ Capras), Tyronne Roberts-Davis (Gold Coast Titans), Jordan Scott (Souths Logan Magpies), Hayden Hansen (Swinton Lions)
LOSSES: Matt White (Retired)
CENTRAL CAPRAS
The Capras managed to avoid the wooden spoon in 2018, handing that to their nearest rivals in Mackay. But it looks like the Capras will be battling in the lower half of the table again in 2019.
Like Mackay with Nicho Hynes, Central have lost arguably their most promising player in Connor Broadhurst to another Intrust Super Cup club, which will certainly hurt their chances of improvement in 2019. Zeik Foster is also another key loss for the Rockhampton based side.
They do however still have one Dave “Coal Train” Taylor on their books who despite not being at his NRL best, still has plenty to offer a club like the Capras. He will surely be determined to make some rugby league highlights shows for his on field contributions.
Former Rabbitohs and Titans Eddy Pettybourne joins via France and despite his NRL best probably being behind him, is always one to give plenty for his side. Pettybourne and a full flight Dave Taylor could cause a bit of mischief throughout the 2019 Intrust Super Cup season. They have scored 34 points in both of their trial wins so far in 2019.
Trials Form: Sat 16th Feb Capras 34 Wynnum 32
Trials Form: Sat 23rd Feb Capras 34 Mackay 10
IN AND OUT
Gains: Bessie Aufaga To’omaga (Cronulla Sharks), George Grant (Yeppoon Seagulls), Kainoa Gudgeon (Tweed Head Seagulls) Mark Johnstone (Brothers, Rockhampton), Jack Lote (Western Lions, Townsville), Aaron Pene (St Mary’s, Penrith), Eddy Pettybourne (Toulouse, France), Matthew Wright (Manly Sea Eagles)
Losses: Connor Broadhurst (Norths Devils), David Cowhan (Retired), Zeik Foster (St George Dragons), Blake Goodman (Asquith Magpies), Jerry Key (North Sydney Bears), Brad Lupi (Norths Devils), Oliver Percy (Burleigh Bears), Peter Rogers, (Biloela Panthers), Chanel Seigafo (Victoria Rugby League)
EASTS TIGERS
Easts Tigers will be looking to go one further in 2019 than their grand final defeat last season, and early trial form along with a few good inclusions show that as ever they’ll be in and around the top six at a minimum.
The Tigers have recruited some quality from south of the border in Tom Hughes and Matt Cooper from the Newcastle Knights system, and with inclusions from other Intrust Super Cup sides is building a nice squad full of experience and potential. Canadian international Rhys Jacks has been nabbed from the Melbourne Storm feeder side Sunshine Coast.
A few key losses is a concern heading into the 2019 Intrust Super Cup season, notably Linc Port and Brayden Torpy, both of whom were excellent throughout the 2019 and will be missed for the regular contributions.
But having the link to the Melbourne Storm will always prove handy throughout the season, although based on the performance of big Sam Kasiano in the Grand Final loss to Redcliffe, the rumours that Melbourne are trying to move him onto another club might be a good thing for the Tigers.
Trials Form: Sat 16th Feb – Easts 24 Burleigh 4
Trials Form: Sat 23rd Feb – Easts Tigers 16 Ipswich 8
IN AND OUT
GAINS: Tom Hughes, Matt Cooper (Newcastle Knights), Curtis Dansey-Smaller (Tweed Heads Seagulls), Josh Fauid (Redcliffe Dolphins), Sam Foster (Townsville Blackhawks), Rhys Jacks (Sunshine Coast Falcons), Aaron Booth, Bennett Leslie (Mackay Cutters), Sam Lavea, Justin Fai, William Samuel (Souths Logan Magpies), Jack Peoples (Norths Devils)
LOSSES: David Tyrrell (Retired), Linc Port (Souths Logan Magpies), Brayden Torpy (Northern Pride), Conor Carey (Featherstone Rovers), Matt Groat (Wynnum Manly Seagulls), Anton Iaria (St Mary’s Penrith), Adam Crear, James Salter (Proserpine Brahmans), Michael Egan (West Brisbane Panthers)
IPSWICH JETS
If you don’t like watching the Ipswich Jets, then you are very hard to please as a rugby league fan. We’re still entertained and hope to catch them live or on a screen sometime throughout 2019.
As for the player movements, the Jets have lost two from their premiership year. And two quality contributors from last season in halfback Dane Phillips and the liveware Wes Conlon. Countering the Phillips departure is the return of premiership five eighth Josh Cleeland, who was unable to crack the difficult Sydney based NRL team market. He did get to win a second NRL State Championship with the Bulldogs last season. A fully fit Marmin Barba will go a long way to making up for the loss of Conlon. Wynnum’s very popular Peter Gubb is an interesting new recruit for the Jets in 2019 too.
The Jets still have two of the Intrust Super Cup’s most exciting players in Barba and try scoring machine Michael Purcell. Add the Jets best from 2018 Nat Neale who sets a platform for the skilful and speedy players to weave their magic. Not that the big man isn’t capable of chipping in with some tries.
Whether they can match their 6th placed finish for the 2019 Intrust Super Cup season remains to be seen, but they will surely entertain.
Trials Form: Sat 16th Feb – Sunshine Coast 48 Ipswich 0
Trials Form: Sat 23rd Feb – Easts Tigers 16 Ipswich 8
IN AND OUT
Gains: Josh Cleeland (Canterbury Bulldogs), Hayden Crowley (Wynnum Seagulls), Peter Gubb (Wynnum Seagulls), Brett Kelly, Jacob Teevan (Easts Tigers) Fred Keil (Melbourne Rebels / University) Todd White (Pittsworth Danes)
Losses: Dane Phillips (Retired), Wes Conlon (Brothers Ipswich)
Next page – Mackay Cutters to PNG Hunters
