ROUND 13 PREVIEW
This weekend, all Intrust Super Cup clubs will observe a moment of silence before the start of each match in recognition of the sacrifice made by Senior Constable Brett Forte.
Sunshine Coast Falcons v Ipswich Jets
Sunshine Coast Stadium on Saturday, June 3 – 2.30pm
Referee: Nick Pelgrave
Head-to-Head: Ipswich 11 Sunshine Coast 4 Drawn 1
Twitter: #intrustsupercup #SCFvJETS
The Sunshine Coast are playing good football, and have had one draw and a loss at home this year from six games. The Falcons had to fight back last round against Norths, with the Devils starting well to score 14 points in the first 25 minutes to have the upper hand at the halftime break. However, back-to-back tries in the second half to Donald Malone got them in front and brought up his 750th point in the Cup with 119 tries and 137 goals. Malone is stranger to the Jets and is their all-time leading try scorer with 67 tries and 408 points. This weekend, Ipswich will be looking to contain him as they aim to claim their fourth away win in a row. Jets coaches – Ben Walker and Shane Walker – will take charge of their 161st Cup game with this match, passing Neil Wharton into third place for most Cup games coached. They have 91 wins, 7 draws and 62 losses. – with Michael Nunn
Northern Pride v Easts Tigers
Barlow Park on Saturday, June 3 – 5.30pm
Referee: Liam Kennedy
Head-to-Head: Pride 14 Easts 8
Twitter: #intrustsupercup #PRIDEvTIGES
The Pride will be aiming to steady their 2017 campaign with a win against the physical Easts Tigers at Barlow Park tomorrow afternoon. The home side go into this game having slipped to 11th position on the Intrust Super Cup ladder with two straight losses. However, one stat in their favour ahead of this game is the fact that the past six games between these two sides have been won by the home team. In their last encounter, the Tigers powered past to the Pride to record a 42-12 win at Suzuki Stadium, Langlands Park with fullback Gerard McCallum running in for a hat-trick. While he has again been named to take on the Pride, the Queensland Under 20s captain and regular Tigers halfback Brodie Croft is missing from the team-sheet this week (although may be a late inclusion). The Tigers missed his skills out on the field last weekend as they went down late to the Magpies. The Tigers last won at Barlow Park in 2013 in their major semi-final and it was Easts only win there in 11 games.
Mackay Cutters v Wynnum Manly Seagulls
BB Print Stadium Mackay on Saturday, June 3 - 6pm
Referee: Tyson Brough
Head-to-Head: Mackay 10 Wynnum 9
Twitter: #intrustsupercup #MCvWYN
Live Stream: Seagulls TV
The Mackay Cutters have had the week to think about what went wrong for them last round against the Burleigh Bears when they let a 20-6 halftime lead slip to lose 32-28. Coach Steve Sheppard admitted that his side “probably didn’t have the right attitude” for the last half hour of the game, thinking they had already done all the hard work to win the game. The Seagulls can expect a committed and switched-on Cutters outfit who will be loath to underestimate their opposition against this weekend. Wynnum Manly also went down last weekend when they could not match the attack of the Ipswich Jets, despite a promising start to the game where they scored the opening try. Last time these two team met was back in Round 4 when the Cutters were able to snare an away win with a 22-18 result. And while Mackay have now lost their past four games, the honours are even between these two sides for games played at BB Print Stadium, with both clubs claiming two wins apiece.
CQ Capras v Tweed Heads Seagulls
Browne Park on Sunday, June 4 – 1.40pm* (Live on Channel 9 QLD)
Referee: Jarrod Cole
Assistant Referee: Belinda Sleeman
Head-to-Head: Tweed 21 Central 7 Drawn 1
Twitter: #intrustsupercup #CQCvTHS
Having pulled off the upset of the season last weekend against the Redcliffe Dolphins – Seagulls coach Aaron Zimmerle will be wanting to ensure his side build on that achievement when they travel to take on the Capras in his weekend’s TV game. One of their key performers last weekend was William Zillman, who may make his return to the NRL with the Titans having been named on an extended bench. The Gulls have only won one of their past 10 away games – a disappointing statistic they will have to work hard on overcoming in Rockhampton against a CQ side who were also last-start victors. The last time these two sides met was in Round 4 where only a late flurry from the Seagulls prevented an embarrassing scoreline for the home side, with the CQ team winning 30-16 at Cbus Super Stadium. That was CQ’s first win over them in 13 games. The Gulls however appear to enjoy playing at Browne Park and have won their past six games there; while the home side’s last win over Tweed there was in 2010.
Souths Logan Magpies v Burleigh Bears
Davies Park on Sunday, June 4 - 2pm
Referee: Chris Anderson
Head-to-Head: Burleigh 23 Souths Logan 12 Drawn 3
Twitter: #intrustsupercup #SLMvBEARS
A 79th minute field goal sealed the deal for the Magpies back in Round 4 – a result that saw them go on a four-game winning streak to set themselves up as one of the teams to beat this season. Souths Logan are firmly entrenched near the top of the Intrust Super Cup ladder – which mean they have a big target on their backs and the Bears will be aiming to bring them down. Burleigh earned their third win of the season after launching a stunning second-half comeback against the Cutters last weekend to turnaround a 20-6 halftime deficit. Burleigh’s 34-28 win over in Mackay was an important confidence builder for a team that had lost its previous four games. After trailing for almost the entire game, they came to life in the second half and scored as many tries in that one outing as they had scored in the entire month that preceded it to walk away victorious. It also marked the return to the field of half Harry Siejka who injured himself in the match against the Magpies. (Read more at the Burleigh Bears website.) Queensland Residents representative forward Joe Boyce with play his 50th Cup game this weekend – all of them for the Magpies. – with Kevin Braysher
Townsville Blackhawks v Redcliffe Dolphins
Jack Manski Oval on Sunday, June 4 - 3pm
Referee: Michael Gordon
Head-to-Head: Townsville 3 Redcliffe 2
Twitter: #intrustsupercup #TSVBvPHINS
Townsville will host their own Women in League round this weekend when they face the Redcliffe Dolphins this Sunday. The Blackhawks players will wear pink socks and jerseys in support of the McGrath Foundations “Pull On Your Socks” campaign. (Read more at the Townsville Blackhawks website.) The last time these two sides met, it was the Dolphins who prevailed in front of their home fans, claiming an 18-6 victory. Townsville will be looking to regain some confidence following last week's record 42-4 loss to PNG. They have now gone three games without a win for the first time following two losses and a draw. Redcliffe will also be looking to make a statement as they Redcliffe have lost three of their last four away games – including last weekend’s shock result against the bottom-of-the-table Tweed Heads. In milestone news, this will be the 50th Cup game for Blackhawks forward Corey Jensen (all for Townsville).
Norths Devils v PNG Hunters
Bishop Park on Sunday, June 4 - 3.05pm
Referee: Gavin Reynolds
Assistant Referee: Matt Noyen
Head-to-Head: Norths 3 PNG 3
Twitter: #intrustsupercup #DEVILSvPNG
Live Stream: QRL Live Stream
The Devils host a rampant PNG side full of confidence this weekend, following their dominant 42-4 win over Townsville in Port Moresby last weekend. While the Devils have again come back to the pack following a strong start to the season – they will be hoping their form from when these two sides last met is replicated in this Round 13 game. Norths were able to upset the Hunters 32-18 at National Football Stadium back in Round 4 and as such, the head-to-head tally for these two sides cannot be separated, with both teams having won three games each. While the Devils have won two of their three games against PNG at Bishop Park, the Hunters have won five of their six away games this year.
*Statistics provided by Brad Tallon
