Intrust Super Cup Round 5 - Red Socks Round preview

Round 5 of the Intrust Super Cup will see all teams and referees wear red socks this weekend for Red Socks Round which will to support a little Queenslander with a rare condition that requires bone marrow transplants and blood transfusions.

This weekend, the Channel Nine cameras will be at Langlands Park on Sunday at the new time of 1.10pm when the Tigers host the CQ Capras.

Below are the ‘Stats that Matter’ for each match up in Round 5. 

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Townsville Blackhawks v Mackay Cutters
Jack Manski Oval on Friday, April 5 – 7.30pm
Head-to-Head: Townsville 7 Mackay 0 Drawn 1
Twitter: #intrustsupercup #TSVBvMC
Tipping % - via QRL Tipping: Townsville 95% v Mackay 5%

• It’s a short-turn around for the Townsville Blackhawks who host the Mackay Cutters for a Friday night northern derby.
• It’s also a short wait between matches for the Cutters who were in the game for most of the contest last weekend before succumbing to Wynnum Manly in Sunday’s TV game.
• Townsville have won all the past encounters, with the Cutters coming their closest to a win in 2017 when they played out a draw.
• Townsville have won the four games between these two sides at Jack Manski by an average of 28 points. Last year's six-point margin was the lowest and the Cutters will be hoping to improve on that effort.
• Mackay have eight losses and a draw in their past nine away games.
• Young gun Samuel Martin-Savage comes into the Blackhawks side as halfback with Michael Parker-Walshe not named.

Sunshine Coast Falcons v Northern Pride
Sunshine Coast Stadium on Saturday, April 6 – 5pm
Head-to-Head: Pride 11 Sunshine Coast 10
Twitter: #intrustsupercup #SCFvPRIDE
Tipping % - via QRL Tipping: Falcons 91% Pride 9% 

• The undefeated Sunshine Coast Falcons have won three of the past four games between these two sides, including the last two at Sunshine Coast Stadium.
• The Falcons are also on fire at home and have win five of their past six games at the venue.
• The last time these two sides met, the game was won 15-14 by the Falcons with a Ryley Jacks' field goal the difference in the 74^th
• Following his second-half double against the Pride last weekend, Justin Olam now has 28 tries for the Falcons. The club record of 30 is jointly held by Ryley Jacks and Matt Soper-Lawler.
• After the strong start, the Pride have now lost two games in a row and will be looking to reverse their fortunes against the Sunshine Coast.
• This will be the 100th Cup game for Todd Murphy who has played in the past with Redcliffe, Easts and Norths.

Redcliffe Dolphins v Ipswich Jets
Dolphin Stadium on Saturday, April 6 – 6pm
Head-to-Head: Redcliffe 28 Ipswich 17
Twitter: #intrustsupercup #PHINSvJETS
Tipping % - via QRL Tipping: Redcliffe 74% Ipswich 26%

• Both teams have endured a tough start to the season, but they bounced back in style last weekend to record their first wins of the year.
• They did it in contrasting fashion as well with Ipswich leading from start to finish on their way to a comfortable 28-16 win over the Pride at home, while Redcliffe snuck home on the back of a late Bryce Donovan field goal to edge out Souths Logan 19-18.
• Ipswich fullback Michael Purcell was back to his brilliant best last weekend with two tries and will again loom as the man the Dolphins must stop.
• For the Phins, forward Nick Brown chalks up his 50^th game in the Intrust Super Cup.
• Ipswich flyer Marmin Barba needs two more points to bring up 500 for the Jets.

Norths Devils v PNG Hunters
Bishop Park on Saturday, April 6 – 6.05pm
Head-to-Head: PNG 5 Norths 4
Twitter: #intrustsupercup #DEVILSvPNG
Tipping % - via QRL Tipping: Devils 87% Hunters 13%

• Both teams enter this game with losses and will be aiming to bounce back – with PNG searching for their first win of the season.
• The Devils have won three of the past five games played between these two sides at Bishop Park.
• The Hunters have lost their past five games, including their last three away games which is now their worst ever losing run.
• The visitors however have been improving throughout the season and need five more points to bring up 3000 in the Cup. They have 2439 against.
• Centre Henry Penn has been named to make his debut for the Devils in Saturday night’s game.
• The Hunters have also named debutants, with back Jack Oii and half Jerry Teme named on the bench. 

Easts Tigers v CQ Capras
Langlands Park on Sunday, April 7 – 1.10pm* Live on Channel 9 (QLD)
Head-to-Head: Easts 32 Central 10 Drawn 2
Twitter: #intrustsupercup #TIGESvCQC
Tipping % - via QRL Tipping: Easts 96% Capras 4%

• Easts are shooting for a fifth-straight win when Scott Sipple’s team play host to the CQ Capras at Langlands Park.
• The Tigers and fellow Storm feeder club the Sunshine Coast Falcons are the only unbeaten teams in the Intrust Super Cup heading into the Red Socks Round.
• The statistics point to another Tigers victory, with Central having won only one of the past 10 games between these two sides with one drawn.
• Easts, who are without injured captain Jake Foster for an extended period due to a car accident, have won the first four games of the season twice before (2001 & 2012) – but they have never won their first five.
• The Capras were safely held by Tweed last weekend, however the Rockhampton-based team can take confidence from their last trip to Brisbane when they upset the Souths Logan Magpies in an impressive performance.

Tweed Seagulls v Wynnum Manly Seagulls
Piggabeen Sports Complex on Sunday, April 7 – 2pm
Head-to-Head: Wynnum 21 Tweed 16
Twitter: #intrustsupercup #TWEEDvWYN
Tipping % - via QRL Tipping: Tweed 46% Wynnum 54% 

• It’s the clash coined ‘The Flockbuster’ and plenty will be at stake when Tweed face Wynnum Manly.
• The Seagulls are unbeaten at home this season after impressive wins against PNG Hunters and the Blackhawks and there is an increased belief in Ben Woolf’s side.
• Gulls skipper Cheyne Whitelaw and halfback Christian Hazard made their first appearances of 2019 last weekend and brought experience and enthusiasm to the side
• Titans-contracted centre Treymain Spry returns to the side after missing last Saturday’s clash with concussion.
• Wynnum Manly come into this match with a strong win over Mackay Cutters which was off the back of a player of the match performance from young Broncos half (and former Tweed junior) Tom Dearden.
• Wynnum Manly have won five of the past six games between these two sides, and three of the past four played at Piggabeen.
• However, the NSW-based Gulls have won three of their past four games at home.
• Wynnum Manly have won their past three games - they haven't won four in a row since 2016.

- with Tweed Seagulls Media

Souths Logan Magpies v Burleigh Bears
Davies Park on Sunday, April 7 – 3pm
Head-to-Head: Burleigh 25 Souths Logan 13 Drawn 3
Twitter: #intrustsupercup #SLMvBEARS
Tipping % - via QRL Tipping: Souths 24% Burleigh 765
Livestream: Bears TV

• Souths Logan will be aiming to arrest their early-season slump which has seen them only win one of their opening four matches.
• They came excruciatingly close last week, going down to a Bryce Donovan field goal against Redcliffe.
• The Bears have been hit hard by QRL Judiciary to start the season; with Pat Politoni the latest player to be sidelined. The rake will miss the next three weeks of games, with Jordan Scott named in the hooking role.
• In the head-to-head stakes, the Bears have the upper hand and won both games between these two sides last year.
• The Magpies have lost their last five home games; while the Bears have lost their last three games on the road.
• This weekend, the Magpies have named two Broncos forwards in their pack, with Sam Tagataese and Shaun Fensom to add their experience to the team.
• This will be the 250th game with the Magpies for Phil Dennis. It will be the competition record holder’s 280th overall. He previously played with Wests and Easts.
• Dennis will be the third player to feature 250 Cup games for a single club behind Troy Lindsay (270 for Redcliffe) and Danny Coburn (258 for the Jets).

QRL Judiciary Results - Rd 4.pdf

*Statistics by Brad Tallon

**NOTE: The livestreams linked in this preview are not official QRL productions