Intrust Super Cup Round 22 preview

Townsville Blackhawks v Wynnum Manly Seagulls
Jack Manski Oval on Saturday, August 24 – 4pm
Head-to-Head: Townsville 5 Wynnum 1
Twitter: #intrustsupercup #TSVBvWYN
Tipping % - via QRL Tipping: Blackhawks 49% Seagulls 51%
Livestream: Seagulls TV

• Townsville will be involved in another top four clash this weekend in what should be an entertaining face off against the second-placed Wynnum Manly Seagulls.
• When the two sides faced off in Round 13, the Seagulls proved too strong for the Blackhawks in their 28-12 win at BMD Kougari Oval – to top it off, it was Wynnum's first ever win over the Blackhawks.
• As such, Townsville have won all three games over the Seagulls at Jack Manski Oval and they will be hoping to keep it that way. The Blackhawks have also won their past five and seven of their past eight games at home.
• However, the Gulls are good on the road and have won four of their past five away games.
• Townsville half Shaun Nona kicked three goals in his side’s loss to the Falcons last weekend and now only requires two more to bring up 300 in the Cup.
• The home side will be without fiery forward Jake Marketo who has been suspended for three matches after he was found guilty of a dangerous throw charge and pled guilty to another in last weekend’s match.

Norths Devils v CQ Capras
Bishop Park on Saturday, August 24 – 5pm
Head-to-Head: Norths 32 Central 10 Drawn 2
Twitter: #intrustsupercup #DEVILSvCQC
Tipping % - via QRL Tipping: Devils 97% Capras 3%
Livestream: Devils Facebook

• There will be a Devil on debut this Saturday night, with Kobe Hetherington to become Devil No. 1290 when he makes his Intrust Super Cup debut at five-eighth in the clash with the Capras.
• Hetherington, who comes in for Sean O’Sullivan who has been recalled to the Brisbane Broncos, will have plenty of support behind him, with the club also celebrating Old Boys Day.
• Norths have won the past 14 games against the Capras. The CQ side’s last win over the Devils was 40-34 at Bishop Park in 2011.
• In recent seasons, the Capras have played in 19 losses and a draw in their past 20 games.
• Devils flyer Herbie Farnworth now has 19 tries this season, just two short of the Devils' Cup season record of 21 set by Derek Fletcher in 2004.

Northern Pride v Easts Tigers
Barlow Park on Saturday, August 24 – 6pm
Head-to-Head: Pride 14 Easts 13
Twitter: #intrustsupercup #PRIDEvTIGES
Tipping % - via QRL Tipping: Pride 18% Tigers 82%
Livestream: Pride TV

• Easts have suffered a dramatic fall from grace with only two wins and draw in their past 13 games.
• All is not lost though, with the Tigers assured of a top eight berth. They head into this match with a strong record against the Pride, having won their last seven encounters, including the past three in Cairns.
• Not a lot has gone the Pride’s way in 2019, but they did deliver a much-improved performance last weekend against the Burleigh Bears, who got over the line courtesy of some individual brilliance from three-try hero Anthony Don.
• This will be the 50th Cup game for Maurice Blair, who played his first Cup game in 2004.
• Blair will pack down in the back-row alongside Tom Hancock and Aidan Day.

Ipswich Jets v Mackay Cutters
North Ipswich Reserve on Saturday, August 24 – 6pm
Head-to-Head: Ipswich 14 Mackay 8
Twitter: #intrustsupercup #JETSvMC
 Tipping % - via QRL Tipping: Jets 90% Cutters 10%

• Jets playmaker Julian Christian will miss Ipswich’s penultimate match of the season due to a one match suspension for a dangerous throw.
• It has been a frustrating past month for the Jets, whose last six losses have been by six points or less.
• Ipswich have won the last two games between these sides, although Mackay have won their last two matches at North Ipswich.
• Mackay have also won three of their past four away games and if they get the money here, they’ll join the Jets on 16 competition points.
• Marmin Barba has 588 Cup points for Ipswich, just six short of the Jets' record of 594 held by Steven West. He has 592 for Ipswich, including the try he scored in their NRL State Final.

Burleigh Bears v Sunshine Coast Falcons
Pizzey Park on Sunday, August 25 – 1.10pm* (Live on 9GEM)
Head-to-Head: Burleigh 13 Sunshine Coast 7
Twitter: #intrustsupercup #BEARSvSCF
Tipping % - via QRL Tipping: Bears 20% Falcons 80%

• In what could be a grand final dress rehearsal, the league-leading Falcons are away to third-placed Burleigh.
• Sunshine Coast go into the game with injured flyer Jonathon Reuben, who has been replaced by the talented Nat McGavin.
• Sunshine Coast have won the last three games between these two sides at Pizzey Park, while Burleigh have won 11 out of their last 13 home games.
• Former XXXX Queensland Residents skipper Blake Leary will take the field for his 100^th Cup game.
• Leary has previously played with the Pride and Townsville – and his experience will be a key factor in the Bears’ bid to qualify for a second grand final in four years.

Souths Logan Magpies v Tweed Seagulls
Davies Park on Sunday, August 25 – 3pm
Head-to-Head: Souths-Logan 18 Tweed 16
Twitter: #intrustsupercup #SLMvTWEED
Tipping % - via QRL Tipping: Magpies 25% Tweed 75%

• Just their namesake, the Magpies are here to provide nuisance value to the clubs in the finals playing for prime positions within the eight.
• They have found some good form of late and have won four of their past five games, including ending the finals hopes of the Jets and picking up wins over contenders the Dolphins and the Devils.
• This weekend, they will be aiming to turn around their Round 12 loss to the Seagulls where they went down 42-8 at Piggabeen in what was Tweed’s first over them in eight games.
• Souths Logan have won the past three games they have played against Tweed at Davies Park; while Tweed are also on a bit of a winning role and have come out on top in three of their past four matches.
• Magpies five-eighth Guy Hamilton has scored 97 points so far this season and requires four more to bring up 500 in the Cup.

PNG Hunters v Redcliffe Dolphins
National Football Stadium on Sunday, August 25 – 3pm
Head-to-Head: PNG 6 Redcliffe 5 Drawn 1
Twitter: #intrustsupercup #PNGvPHINS
Tipping % - via QRL Tipping: PNG 7% Phins 93%

• The PNG Hunters have a huge task against them to upset a Redcliffe Dolphins side that have be building steadily during the season to be peaking at the right time to go on a run to defend their 2018 title.
• The Dolphins have claimed the two points in seven of the past eight games, including their past three away games.
• In Round 12 the Dolphins were far to strong for the Hunters and posted a big 48-0 win at Dolphin Stadium.
• That win saw them notch their fourth win in their past five games against the Hunters
• The Hunters were at the wrong end of another big loss last weekend – 60-4 against a red-hot Wynnum Manly side – and it was their biggest ever losing margin in the Cup.
• In the Hunters favour however, Redcliffe have won only one of the six games played in PNG, while all the games have been decided by a margin of eight points or less.
• This year, the Hunters have posted two wins and a draw from 11 games played in PNG this season.
• Hunters coach Michael Marum will oversee his 143rd Cup game this weekend, moving him past Kim Williams into 10th on all time Cup games coached.
• This will be the 50th Cup game for Dolphins forward Taylor Brown who has played all his career at the peninsular club.
• This will also be the 50th Cup game Stanton Albert and his 51^st for the Hunters.
• In team news, the Hunters will welcome back the experience Adex Wera and Ase Boas from injury
• The two sides will play for the Stan Joyce Cup.

*Statistics by Brad Tallon

QRL Judiciary Results - Round 21

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