Intrust Super Cup grand final preview: It's go time

Norths Devils (1) v Wynnum Manly Seagulls (2)
Head-to-head: Wynnum Manly 26, Norths Devils 20, drawn 2
Head-to-head in finals: Wynnum Manly 2, Norths Devils 0
Coach head-to-head: Adam Brideson (Wynnum Manly Seagulls) 4, Rohan Smith (Norths Devils) 1
Hashtags: #intrustsupercup #DEVILSvWYN
Broadcast: This match will be broadcast via Channel 9 in Queensland, Fox League, Kayo, 9Now
Kick-off: 3.45pm Queensland time (AEST)

• This is the 25^th Cup grand final and the fifth at Moreton Daily Stadium. There have been 17 played at Suncorp Stadium, two at North Ipswich Reserve and one at Sunshine Coast Stadium.
• This is the second grand final at Moreton Daily Stadium that Wynnum Manly have been in; they were defeated by Burleigh there in 2019.
• This is the sixth time the grand final has been played between the first and second-placed teams after the regular season. Four of the previous five occasions have been won by the second placed team, with the only exception being the first year of the Cup in 1996 when minor premiers Toowoomba Clydesdales beat Redcliffe Dolphins.
• This is the 19^th occasion the minor premiers have made the grand final. Those finishing on top have won on 10 occasions and lost on eight.
• There have been 11 different premiers in the last 15 seasons – only Wynnum Manly in 2011 and 2012, Pride in 2010 and 2014, Redcliffe in 2006 and 2018 and Burleigh in 2016 and 2019 have won more than once in that time.

Norths Devils facts and figures

• This is the third Cup grand final for the Devils, joining Ipswich Jets and Northern Pride on that number. Norths have won one premiership, where they defeated Wests 35-18 at Lang Park in 1998, and are looking to become only the fifth team to win multiple Cup premierships.
• Norths' grand final loss was at Suncorp Stadium in 2010, going down 30-20 to a Northern Pride side coached by current QRL competitions manager David Maiden.
• This is North’s 25^th Cup final match, the fifth of any team. They have won 11 and lost 13. This is also their 12^th final series, they were eliminated in the first week of the finals in 2019 after finishing fifth, but lost to eighth-placed Easts 24-20 .
• Two of Norths squad have previous grand final experience, with both playing in the 2016 decider at Suncorp. Connor Broadhurst played centre for Burleigh in their 26-16 win over Redcliffe, who had Jack Ahearn playing fullback.
• Tyrone Roberts kicked seven goals last week in what was only the 10^th time that many goals have been kicked in a Cup final. Liam Georgetown for Redcliffe in 2008 and Carlin Anderson (for Ipswich in 2015) hold the record with nine.
• Norths have lost only two games this year, one against Burleigh and against Ipswich in the final round. Norths finished the regular season with the fourth-best winning record in Cup history having won 88.2 per cent of games, behind only Sunshine Coast in 2019 with 93.5 per cent, Tweed in 2011 with 93.2 per cent and Toowoomba in 2001 with 92.5 per cent. Only Toowoomba went on to be premiers.
• Four of 19 games featuring Norths this year have been decided by six points or less, with the Devils winning all four. The average winning margin for Norths this year has been 16 points with their average losing margin being 22 points.
• In the regular season, Norths were first in attack with 30.6 per game and they were also first in defence, conceding 18.8 points per game.
• Norths have used 38 players in the top grade this year, the fifth highest behind Redcliffe (47), Tweed (40) and Mackay (39). Only Connor Broadhurst and Michael Molo have played all 19 games for Norths this year. Hiale Roycroft and Liam Horne both played for Central Queensland Capras this year, with Matt Milson playing seven games for the Sunshine Coast.
• Three Norths players have played more than 100 Queensland Cup games: Connor Broadhurst with 131, Jack Ahearn with 120 and Jon Reuben with 105. Ahearn has the most games for Norths in the current squad with 64.
• Overall, this will be Cup game 556 for Norths. They have won 288, drawn 18 and lost 250.
• Reuben is sixth on the list of all-time try scorers in the Cup with 108 tries in 104 games. Only Aaron Barba with 70 tries from 52 games has a better strike rate with players who have featured in more than 25 games.
• This is the Rohan Smith’s 68^th Cup game as coach, his second finals series and first grand final. He has 44 wins and 23 losses giving him a 65.7% record.
• Reuben (wing) and Ahearn (halfback) were named in the Intrust Super Cup Team of the Year, with Ahearn runner-up to Jayden Berrell for the Petero Civoniceva Medal.

Wynnum Manly Seagulls facts and figures

• This is Wynnum Manly’s fourth grand final in their 24^th season in the competition. They won their first two grand final appearances, winning 16-10 over Tweed in 2011 and 20-10 over Redcliffe in 2012, both at Suncorp Stadium under coach Paul Green. They then lost the 2019 decider to Burleigh 28-10 at Moreton Daily Stadium.
• Only Redcliffe (12), Burleigh (6) and Easts (5) have appeared in more Cup grand finals. Their two premiership wins is equal with Pride, and only behind Redcliffe (6) and Burleigh (4).
• This is the 13^th time the Seagulls have made the finals, the third most of any team behind Redcliffe (19) and Easts (16).
• This is Wynnum’s 31^st Cup final, the third most of any team behind Redcliffe (53) and Easts (41). The Seagulls have won 15 and lost 15 of them.
• Wynnum Manly finished the regular season averaging 30.2 points per game in attack, third in the competition, behind Norths and Souths Logan. They had the fourth-best defensive record in the competition, conceding 22.0 points per game (behind Norths, Burleigh and Townsville). They finished in the same position in attack and defence in 2019.
• Six of Wynnum Manly’s extended squad members played in the 2019 decider – Sam Scarlett, Delouise Hoeter, Aaron Rockley, Jayden Berrell, Kalolo Saitaua and Edward Burns. Also, Richie Kennar played in Easts' in their 2014 grand final loss to the Pride, while Ben Shea played in Wynnum Manly’s 2011 victory over Tweed.
• Wynnum have lost five games this year – to Pride, Norths, Souths Logan, Redcliffe and Burleigh.
• Six of Wynnum’s 19 games this year have been decided by six points or less; they won three and lost three. Their average winning margin this year has been 16 points. Their average losing margin has been 11 points.
• Wynnum Manly have used 37 players this year, equal sixth with Sunshine Coast and Central Queensland Capras. Only two players in Hoeter and Berrell have featured in all 19 games for the Seagulls this year.
• Four Wynnum Manly players have played 100 Cup games or more – Ben Shea (183), Delouise Hoeter (109), Aaron Rockley (107) all for Wynnum Manly, and Sam Scarlett (100). Shea has played the most games for the Seagulls with 138.
• This is Wynnum’s 563^rd Cup game, third behind Redcliffe with 585 and Easts with 572. They have won 300 games, drawn 18 and lost 244.
• This is Adam Brideson’s 94^th game as a Cup coach, his second finals series and his second grand final. He has a 55.9 per cent success record with 52 wins and 41 losses. In finals, Brideson has four wins and two losses in finals.
• Jack Campagnolo (five-eighth), Luke Bateman (lock) and Jayden Berrell (hooker) were named in the Intrust Super Cup Team of the Year, with Berrell the Petero Civoniceva Medal winner.

Match official facts and figures

• This is first time a Cup grand final has been officiated with a single referee since 2015, with the four since then run under the two-referee system.
• It is Nick Pelgrave’s second Intrust Super Cup grand final and his 118^th Cup game. Pelgrave shared the duties with Jarrod Cole in 2017.

*Statistics by Brad Tallon