Round 8 preview: Cutters captain hits Cup half-century

Head-to-head: PNG Hunters 6, Townsville Blackhawks  5
Hashtags: #HostplusCup #TSVBvPNG
Broadcast: Qplus.tv 

• Friday night football comes to Townsville in Round 8 with the Blackhawks hosting the Hunters in what should be an entertaining clash
• The home side are in good form and have won their past four games and have also won their past two home matches
• While the Hunters have lost their past five games, they showed promising signs last weekend in Toowoomba in their close two-point loss to reigning premiers Norths Devils
• While the Hunters lead in the head-to-head stakes overall, the Blackhawks have won the past three games between these two sides
• In team news, Hunters leader Keven Appo will miss this match after taking an early guilty plea for striking
• The Hunters last week welcomed back their most capped player in their club's history, with Wartovo Puara Jnr having an immediate impact on the field. He has been named at hooker again for this match

Wynnum Manly Seagulls v Ipswich Jets

Head-to-head: Wynnum Manly 25, Ipswich Jets 19, drawn 3
Hashtags: #HostplusCup #WYNvJETS
Broadcast: Qplus.tv 

• Ipswich travel to BMD Kougari Oval this weekend to take on the Wynnum Manly and are still searching for their first win of the year, despite some close chances
• Ipswich have lost their past six games and come up against a Wynnum Manly that has struggled to find consistency so far this season
• Wynnum Manly have won the past three games between these two sides and have also won the past two games played against Ipswich at home
• Ipswich have found life hard on the road in recent times and have lost 10 and drawn one of their past 12 away games
• Wynnum Manly require 41 points to bring up 14,000 in the Cup. They have had 12,858 points scored against them in the competition
• This weekend, Wynnum Manly will be supporting Ronald McDonald House Charities South East Queensland and will collect donations that will go directly to RMHCSEQ in support of the work that they do in the community

Tweed Seagulls v Northern Pride

Head-to-head: Tweed Seagulls 14, Northern Pride 12, drawn 2
Hashtags: #HostplusCup #TWEEDvPRIDE
Broadcast: Qplus.tv 

• Both sides will be more than eager for a victory this weekend, with both teams sitting on two wins for the season so far, despite being in positions in multiple games to win more
• Tweed have lost their past three games, but have five wins and two draws from their past seven matches against the Pride, after the Pride had won on the previous seven occasions
• The Pride's last win over Tweed was at Piggabeen in 2017 and they have also lost their past three games away from home
• This weekend's match has been moved to Tugun due to the weather and Tweed won the only previous game played between these two sides at the venue, claiming a 16-10 victory in the opening and only round of 2020
• After scoring 10 points in his side's close Round 6 loss, Tweed skipper Lindon McGrady requires 11 points to bring up 500 in Cup, all of them for for the Seagulls

Norths Devils v Central Queensland Capras

Head-to-head: Norths Devils 35, Central Queensland Capras 10, drawn 2
Hashtags: #HostplusCup #DEVILSvCAPRAS
Broadcast: Qplus.tv

• The Devils have been doing just enough to win in their past few match and overall and have won their past four games
• This weekend, they come up against an in-form Capras side that have impressed this season and come into this match following a 34-10 win last weekend against Pride, their biggest ever result against the North Queensland side 
• However, the Devils have won the past 17 games between these two sides, including the past six at Bishop Park
• The Capras last scored a win over Norths back in 2011, with the match played at Bishop Park
• The Devils, however, are in great form at home and have won seven of their past eight games at Bishop Park
• The home side require 24 points to bring up 15,000 in the Cup. Only the Redcliffe Dolphins with 16,194 points have scored more. Norths have had 13,452 points scored against them
• The Capras too have a points milestone on the horizon and require five tries to bring up 2000 in the Cup. They have had 2989 scored against them 
• The Devils will be without forward Sam Lavea who will sit out this game after taking an early guilty plea for striking

Redcliffe Dolphins v Souths Logan Magpies 

Head-to-head: Redcliffe Dolphins 33, Souths Logan 13, drawn 1
Hashtags: #HostplusCup #PHINSvMAGPIES
Broadcast: Qplus.tv

• Redcliffe and Souths Logan have not had the results they are chasing this year so far and would love nothing more than to get one over their rivals and add to their 2022 season tally this weekend
• Redcliffe have lost their past four games, while Souths Logan have lost three and drawn one of their past five away games
• Redcliffe have a healthy lead in the head-to-head margin, but Souths Logan  have won the past two games between these two sides
• Although Redcliffe have lost three of their past four home games, they have won six of the past seven games played between these two sides at Redcliffe
• In team news, Souths Logan will be without forwards Rory Ferguson and Fabien Paletua-Kiri after both took early guilty pleas for dangerous contact 

Burleigh Bears v Mackay Cutters

Head-to-head: Burleigh Bears 13, Mackay Cutters 8, drawn 1
Hashtags: #HostplusCup #BEARSvCUTTERS
Broadcast: Qplus.tv

• Burleigh have hit their straps in recent weeks and will be aiming for three wins in a row when they host Mackay 
• Burleigh have won the past six, and nine of the past 10, games played between these two sides, including the past six at Pizzey Park
• Burleigh have also won 12 of their past 13 home games, while Mackay in contrast have lost three of their past four games away
• This Round 8 match will be Mackay's 300th Cup game. In their time in the competition, they have won 114, drawn 11 and lost 174 games
• Burleigh five-eighth Josh Rogers has been in good form of late and has scored 272 points in his career. He requires seven points to pass Kurtis Rowe to become the fifth top points scorer for Burleigh in Cup
• This will be the 50th game for Mackay captain Ross Bella. It will be the prop's 66th match overall, following a past stint with Townsville
• Forward Tristan Powell will sit out this game for Burleigh after an early guilty plea for dangerous contact

Sunshine Coast Falcons v Brisbane Tigers

Head-to-head: Tigers 13, Sunshine Coast 9, drawn 1
Hashtags: #HostplusCup #FALCONSvTIGERS
Broadcast: Qplus.tv, 9Now, Kayo Freebies and Hostplus Cup Facebook

• Following on for an action-packed Saturday with six games, the Falcons will host the Tigers in Sunday's only match of the round
• It is set to be an entertaining one, with the two Melbourne Storm feeder teams going head-to-head which always adds an extra element to the competition
• The Falcons are travelling well and have won their past four games and they have also won the past three games played between these two sides, including the past two played at Kawana
• Overall, the Falcons have won their last six games and currently find themselves perched at the top of the Hostplus Cup ladder
• Prior to the Falcons winning the past three games between the two sides, the Tigers won 13 and drew one of the previous 16 games

QRL Match Review charges results - Hostplus Cup Round 7