The Spring sun is shining but the weather isn’t the only thing heating up as the Hostplus Cup finals series kicks off this weekend.
Despite the storied history of both the Ipswich Jets and Sunshine Coast Falcons, this Sunday will be the first time the two teams have faced each other in the finals.
Neither team has relished September footy as of late, with the Jets making their first finals appearance since 2018 and the Falcons suffering back-to-back defeats in last year’s finals.
If current form is anything to go by, the Falcons may be turning the tide of past disappointments, as they enter this Sunday’s game winning five of their last six matches.
Conversely, the Jets have lost five of their last six matches – recently suffering a heavy loss to the Magpies who failed to qualify for the finals.
The two sides played one another only a fortnight ago, with the Falcons winning handidly at North Ipswich Reserve 30-12.
However, Jets coach Tye Ingebrigtsen is undeterred by his side’s record entering the finals, with the de facto rookie head coach embracing the opportunity presented to his team.
“I am excited to be honest, we said back in November that Jets hadn’t made finals since 2018 and we wanted to be the ones to break that,” Ingebrigtsen said.
“It probably hasn’t been a great last six weeks for us but now we are here anything can happen, and that’s the attitude we are taking,"
“All the pressure is on the Falcons, we played them two weeks ago and they physically dominated us.
“They will have Jonah Pezet who has been great for the Storm while Hughes has been out injured.
“We can only control what we can control and that’s what we are going to go there and do just play football, relax and have fun.”
The Jets’ outside backs will be key to their success this weekend, with the likes of Jonathon Reuben and Ken Maumalo being potential game-breakers with their penchant for post-contact metres and scoring tries.
The Falcons possess plenty of strike themselves, with star winger Johnson having scored 17 tries from 19 appearances in his rookie Hostplus Cup season, having previously played for the Wests Panthers in the BRL.
Falcons head coach Brad Henderson enters this year’s finals series with composure, having plenty of experience with September rugby league.
“We played Ipswich two weeks ago and, in some ways, I would have preferred we lost that game so we can fly under the radar this week,” Henderson reflected.
“Ipswich have done a great job under Tye and there is no doubt they’re a completely different team to the last seven years.
“We got what we deserved against the Bears last week and if we start like that again then the Jets will do it too.
“I am excited to see Zion Johnson play and Cody Hunter. I think they’re both playing their best football and they’re going to be vital to us on Sunday.”
There’s no better time than finals in the Hostplus Cup.
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