If you looked at the Hostplus Cup competition table this week, don’t be fooled by the standings of the Tweed Head Seagulls and Townsville Blackhawks.
Both teams are making solid gains and are ready to get moving in 2026, so forget about the mowing on Sunday afternoon, and get out to the ground or tune into the feature round coverage.
Since late last year, the Blackhawks have lost six games in a row, which is their worst losing streak in their history, and they won’t be keen for it to stretch any further.
The Blackhawks kept the Pride to 20 points last week but the problem was they could only score eight points themselves.
This is the same team that had Dudley Dotoi scoring with ease 26 times last season.
So far this year Dotoi has scored one try in three games. The Blackhawks will be trying to get good ball to him and let him find his 2025 try-scoring form again.
The big winger is still making ground, topping the run metres for the Blackhawks v Pride last week.
The Blackhawks started well against the Pride and were up 8-0 at half time – they had 52 percent of the ball.
In summary, they are not doing a whole lot wrong. They just need to be smarter with the football and how they use it.
If the Blackhawks can start well and get confidence, then a win won’t be far away.
Fullback Lennix Tovo might be the key to unlocking the Blackhawks attack this week.
For the Tweed, it was a comeback of biblical proportions last weekend. At half time, it looked like the Tweed would not be earning any hot chips at the beach and would be going home hungry against the Bears.
Down 28-0 at the break, it was over to the Seagulls in the second half as they attacked with five unanswered tries.
Tweed’s half Zane Harrison was pulling the strings as he scored his own try off a kick to have the Seagulls only six behind with nine minutes to go, and it looked like the Bears were going to blow it two weeks in a row.
Tweed will be after a continuation of the second half, with Harrison and Lindon McGrady vital to everything the Seagulls do with the ball.
McGrady requires eight points to pass Reggie Cressbrook (10890 and move to fifth on the all-time Hostplus Cup points scorer list.
It would be a brave punter that would say that McGrady will not score eight points in a game.
Tweed’s average loss has been six points. They are not far away and the second half against the Bears can be the kick start they need.
Sunday’s feature match, presented by National Storage, will be broadcast live and free across Qplus.tv, Kayo and 9Now.
Brisbane Tigers v Norths Devils:
* Head-to-Head: Tigers 26 Norths 26 Drawn 3
* Last match: 2025 R12: Norths 42 def Tigers 26 (Totally Workwear Stadium)
* Norths have won the last 2 games between these two sides
* The away team has won 16 of the last 18 games with 1 drawn - the only home win in this time as Norths in 2024
* Norths have won seven of the last eight games between these two sides at Totally Workwear with one draw
* Tigers last win over Norths at Totally Workwear was in 2012
* Tigers have won three of their last four home games
* Norths have won three of their last four away games
* 100th Cup Game as coach: Rohan Smith (all Nor): 67 wins 1 draw 31 losses
* Connor Broadhurst plays his 209th cup game, passing Tommy Butterfield to move to 14th for all time cup matches played - he requires one try to bring up 50 in the Cup
* 100th Cup game: Sam Elliott (SL/Tig/Red/Nor)
Burleigh Bears v Northern Pride:
* Head-to-Head: Pride 16 Burleigh 11 Drawn 2
* Last match: 2025 R19: Burleigh 28 def Pride 22 (Yarrabah)
* Burleigh have won nine of their last 11 games with 2 drawn
* Burleigh have won the last two games between these two sides
* Pride have won three of the last five games between these two sides at UAA Park with 1 draw
* Burleigh have won their last three, and seven of their last eight, home games
* Pride have won their last two away games
* 50th Cup game: Blake Mozer (SL/Bur)
* 50th Cup game: Jordan Scott (SL/Bur)
Sunshine Coast Falcons v Western Clydesdales
* Head-to-Head: Sunshine Coast 3 Clydesdales 1
* Last Match: 2025 R15: Sunshine Coast 48 def Clydesdales 16 (Sunshine Coast Stadium)
* Clydesdales have lost 16 of their last 18 games with two drawn
* Sunshine Coast have won all three games between these two sides at Sunshine Coast Stadium
* Sunshine Coast have lost their past two home games
* Clydesdales have lost their past 27 away games
Redcliffe Dolphins v PNG Hunters
* Head-to-Head: Redcliffe 12 PNG 7 Drawn 1
* Last Match: 2025 Elimination Final: Redcliffe 32 def PNG 12 (Kayo Stadium)
* Redcliffe have won the last four, and 10 of the last 11, games between these two sides
* Redcliffe have won the last seven games between these two sides at Kayo Stadium
* Redcliffe have won four of their last five home games
* PNG have won two of their last three away games
Souths Logan Magpies v Ipswich Jets
* Head-to-Head: Ipswich 28 Souths Logan 23 Drawn 1
* Last Match: 2025 R23: Souths Logan 34 def Ipswich 16 (Davies Park)
* Souths-Logan have won two of their last four games with two drawn
* Souths-Logan have won three of the last four games between these 2 sides
* Ipswich have won two of the last three games between these two sides at Davies Park
* Souths-Logan have two wins and a draw in their last three home games
* Ipswich have lost two of their past three away games
* Ipswich's 48-6 win last weekend was their biggest ever margin over the Tigers
* 100th Cup game: Pride Petterson-Robati (Nor/Red/Bur/SL)
Townsville Blackhawks v Tweed Seagulls
* Head-to-Head: Townsville 10 Tweed 4 Drawn 1
* Last match: 2025 R23: Tweed 26 def Townsville 14 (Tully)
* Blackhawks have lost their last six games, their worst ever losing run
* Tweed have won three of the last four games between these 2 sides
* Townsville have won five of the six games played between these two sides at Jack Manski
* Townsville have lost two of their last three home games
* Tweed have lost two of their last three away games
* Lindon McGrady (1082) requires eight points to pass Reggie Cressbrook (1089) to move to fifth on the all-time Cup points scorer list.
Wynnum Manly Seagulls v Mackay Cutters
* Head-to-Head: Wynnum 19 Mackay 12
* Last Match: 2025 R17: Wynnum 30 def Mackay 14 (BB Print Stadium)
* Wynnum have won the last two, and 10 of the last 11, games between these two sides
* Wynnum have won the last four, and five of the last six, games between these two sides at BMD Kougari Oval
* Wynnum have lost their last two home games
* Mackay have lost three of their last four away games
