WYNNUM MANLY SEAGULLS v IPSWICH JETS
BMD Kougari Oval on Saturday, July 18 – 5pm
Referee: Clayton Sharpe
Head-to-Head: Wynnum 20 Ipswich 16 Drawn 3
Twitter: #intrustsupercup #WYNvJETS
Live Stream: Seagulls TV
Ipswich’s depth will be put to the test in tomorrow night’s Round 19 clash against the Seagulls at BMD Kougari Oval. Already without key back-rowers Sam Martin (four match suspension) and Keiron Lander (broken thumb), the Jets may yet be forced to make late changes with injury concerns over several front-line stars following last Sunday’s two-point loss to the Easts Tigers.
A settled Wynnum Manly team is coming off a 36-14 win over the Central Queensland Capras. The final scoreline indicated an easy win for the Seagulls, but it was anything but comfortable in the first half when the Capras skipped out to a 14-6 halftime advantage.
Jon Buchanan’s Wynnum outfit have the edge on the Jets in recent times, having won the past three encounters. Seagulls officials have organised a bumper “Light Up Wynnum” promotion, with traditional indigenous dancers, face painting, slides for the kids and fireworks all part of the family fun theme.
MACKAY CUTTERS v BURLEIGH BEARS
Stadium Mackay on Saturday, July 18 – 6pm
Referee: Michael Gordon
Head-to-Head: Mackay 7 Burleigh 7 Drawn 1
Twitter: #intrustsupercup #MCvBEARS
Burleigh Bears will roll out three teenage debutants against the Mackay Cutters in Mackay. Talor Walters, Sam Swift and Jenan Parrish have been rewarded for their outstanding form in Burleigh’s undefeated Colts team with selection in the top grade.
Bears coach Jim Lenihan is hopeful that the new faces will spark the side and provide energy that has been missing in recent weeks. “Last week we were let down by a lack of energy and desire in our defence,” he said.
“We’ve brought some young blokes in who have been playing well in our Colts and A Grade this year and we’re going to give them a go.
“Their form is good and I think at the moment we need a little bit of a jolt to the way we’re playing and they’ve certainly acquitted themselves well in the lower grades. We look for the next best players to come in and these are the boys that are doing it.”
While Burleigh are still licking their wounds after a horror result against Redcliffe last weekend, the Cutters are fresh off a bye. The previous week they left the Sunshine Coast with a 32-14 victory over the Falcons.
CQ CAPRAS v REDCLIFFE DOLPHINS
Marley Brown Oval, Gladstone on Saturday, July 18 – 7pm
Referee: Tim Rutherford
Head-to-Head: Redcliffe 28 Central 7 Drawn 2
Twitter: #intrustsupercup #CQCvPHINS
The CQ Capras are taking their game to Gladstone this week where they will face a Redcliffe Dolphins outfit on the rise.
The Capras put in arguably their best half of football in the opening 40 minutes of their match against Wynnum Manly last weekend, even taking a 14-6 lead into the halftime break. However, they were unable to keep up their intensity, eventually going down to the Seagulls 36-14.
Dan Randall comes into the side this week for Tyson White, who has been selected in the Queensland Rangers squad to take on the Ron Massey Cup Rep team in Coffs Harbour on Saturday. Reece Baker has been named at fullback for what will be his 50th Cup game – all of which have been played with the CQ side.
Redcliffe will come into this game full of confidence after recording a 64-6 win over the Burleigh Bears at Pizzey Park last weekend.
The Dolphins went into that match following a hard-fought 28-28 draw against the Hunters and it seems their good form has carried on from there. Troy Lindsay has named an unchanged line-up for this game, with Joshua Rudolph added to an extended bench.
EASTS TIGERS v TOWNSVILLE BLACKHAWKS
Tapout Energy Stadium on Sunday, July 19 – 1.40pm* (Live on Channel 9 / WIN)
Referee: Chris Anderson
Head-to-Head: Townsville 1 Easts 0
Twitter: #intrustsupercup #TIGESvTSVB
Intrust Super Cup leaders Townsville Blackhawks travel to Brisbane to take on the rejuvenated Tigers for the Channel 9 blockbuster at Tapout Energy Stadium.
In their first year in the Intrust Super Cup, the Blackhawks have been dominant from the outset and have now netted 15 wins from 17 outings. Easts are in fifth spot on 23 competition points following their thrilling 18-16 victory over the Ipswich Jets last weekend.
The Tigers will again field a strong line up boosted by the presence of Melbourne Storm contracted players including Mahe Fonua, Matt Duffie, Shaun Nona and Christian Welch. Veteran half Isaac Kaufmann comes into the 17 for young playmaker Billy Walters, who is on representative duties with the XXXX Queensland Rangers.
Now entering the back end of the regular season, the juggernaut that is the Townsville Blackhawks is displaying few chinks – but they will face a stern test here away from home. Easts will also be desperate to atone for their biggest defeat of the year, a 40-12 defeat at the hands of the Blackhawks in Round 8.
TWEED HEADS SEAGULLS v NORTHERN PRIDE
Piggabeen Sports on Sunday, July 19 – 2pm
Referee: Liam Kennedy
Head-to-Head: Tweed 9 Pride 7
Twitter: #intrustsupercup #THSvPRIDE
Both teams are coming into this match following what were widely considered to be ‘shock’ losses last weekend – with the Pride going down 17-8 to the Magpies in Tully; while the Seagulls were no match for an inspired Falcons side, going down 49-10.
In defeat, both coaches were upfront about their teams’ shortcomings – with Seagulls coach Aaron Zimmerle offering Titans.com no excuses for his side’s performance.
“We're not willing to accept the fact we're not going to be able to compete,” he said. “Kids with not much experience have got to learn quickly that we need more and the senior guys have to step up to compensate for that.”
Pride coach Joe O’Callaghan was equally candid and challenged his outside backs to show improvement in their game this weekend. For the Seagulls, Matt White (prop) and Will Bugden (bench) come in for Jarrod Morfett and Ben Ridge, who has been named on an extended Gold Coast Titans bench.
The Pride have also many changes with Javid Bowen returning to the line-up alongside Ben Spina and Vaipuna Tia Kilifi. Patrick Kaufusi has been named on an extended Cowboys bench for their match against the Sea Eagles while Luke George is 18th man and PJ Webb has not been named.
PNG HUNTERS v SUNSHINE COAST FALCONS
Kalabond Oval on Sunday, July 19 – 2.30pm
Referee: Nick Pelgrave
Head-to-Head: Sunshine Coast 2 PNG 1
Twitter: #intrustsupercup #PNGvSCF
The record winning streak of the PNG Hunters was halted in their last match – but their unbeaten run remains intact following their 28-28 draw with the Redcliffe Dolphins in Round 17.
Last week, the Hunters had the bye – but a number of players from the team spent the time playing in PNG’s successful Pacific Games Rugby League 9s campaign where they won the gold medal with a result over Samoa.
This weekend, the Hunters will come up against a Sunshine Coast Falcon side who put in an impressive nine tries to two performance against the Tweed Heads Seagulls in their Round 18 match.
The Falcons also boast a superior 2-1 head-to-head record over the PNG team and convincingly won their Round 5 match on the Sunshine Coast 36-10.
The Storm’s Young Tonumaipea ran in for a hat-trick in the win and he will be joined in the backline by fellow Melbourne-contracted player Ben Hampton at fullback. Sam Young makes way for his inclusion while Mboya Adams has been named on an extended bench.
Jon Platt will start at prop for what will be his 50th (all for the Sunshine Coast) in the Cup competition.
NORTHS DEVILS v SOUTHS LOGAN MAGPIES
Bishop Park on Sunday, July 19 – 2.30pm
Referee: Tyson Brough
Head-to-Head: Norths 23 Souths Logan 15
Twitter: #intrustsupercup #DEVILSvSLM
Norths return to Bishop Park this weekend, but will have a tough task on their hands to take down the visiting Souths Logan Magpies who will have a spring in their step following their upset 17-8 win over the Northern Pride in Tully last weekend.
The Devils on the other hand were downed 50-6 by the Blackhawks in Townsville; however, their second half performance was much improved, conceding only two tries and scoring one of their own after trailing 38-0 at halftime.
The Magpies have won two of the past three games (their most recent loss was 52-34 loss to the Jets in Round 17) and have also won the past three games against Norths, including in Round 11 where they secured a seven tries to four result.
For this match, Magpies coach Josh Hannay has named an unchanged side from last weekend’s win; while the Devils have made one change from last weekend’s game with young forward Michael Molo named in the second row. Fiji international Ryan Millard has not been named, while Broncos Dale Copley and Kodi Nikorima have been named to again appear for the Devils this weekend.
