Magpies stalwart Dennis to play his final game for Souths Logan

Phil Dennis will play his last game for the Souths Logan Magpies this weekend as the In Safe Hands Cup regular season comes to an end.

After 17 consecutive years of rugby league, where along the way he became the most capped player in Intrust Super Cup history, club legend Dennis will play his last game for the Magpies.

Redcliffe’s Troy Lindsay held the record of 270 Intrust Super Cup appearances until Round 20 of the 2018 season, when Dennis ran out for the Magpies against the Townsville Blackhawks and set the new record.

He first pulled on a Souths jumper in 2006 and will make his final appearance this Saturday afternoon, fittingly against West Brisbane Panthers, the club he made his Intrust Super Cup debut for back in 2003.

Dennis’ Magpies farewell will be a feature of a massive final round, where the last spot in the finals is still up for grabs.

Easts Tigers v Wynnum Manly Seagulls – Saturday, August 31 at Langlands Park - 1pm

Easts and Wynnum Manly will be desperate this weekend as neither have won since Round 16 and the Seagulls are trying to fend off the chasing Redcliffe Dolphins to hold onto their place in the finals.

Both sides have named huge forward packs, meaning the backs will be set to take advantage once the dust settles from the carnage up the middle.

Wynnum Manly have John Te Reo returning to partner the current form halfback of the competition, Edwin Ipape.

For the Tigers, Zak Taibi moves to fullback as Nathan Brown moves into the vital number six spot. Keenan Yorston has been damaging out wide and his involvement will go a long way to getting a result Easts have not experienced since August 3.

The Seagulls have their own strike power in the centres with James O’Toole proving to be a handful since coming into the side in the past month.

Something for the punters to get excited about is when both sides go to the bench at around the 20-minute mark, with ‘Wild Colonial Boy’ Andrew Clayton from the Gulls and Tigers ‘Bone Crusher’ Anthony Cheng set to lock horns.

The Tigers won the last encounter between these sides 39-24.

Redcliffe Dolphins v Valleys Diehards – Saturday, August 31 at Dolphin Stadium - 4.15pm

The Dolphins look to continue their Cinderella story when they take on the red-hot Diehards on Saturday.

Redcliffe, who won just two of their first 12 games this season, have come back from the dead to be within reach of playing finals and are still pushing for their fourth straight grand final.  

For that to happen, the Dolphins must win and Wynnum Manly must lose.

In their way are the Diehards who have put four straight wins on the park. Their last loss was against the Dolphins, 40-16, in Round 15.

Redcliffe have unearthed a try scoring machine in Zev John, plus the damaging Tyson Cleal to reinvigorate their season.

Valleys were tested last week against a feisty and determined Magpies at Davies Park with the result only sealed when the conversion went over after the siren.

‘Mr Everywhere’ Brad Frith moves from fullback to the halves to partner Simon Britain-Snowden whose kicking game has been on point of late. Skipper Joe Bradley returns to a mobile back row with line busters Ethan Richards and Joe McGuire.

West Brisbane Panthers v Souths Logan Magpies – Saturday, August 31 at Frank Lind Oval - 4.30pm

The farewell of Dennis will be the backdrop to the Souths Logan Magpies clash with West Brisbane Panthers on Saturday.

The Panthers will finish the year on top of the ladder and Souths will finish at the bottom, but the Magpies are Wests’ bogey side nonetheless.

While the season is over for the Magpies, they are coming off one of the gutsiest performances they’ve ever conjured a week ago against Valleys.

With just 15 players they pushed the Diehards all the way, only falling to a last minute try and a conversion after the siren.

Joe Bond and Tommy Butterfield return in the halves for West Brisbane as does the tireless Troy Swift as the Panthers look to build momentum for their shot at the title.

West Brisbane will look to shut down the Magpies relentless go forward with a huge pack. Chris Gesch will wield the hammer of Thor with go-forward that generally attracts plenty of defenders, creating opportunities on the ensuing play the ball.

His partner in crime, Steven Buckley, has pumped out the post contact metres recently, making hooker Shane Pumipi’s job a lot easier.

The Magpies welcome back playmaker Lane Ferling off the bench to join the dynamic duo of Hayden O’Hara and Josh Bowyer in the same backline that started last week.

Souths Logan’s fearless forwards, while lacking in size, have mobility and ball skills plus the ability to get the offloads to consistent support play.

Kobe Tararo and Jacob Alick have surely caught the eye of the selectors at the next level with their recent form.

With a revamp of the In Safe Hands Cup announced earlier this week, Saturday’s game will be the last time the Magpies and their iconic jersey will grace the fields of the Brisbane Rugby League A Grade competition.

In Safe Hands Cup Round 20 team lists

Easts Tigers v Wynnum Manly Seagulls – Saturday, August 31 at Langlands Park -1pm

#BRLTV Livestream

Easts Tigers

1. Zak Taibi 2. Curtis Dansey-Smaller 3. Keenan Yorston 4. Tom Hughes 5. Aaron Pidcock 6. Nathan Brown 7. Josh Curti 8. Justin Fai 9. Haydin Elsebach 10. Lachlan Barr 11. Tevita Wolske 12. Jack Peoples 13. Jesse Uhlmann 14. Ash Harawira-Naera 15. Anthony Cheng 16. Max Fesolai 17. Ryan Cameron 18. Brandon Downey (one to be omitted)

Coach: Jason Di Lizio.

Wynnum Manly Seagulls

1. Matt Milson 2. Mitch McMillan 3. Harlan Collins 4. James O’Toole 5. Rashaun Denny 6. John Te Reo 7. Edwin Ipape 8. Lucky Ta’avale 9. Tristan Hope 10. Semisi Ahoafi 11. Brad Mana 12. Sam Elliott 13. Rahdly Brawa 14. Reece McKenzie – O’Brien 15. Andrew Clayton 16. Corey Davis 17. Orisi Qaaraniqio

Coach: Ron Troutman

Redcliffe Dolphins v Valleys Diehards – Saturday, August 31 at Dolphin Stadium - 4.15pm

Redcliffe Dolphins

1. Corban Daniels 2. Sam Leach 3. Scott Schultz 4. Josh Rudolph 5. Dylan Briggs 6. Hayden Herbert 7. Regan Baker 8. Leon Vaipulu 9. Oscar Carter 10. Zev John 11. Fabian Palatua Kiri 12. James Flack 13. Tyson Cleal 14. Tevita Mapapalangi 15. Joel O’Brien 16. Faitotoa Faitotoa 17. Logan Cox

Coach: Daniel Green

Valleys Diehards

1. Blaid Pukura 2. Mathew Mc Couat 3. Luke Archer 4. Sam Collins 5. Jonty Hansen 6. Brad Frith 7. Simon Brittain-Snowden 8. Patrick Akaoula 9. Jake friend 10. Jacob Kelly 11. Joe Bradley 12. Ethan Richards 13. Joe McGuire 14. Dylan Tavita 15. Owen Mc Carron16. Brodie Baker 17. Matthew Gill

Coach: Craig Kennedy

West Brisbane Panthers v Souths Logan Magpies – Saturday, August 31 at Frank Lind Oval - 4.30pm

#PantherTV Livestream

West Brisbane Panthers

1. Kyle Van Klaveren 2. Liam Faigaa 3. Keelyn Tuuta 4. Luke Pollock 5. James Olds 6. Joe Bond 7. Tommy Butterfield 8. Chris Gesch 9. Mackenzie Reid 10. Stephen Buckley 11. Troy Swift 12. Michael Egan 13. Jordan Brown 14. Taniela Moa 15. Ethan Marrinan 16. Johnnie Fox 17. Shane Pumipi 20. Foisa Peni

Coach: Craig Ingebrigtsen and Wayne Weekes

Souths Logan Magpies

1. Brandon Roberts 2. Israel Taligatus 3. Lenny Magey 4. Shaquille Gafa 5. Nicholas Maina 6. Haydyn O’Hara 7. Josh Bowyer 8. Kobe Tararo 9. Savarn Tahere 10. Jerome Veve 11. Cameron Booth 12. Jacob Alick 13. Phil Dennis 14. Lane Ferling 15. Kallum Gulliver-Brown 16. Josh Croyden 17. Goodbrey Cooper

Coach: Darren Ferricks

Ladder