The intensity of Hostplus Cup will go up an octave this weekend as teams brace for the return leg of XXXX Rivalry Round in Round 15.
Four matches will take place on Saturday in Ipswich, Burleigh, Townsville and Rockhampton with three on Sunday afternoon in Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast.
The round also doubles as Crazy Sock Round, an initiative being marked across statewide and community rugby league to raise funds for the wonderful work of Family of League.
Here's all the key stats and what the coaches have said ahead of Round 15.
Hostplus Cup Round 15
Ipswich Jets v Brisbane Tigers
Head-to-head: Tigers 30 Ipswich 23 Drawn 1
Last meeting: Tigers 54 def Jets 20 in Round 4, 2023
Broadcast: Qplus.tv
- Tigers have won the last three, and four of the last five, games between these two sides
- Tigers have won the last six games between these two sides at North Ipswich Reserve
A word from the coaches
Ipswich Jets coach Ben Cross: "Statistically speaking, we've improved massively. It just comes down to like it has all year - errors at wrong time and penalties. With an inexperienced team regarding Cup games that sort of shoots ourselves in the foot a little bit and we can't sort of regroup from that. That's another challenge of ours every week, but we're getting better and better in the last two weeks. We can't be going long periods of time without the ball. It's a pretty basic type of assumption, but the more football we have set for set, our football is fairly on par with most other clubs' football, but it's when we have periods of time without the ball that seems to really hurt us. (Tigers) are a fairly well-run professional outfit. Hopefully we can sort of unrest them a little bit with our footy that we've displayed over the last couple of weeks and if we just shore up those errors and penalties it might give themselves a chance."
Brisbane Tigers coach Matt Church: "Coming up against our rivals in the Falcons, it's always a good game and Sunday was a testament to that. It was in the balance until the final minutes and we just couldn't land the knock out blow. What we have been doing lately is we've been starting really well for the first five to seven minutes and then from seven to 20 the game's got away from us a little bit and we've had to play catch up football. We've got back into both contests and then in the final 10 minutes we've had a chance to win the game but haven't been able to nail it. So we certainly can't let Ipswich get a jump on us this week like that. Crossy (Jets coach Ben Cross) and I are mates and we've worked together before and it was always going to take a while for his style to work for those guys and he's starting to see it click and, but while they haven't got results, they have certainly been in the contest for long chunks of the time. We know that we've got a contest on our hands this weekend."
Match: Jets v Tigers
Round 15 -
home Team
Jets
15th Position
away Team
Tigers
4th Position
Venue: North Ipswich Reserve, Ipswich
Burleigh Bears v Tweed Seagulls
Head-to-head: Burleigh 21 Tweed 15 Drawn 2
Last meeting: Burleigh 14 def Tweed 12 in Round 4, 2023
Broadcast: Qplus.tv
- Burleigh have won five of the last six games between these 2 sides at home
- The Bears have won their last seven, and 14 of their last 15, home games
- Tweed have won two of their last three away games
A word from the coaches
Burleigh Bears coach Luke Burt: "We’re nice and refreshed after the bye week. Hopefully the boys got a well-earned rest, not just physically but mentally as well, and we’re ready to go against Tweed. In the last three years since I joined Burleigh, these matches have all been tight matches and you have to play for 80 minutes against them so it’s going to be a big game. I’m expecting a few Titans to return too, which will make them stronger. For us, I want to see them build on their last performance. I felt we put together an 80-minute game and we’ll look to do that again against Tweed. If we’re lacking in those effort areas, they’ll punish us."
Tweed Seagulls coach Dave Penna: "For us, it was a gutsy win last week against Mackay. At times we looked really, really good and then other times we needed to be better. They’re little things we need to focus on as individuals and as a team. This weekend, there is plenty that we are playing for and they obviously don’t need any encouragement for a local derby as well. At the end of the day, the boys know the importance of it. Coming up against Burleigh, it’s always a game that we really don’t need to get them up for. Both teams know the history of the two clubs. They’re a great club and a great footy team so for us, and myself, it’s a really good challenge to see where we’re at at this time of the year."
Match: Bears v Seagulls
Round 15 -
home Team
Bears
1st Position
away Team
Seagulls
8th Position
Venue: UAA Park, Gold Coast
Central Queensland Capras v Mackay Cutters
Head-to-head: Mackay 18 Central 9
Last meeting: Central 38 def Mackay 26 in Round 4, 2023
Broadcast: Qplus.tv
- Central has two losses and a draw in their last three games, and four losses and two draws in their last seven games
- Central have six wins and a draw in their last eight games at Browne Park
- Mackay's win over Sunshine Coast in Round 12 was their first away win in eight games
A word from the coaches
Central Queensland Capras coach Lionel Harbin: "We were happy to get a point, but we weren't happy with our performance (against Pride) to be honest. We know we can play better than that. I just think as a team, I don't think we can play much worse than that. We just need to get back to the basics just holding the footy and being disciplined and to give ourselves an opportunity in some games. It is good to be back home. We haven't been back here for I think it's been about four weeks now. Our crowds have been really great this year and the support that we get from them, the boys really lift off the back of that. Being Rivalry Round just adds to it. One thing we've noticed is (the Cutters) are playing some really good footy, they've improved a lot throughout the year and they're moving the footy a lot. We're not getting not to any false sense of security or anything like that because we know that it's going to be a tough game."
Mackay Cutters coach Michael Comerford: "Not concede 30 points, that'd be a good, good place to start. We've definitely had some improved performances, but apart from the Sunny Coast game, we've been conceding far too many points. So that's probably the takeaway from last week is that as good of a game as it was and as much of an improvement as we've made, conceding 32 points isn't good enough if we're realistic about what we need to do to win games. I'm sure (the Capras) are not overly pleased with their last month or so. They've had a couple of big road trips and now they'll be back at home and looking to put on a show for the home crowd and roll them around again. The Cutters-Capras game always has a little bit extra in it and we're expecting them at their best come Saturday night back at home and looking to get their finals push back on track."
Match: Capras v Cutters
Round 15 -
home Team
Capras
6th Position
away Team
Cutters
14th Position
Venue: Browne Park, Rockhampton
Townsville Blackhawks v Northern Pride
Head-to-head: Townsville 10 Pride 5
Last meeting: Pride 13 def Townsville 12 in Round 4, 2023
Broadcast: Qplus.tv
- Pride have won the last two, and three of the last four games between these two sides at Jack Manski Oval
- Townsville have won two of their last three home games
- Pride have won their last three away games
A word from the coaches
Townsville Blackhawks coach Aaron Payne: "When we played (Pride) earlier in the year, they beat us on the hooter with a wobbly old field goal. Not much separated us then and I dare say, not much will separate us on Saturday night. They're certainly a game we're looking forward to playing and we certainly need to put our best foot forward. We're getting to the point of the season where we needed to start putting some two points in the bank and staying in touch with the eight, otherwise we can forget finals footy. So every two points from now on in is so important. We're like every team, we've got a desire to play finals footy. So we can't wait, then it gets beyond us."
Northern Pride coach Ty Williams: "I thought our second half start wasn't as good as we wanted and that sort of gave the Capras a bit of a jump into some good field position. So that was an area that we've spoken about that we just needed to be better. Also just key moments in the game just to stay and relaxed and have the ability to build pressure. Defensively I thought the boys were very good. They were resilient. They kept turning up for each other, especially in that second half, which was good to see. (Townsville) is on a bit of a roll at the moment. I think they're going really well, they're well coached and Aaron Payne is doing a really good job in the way that they're playing. Obviously the Sunny Coast win from a couple of weeks ago was massive and they've got on the back of that. So we're excited about the return leg of Rivalry Round and we'll focus on what the week holds ahead for us and then, come Saturday, hopefully we've done everything right to get ourselves in good position to win the game. We're under no illusions Saturday is going to be a be a fairly heavy battle down there."
Match: Blackhawks v Pride
Round 15 -
home Team
Blackhawks
12th Position
away Team
Pride
7th Position
Venue: Jack Manski Oval, Townsville
Wynnum Manly Seagulls v Redcliffe Dolphins
Head-to-head: Redcliffe 34 Wynnum Manly 21 Drawn 2
Last meeting: Redcliffe 36 def Wynnum Manly 22 in Round 4, 2023
Broadcast: Kayo, 9Now and Qplus.tv
- Redcliffe have won the last two, and three of the last four, games between these two sides
- Wynnum Manly have won the last four games between these two sides at BMD Kougari Oval
A word from the coaches
Wynnum Manly Seagulls coach Mat Head: "It was good to leave Toowoomba with the two points. It wasn’t our best performances in a number of areas so to be able to play like we did and still get the win is a pleasing thing. But credit to Toowoomba… they put us under the pump. This week has been about getting back to who we are and what we’re about and preparing really well. We’re trying to make sure we turn up individually and ready to go against Redcliffe on Sunday. We're looking forward to the challenge, we know who we are and what we’re about and I’m sure our fans are up for a big game at home too."
Redcliffe Dolphins coach Ben Te'o: Comments yet to be submitted
Match: WM Seagulls v Dolphins
Round 15 -
home Team
WM Seagulls
3rd Position
away Team
Dolphins
5th Position
Venue: BMD Kougari Oval, Brisbane
Norths Devils v Souths Logan Magpies
Head-to-head: Norths 30 Souths Logan 20 Drawn 2
Last meeting: Souths Logan 18 drew Norths 18
Broadcast: Qplus.tv
- Souths Logan have won their last eight games. Their longest ever winning run was nine games in 2010
- Norths have won the last two games between these two sides at Bishop Park
- The match is Liam Horne's 50th for the Devils
A word from the coaches
Norths Devils coach Dave Elliott: "To get that win against Redcliffe, without any Broncos affiliates, it certainly gave the squad and playing group a lot of belief. They were one of the strongest – if not the strongest – teams we have faced this year. But for us, our improvement needs to be our starts. We’re still trying to find some improvement in our starts but our second half performance defensively should give us some confidence. We spoke straight after the game about how we need to back it up and this week we know we’re coming up against a very confident footy team in Souths Logan. There’s a reason they’re sitting first and they’ve earned that right. They’ve built on some really strong combinations. Radean (Robinson) and (Jack) Campagnolo and (Blake) Mozer are certainly building a combo that’s really working for them. We’ll definitely need to be right on our game again, as we had to be with Burleigh, Redcliffe and now them. It’s probably another step up."
Souths Logan Magpies coach Karmichael Hunt: "I couldn't be more proud of their effort last week, to be honest. I think when you look at a trip to PNG, heading up there, just the thought of playing PNG as a team in itself is a pretty daunting task. They're a physical team but then obviously to be able to go out there and put a performance in in PNG obviously with their fans and how fanatic they can get, I was really proud of the boys. Benny (Te Kura) was unreal again, as a young teenager to play as he did through the middle against a physical PNG team. He really got us off on the front foot and his middle partner, Logan Bayliss-Brow, was tremendous as well. Right across the park, I don't think we had a bad player. Against Norths, we need to turn up and really work hard and obviously be on top of our game. They're sitting where they are on the ladder but I still watch their games and obviously watched their performance last week at Redcliffe and they're a classy team. They've still got premiership talent right throughout their team. They obviously haven't got the results they wanted this year, but if anyone can surprise any team at the top of the ladder from where they are, it's Norths, so we are going have to be on our game."
Match: Devils v Magpies
Round 15 -
home Team
Devils
11th Position
away Team
Magpies
2nd Position
Venue: Bishop Park, Brisbane
Sunshine Coast Falcons v PNG Hunters
Head-to-head: Sunshine Coast 10 PNG 7
Last meeting: Sunshine Coast 44 def PNG 6 in Round 17, 2022
Broadcast: Qplus.tv
- Sunshine Coast have won the last three, and five of the last six, game between these two sides
- Sunshine Coast has won the last games between these two sides at Sunshine Coast Stadium
- PNG have lost their last four away games
A word from the coaches
Sunshine Coast Falcons coach Brad Henderson: "(Tigers) are a tough team to beat in any location, but to beat them at home, we're really happy with that. I thought we put a particularly good 40, even 60 minutes of footy together. But we're still hurting ourselves with ball control and discipline. We've just got to get better there. We were only at 64 per cent with completions and gave away nine penalties to four in the game. We're hurting ourselves and we've got to learn from it or we won't keep beating good teams. But definitely, straight away it just made it a better room. There was a bit of feeling in it being the two Storm feeder clubs as well, so it was probably a little bit more personal. But it's fixed our change room, that's for sure. There's a lot of belief in there again now and they just needed to feel good about themselves. So hopefully we can take that newfound confidence into the game against the Hunters this weekend. It's physical and it's fast with the Hunters and they play very different to when we played them twice last year. Defensively they've got a new structure, so what worked against them in the past probably won't work against them now. So we've got to work them out all over again. But if you're not willing to get physical and you can't take the knocks, you're going to struggle against PNG. We certainly know what's coming and the challenge in front of us."
PNG Hunters coach Stanley Tepend: Comments yet to be submitted
Match: Falcons v Hunters
Round 15 -
home Team
Falcons
9th Position
away Team
Hunters
10th Position
Venue: Sunshine Coast Stadium, Sunshine Coast
