![Coaches' call: Hostplus Cup Finals Week 1 preview](/contentassets/c9e022bac0624d3f9d397be23313c385/hpc24_coachescall_website_finals.jpg?center=0.542%2C0.529&preset=hero-primary-wide)
The first week of finals are here, with two elimination matches to be played in a thrilling opening day of action.
Three of the four week one finals will take place on Saturday, with the minor premiers in the Northern Pride opening their campaign against the Sunshine Coast Falcons in Cairns.
Following on from this will be the PNG Hunters against Wynnum Manly Seagulls in Port Moresby in the first do-or-die match before the Central Queensland Capras play host to the Burleigh Bears in Rockhampton in the second elimination game from 6pm.
Sunday will then belong to the local derby, as the Norths Devils and Redcliffe Dolphins face off in the broadcast feature match.
Here are what the coaches had to say ahead of week one of finals.
Hostplus Cup Finals Week 1
Northern Pride v Sunshine Coast Falcons
Northern Pride coach Eric Smith: We haven't spoken about our winning streak at all. Last week, the way we started, we were really disappointed with that and our physicality. We didn't want to get our bodies in front and Burleigh were able to just roll too easily out of their end. We gave six yardage penalties away in a row so discipline was a bit off. We made it real hard on ourselves. I thought that to start the game, Burleigh's intensity had really gone up. I thought we hadn't gone down with the mentality that it was our last opportunity to sharpen things up for the finals. As a group we were a little bit disappointed with parts of it. To beat Burleigh in Burleigh at any time is a hard thing to do. But to come from behind and do it, it highlights there's belief and fight in this group. This week we have the Falcons and we met them a few weeks ago. They came with a real physicality and intensity at the start of the game and got the jump on us. We had to slowly build into it. I'm expecting that same intensity again. They're a really tough team that work extremely hard and they don't beat themselves. They have good line speed through the middle third and they're aggressive. We know it's going to be a physical game and they have a pretty handy spine. We just need to be ready to match their physicality because that's definitely a strength of theirs.
Sunshine Coast Falcons coach Brad Henderson: It was really pleasing the style of footy we played but the ball control we had too against the Devils last week. To finish with 80 per cent completion, it's not something we've been able to do in two halves of footy this year so it gives them a lot of confidence. The fashion in which we won was really pleasing but the style of football... there's been consistent periods where we have played like that this year so it was nice to get back to that style of play. What we did with the ball came off the back of our defensive mindset. And that's the key for us against the Pride - they're a big pack. If we're not going up willing to tackle and get dirty, it will be a hard day. They've maintained their momentum. They're a little different without Jake Clifford and a lot falls on the shoulders of Tom Duffy but across the park they're rock solid. We need to limit their opportunities and be disciplined and push them into corners. That semi-final mentality of give nothing away and work hard on the opposition, that's what I'm looking for and what the boys are geared up for.
Broadcast: Qplus.tv
Match: Pride v Falcons
Finals Week 1 -
![Pride](/.theme/pride/badge.png?bust=202408280148)
home Team
Pride
1st Position
away Team
Falcons
4th Position
Venue: Barlow Park, Cairns
PNG Hunters v Wynnum Manly Seagulls
PNG Hunters coach Paul Aiton: Having three straight wins heading into finals, it does give us a bit of confidence. But we spoke in our last training session to say that it's a new competition from now. We did well and we're confident but we have to refocus onto a new comp, onto the next forward block. We get to play at home again but we're not focused on that. We're focused on us and what we've done in the season and how we have to do that again in this next comp. When we focus on other things, it doesn't help our preparation. Wynnum Manly are a top team. We're expecting a really good hit out from them and expecting them at their very best.
Wynnum Manly Seagulls coach Mat Head: I think last week against the Tigers, we may have had one eye on the next week. When your mindset isn't fully on the moment you can get the pants pulled down and that's what the Tigers did to us. There were stages we were really happy with so we just need to make sure we do that for longer periods and stay in the contest for longer periods. It wasn't the result we wanted but we got to move onto the following week and the challenges ahead. We're excited by that. There's only eight teams left and we're one of them. It doesn't matter where you finish, but we're here and we're off to PNG. We've been there once this year so we know what we're heading towards, we know what it's like for our preparation. We lost that game so we have a bit of redemption to chase and we want to get back to how we would like to play. You can sense the excitement in the playing group. The Hunters are playing some really good footy. They have a really good balance in their game. We know what to expect. They're playing their fourth home game in a row and they'll be up for the challenge but it puts a bit of added pressure on them as well. We're excited and can't wait for the challenge.
Broadcast: Qplus.tv
Match: Hunters v WM Seagulls
Finals Week 1 -
home Team
Hunters
5th Position
away Team
WM Seagulls
8th Position
Venue: Santos National Football Stadium, Port Moresby
Central Queensland Capras v Burleigh Bears
Central Queensland Capras coach Lionel Harbin: We were pretty disappointed with the way we performed against Norths the week prior to last. As a result, finals came a week earlier for us against Tweed and I thought with the performance from the boys, we were pretty dominant throughout the game. We were pleased to give ourselves another week in the competition. Moving forward, we don't want to beat ourselves. The game we played against Norths, we didn't give ourselves an opportunity through poor completion and ill-discipline. It's going to be hard to win finals footy games if you do that. Against Burleigh this week, they have a lot of experience for this time of year and know what it takes to win the big games. We have to give ourselves every opportunity by doing the little things right.
Burleigh Bears coach Luke Burt: We're approaching the finals as a new season. We get a new opportunity. We had a great first half against the Pride last week and a really good battle. They had a 10-15 minute period where they scored back-to-back and it wasn't good enough from us. But we have to worry about ourselves and turning it around this week. We saw a lot of signs last week of how we want to look in this finals series. We need to do more of it and go for the game - don't be nervous, don't be worried. We're in do-or-die now. Knowing it's our last game, there should be a different energy and different feel to it. We should have a lot of energy. The Capras are a rough, gritty side. They'll try to get under our skin and are very good at that. There's never been a blowout. It's always a really close match between us so I think it will go down to the wire and both teams will be in it with 10 minutes to go in the match.
Broadcast: Qplus.tv
Match: Capras v Bears
Finals Week 1 -
home Team
Capras
6th Position
![Bears](/.theme/burleigh-bears-100-years/badge.png?bust=202312080521)
away Team
Bears
7th Position
Venue: Rugby Park Rockhampton
Norths Devils v Redcliffe Dolphins
Norths Devils coach Dave Elliott: Last week wasn't the way we wanted to finish the regular season but in any situation you use that experience. We got taught a valuable lesson in the first half last week. We've spoken about that and how we got to have that lesson in the last regular round as opposed to first week of finals. We spoke about how important the starts are in these types of games at this point of the season. We've spoken about owning our moments, competing really hard and turning up for each other. This weekend, it's Redcliffe versus Norths which is always a very tight contest. It will be a fierce game. Guys are good mates with each other and both teams will be wanting nothing more after that 80 minutes than to come away with the win. Redcliffe are a good footy side. They've been consistent all year, well-coached and it will be a typical tough finals match.
Redcliffe Dolphins coach Ben Te'o: There's a lot of changes coming our way. A few curveballs with selections in terms of the NRL side and how they're shaping up and what's coming back to us. It's finals time and there's a lot of changes and we have to roll with it. All we can control is our attitude. On Sunday we get an opportunity that we've earned and that's to be in the top four and go to Norths to hopefully get a result. That's all we're focused on at the moment. It's always a good thing having two shots being in the top four. Norths are a highly talented team with a great list. They have some good top 30 players there. We won the first match up this year in a close game, they won the second easily It's a good match up.
Broadcast: Qplus.tv
Match: Devils v Dolphins
Finals Week 1 -
![Devils](/.theme/devils/badge.png?bust=202408280148)
home Team
Devils
2nd Position
away Team
Dolphins
3rd Position
Venue: Bishop Park, Brisbane
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