THIS WEEK’S INTRUST SUPER CUP PREVIEW BROUGHT TO YOU BY THIS WEEK’S QUEENSLAND CUP LEGEND – CAMPBELL “ZULU” DEWES
Time for a week with some big clashes.
First of all there’s the traditional clash between Easts Tigers and Wynnum Seagulls, with the Seagulls still looking for their first win of the season.
Secondly, the competition’s two newest sides who have struck up an instant rivalry with some great games in the one season together meet in the hot spot of the National Football Stadium at Port Moresby.
As great as the game at Suzuki Stadium will be, they always are, it seems a shame that the cameras aren’t going to Port Moresby this weekend.
There’ll always be a few reasons given by the bosses – logistic and financial – for this game being overlooked, but there are so many sporting reasons for the game to be televised.
Firstly, along with Ipswich, both of these teams were the strongest, and arguably the most entertaining in 2015, with plenty on offer in attack and defence, so why wouldn’t you want to showcase your best sides against each other.
Next, there is some natural interest for both of these sides and the fledgling rivalry for the neutral, given Townsville’s stellar first season of Intrust super Cup and the PNG Hunters different style of play.
There’s also the fact that the Hunters are now playing in their newly renovated 15,000+ stadium which will be close to fever pitch given the calibre of the game on offer. The atmosphere would be incredible and something I’m sure the viewer would want to see this weekend. It could have been something you could promote and have a special before hand.
Finally, surely by admitting these teams in 2014 and 2015, you would think the powers that be would want to showcase their two new teams as much as possible, especially in a clash that produces classic clashes. Not forgetting that these games are replayed on Foxtel during the week, and I’m sure there would be a number of fans who would enjoy getting a replay from outside Queensland. PNG would get the attention of an outside ring-in more so than some of the more traditional teams.
We’re not stupid, there’s always financial and logistic implications, but surely money isn’t above showcasing and developing the game on occasion, and surely a home game now and again for both of these sides would be welcomed for teams who have to travel extensively and much more than the SEQ sides, for them to attract bigger and better sponsors to help them pay for the travel costs. There should be plenty O pie left from the overpriced Origin tickets that are on sale each season. The Hunters have been paying for teams to travel up there as well as travelling themselves. Yes, it was part of the admission agreement, and yes they have an entire country behind them, but why not give them a little honey once in a while.
The full preview is with our friends at Nothing But League. Catch up with it all here.
WHAT HAPPENED LAST WEEKEND?
Ipswich 24 NORTHERN PRIDE 26
Sunshine Coast 12 REDCLIFFE 16
Mackay 20 PNG 34
Central 10 EASTS 30
Norths 6 BURLEIGH 26
Tweed Heads 8 TOWNSVILLE 42
Wynnum 20 SOUTHS LOGAN 21
Or why not catch up with
TABLE
| P | W | D | L | B | PD | PTS | |
| Townsville Blackhawks | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 108 | 10 |
| Burleigh Bears | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 48 | 8 |
| PNG Hunters | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 40 | 8 |
| Easts Tigers | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 38 | 7 |
| Redcliffe Dolphins | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 28 | 6 |
| Northern Pride | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 13 | 6 |
| Sunshine Coast Falcons | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 6 |
| CQ Capras | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | -5 | 6 |
| Norths Devils | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | -18 | 5 |
| Ipswich Jets | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | -1 | 4 |
| Souths Logan Magpies | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | -39 | 4 |
| Tweed Heads Seagulls | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | -42 | 4 |
| Mackay Cutters | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | -70 | 0 |
| Wynnum Manly Seagulls | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | -109 | 0 |
THIS WEEK’S GAMES
Ipswich v Northern Pride @ South Pine Sports Complex, Albany Creek – Kick Off Saturday 2pm
Mackay v Norths @ BB Print Stadium Mackay – Kick Off Saturday 6pm
Central v Sunshine Coast @ Browne Park – Kick Off Saturday 6pm
Easts v Wynnum @ Suzuki Stadium, Langlands Park – Kick Off Sunday 1:40pm
Souths Logan v Burleigh @ Davies Park – Kick Off Saturday 3pm
PNG Hunters v Townsville @ National Football Stadium, Port Moresby – Kick Off Sunday 3pm
Northern Pride v Tweed Heads @ Barlow Park – Kick Off Sunday 3pm
TV GAMES
SUNDAY 1:30pm – EASTS v WYNNUM – Channel 9
TEAM LISTS
The Team Lists for Round 6 are out and available in full from the link below. We have a few points below
http://www.qrl.com.au/news/2016/04/05/intrust_super_cup_ro.html
- The first thing we check is that #16 W. Minoga has been selected for the Townsville Blackhawks. He’s in, job done.
- Cameron Cullen has been promoted to the Titans side again, but will he play?
THE HUNT FOR PNG OCTOBER
Each week we’ll bring a brief update on our favourite team in this competition – the excitement machine that is the PNG Hunters.
The PNG Hunters bounced back from their first loss of the 2016 campaign with a good win over the winless Mackay Cutters on Saturday night.
The win puts them equal second with the Burleigh Bears ahead of this weekend’s huge clash against the unbeaten, table topping Townsville Blackhawks.
The new halves pairing from last week remains, and it features our player to watch for the year Watson Boas. Their second half comeback shows the attack is still sharp, and will need to be this weekend against the mighty Blackhawks.
One point of interest between the two sides is the return of former PNG Hunter favourite Willie Minoga to PNG since his off season move to Townsville. The reception will be interesting, but surely the home fans will still love to see him in action, albeit in different colours this year. The Townsville press are loving Big Willie’s work too, with a copy of the back page of the local paper from today featuring our Person of the Year 2015.
PNG Hunters Team – Round 6
PNG Hunters
- Stargroth Amean 2. Justin Olam 3. Noel Zeming (c) 4. Adex Wera 5. William Aquila 6. Watson Boas 7. Wartovo Puara 8. Henry Noki 9. Warren Glare 10. Esau Siune 11. Ishamel Baikawa 12. Tuvi Lepan 13. Brandy Peter 14. Adam Korave (c) 15. Enock Maki 16. Philimon Kimisive 17. Edward Goma 18. Timothy Lomai 19. Benjamin Hetra
Coach: Michael Marum
KEEP UP TO DATE WITH SCORES GALORE
The Online Matchday Programme with Score Updates and more is very good and an excellent way of keeping up with all the scores if you can’t be there.
Check it out here this weekend.
GAMBLETRON 3000 CORNER
And now onto our weekly multi tips for your consideration
REDCLIFFE to beat Ipswich CENTRAL +5.5 start v Sunshine Coast MACKAY to beat Norths WYNNUM +10.5 start v Easts SOUTHS LOGAN to beat Burleigh PRIDE to beat Tweed Heads PNG +4.0 start v Townsville
$1 for $76
And here is this week’s odds for your chance to beat our selections. Odds thanks to Tatts Bet
| Redcliffe Dolphins | $ 1.55 | (-4.5) | $ 1.90 | |
| Ipswich Jets | $ 2.45 | (+4.5) | $ 1.90 | |
| CQ Capras | $ 2.60 | (+5.5) | $ 1.90 | |
| Sunshine Coast Falcons | $ 1.50 | (-5.5) | $ 1.90 | |
| Mackay Cutters | $ 2.45 | (+4.5) | $ 1.90 | |
| Norths Devils | $ 1.55 | (-4.5) | $ 1.90 | |
| Easts Tigers | $ 1.25 | (-10.5) | $ 1.90 | |
| Wynnum Manly Seagulls | $ 4.00 | (+10.5) | $ 1.90 | |
| PNG Hunters | $ 2.45 | (+4.5) | $ 1.90 | |
| Townsville Blackhawks | $ 1.55 | (-4.5) | $ 1.90 | |
| Northern Pride | $ 1.45 | (-6.5) | $ 1.90 | |
| Tweed Heads | $ 2.75 | (+6.5) | $ 1.90 | |
| Souths Logan Magpies | $ 2.00 | (+1.5) | $ 1.85 | |
| Burleigh Bears | $ 1.80 | (-1.5) | $ 1.95 |
