2019 Intrust Super Cup Finals Series Guide

The formalities are over, and the business end of Queensland’s premier rugby league competition is here, as the 2019 Intrust Super Cup Finals Series is ready to kick off.

Cynics will say it is the seemingly invincible Sunshine Coast Falcon’s premiership to lose, but finals rarely play out like that. And most of the top eight is in great form.

You can point to the fact that some of the form sides heading into the 2019 Intrust Super Cup Finals Series are in the bottom half of the new top eight structure. 

The top eight structure has allowed a team in great form like Redcliffe to make the finals, and given their recent record – especially against the top sides – you can argue it is all worth it.

Top eight also means it follow the NRL format too. 

We have the fixtures list, a short run down on all the teams chances, and more in our 2019 Intrust Super Cup Finals Series Guide.

2019 Intrust Super Cup Finals Series Guide – The Fixtures / Results

Here is the fixture list and path to the Grand Final for you to come back to throughout the 2019 Intrust Super Cup Finals Series.

2019 Intrust Super Cup Finals Series Guide – Where is the Grand Final?

Dolphin Oval – Sunday 29th September

In a break from tradition that is welcome for atmosphere, if not geography, the 2019 Intrust Super Cup Grand Final will be played at Dolphin Oval aka Dolphin Stadium.

We guess it is better to have a Grand Final with 10,000 filling the boutique stadium, rather than the same amount filling the side of the ground where the TV camera aren’t filming to make it look like no one is there.

We love Dolphin Oval, not just as Dolphins fans, but it is still a great ground to watch football. Despite the lack of the old hill, it should still be a great grand final. We will be there regardless of the teams.

Here is the QRL statement on it all.

2019 Intrust Super Cup Finals Series Guide – Who is in and Who can win?

Here are our thoughts on each team heading into the 2019 Intrust Super Cup Finals.

SUNSHINE COAST FALCONS

Finished 2019 Regular Season – 1st

Season Record – Played 23 – Won 21 – Lost 1 – Drawn 1 – Scored 856 – Conceded 292

Last 5 Form – 4 Wins 1 Draw

Form against Top Eight sides in 2019 – Won 10 – Lost 1

Streak heading into Finals – 1 Draw

How can they win?

Because they have been the best side all season. A team that fails to win just twice in a season deserves to be favourites to win the Intrust Super Cup. Their first choice line up features players who will be fighting for player of the year. They have scored 856 points this season, at the lazy average of 37 points, all while conceding at an average of 13. Their stars Harry Grant and Nicho Hynes have 40 try assists between them this season and 43 Line Break assists.

Game Breaker – So many to choose from, but our favourite is Nicho Hynes who impresses every time we get a chance to see. He proved his future worth to the Melbourne Storm with an outstanding NRL debut a few weeks ago. 

Premiership Odds – $1.70

Our Final Say….

In the Grand Final for sure for us, but it all depends on who they meet, or if there is any impact from Melbourne. Although, they could meet Redcliffe in Week 3 to make the Grand Final….Dare we say they are knocked out by Redcliffe to miss the Grand Final? Now that would be arrogance.

WYNNUM SEAGULLS

Finished 2019 Regular Season – 2nd

Season Record – Played 23 – Won 18 – Lost 5 – Scored 652 – Conceded 362

Last 5 Form –  4 Wins – 1 Loss

Form against Top Eight sides in 2019 – Won 8 – Lost 5

Streak heading into Finals – 1 Win

How can they win?

They can score plenty of points, and their tremendous home record in 2019 (11-1) will be heavily in their favour given they will play two home finals. The metal sign in the Chook Pen could get a real workout in September. Their halves combination is also a key for their finals series success. Former player of the year Pat Templeman is back to his best, and Sam Scarlett leads the 2019 stats for Try Assist by a whopping 7, with his 27 in 23 games. Wynnum also have the second best record against top eight sides.

Game Breaker – Edene Gebbie. The PNG excitement machine is off to South Sydney next season. He was top of the run metres for the 2019 season with 3,589., and chalked up nearly a kilometre in kick returns this season also. He’s also in the top five for line breaks and tackle busts. 

Premiership Odds – $6.00

Our Final Say….

We have been pretty impressed every time we have seen Wynnum play this season, especially their ruthless dismantling of the PNG Hunters a few weeks ago. The only question remains is their record against the Falcons this season and the defeats to Redcliffe and Townsville in the second half of the season. Townsville is a likely Week 3 opponent if Wynnum win their first finals match against Burleigh. If they lose, they face Flockbuster rivals Tweed Heads or Redcliffe. But they do have a poor record against Burleigh at Kougari since 2014 – just 1/5 wins.

BURLEIGH BEARS

Finished 2019 Regular Season – 3rd

Season Record – Played 23 – Won 17 – Lost 6 – Scored 663 – Conceded 304

Last 5 Form – 3 Wins – 2 Losses

Form against Top Eight sides in 2019 – Won 6 – Lost 6

Streak heading into Finals – 1 Win

How can they win?

There’s a lot of the experienced players who took the Bears to their 2016 premiership, and that experience could be crucial come September. Their fullback, halfback and hooker played in that Grand Final win, a big advantage to have most of their spine with Grand Final winning experience. In Tyronne Roberts-Davis and Troy Leo, they have one of the competition’s best winger combinations, and also fullback Kurtis Rowe is a safe pair of hands at the back. Between them they have 44 tries between them, and Roberts Davis has only played half a season.

Game Breaker – Troy Leo is a our man to watch for the Burleigh Bears in the finals. A natural try scorer with 22 for the season. He is also equal first for tackle breaks, along with leading try scorer Jon Rueben for the Falcons. He was injured in the Round 22 clash with the Falcons, and didn’t play this weekend in Rockhampton. So of course he won’y be a game breaker if he doesn’t play. We’d also love to mention Luke Page, not just because of our PNG connection, but he is big unit and can be an inspirational figure in big games for the Bears. Notably his 2016 Grand Final effort. He scored a try against the Capras in the final round.

Premiership Odds – $6.00

Our Final Say….

Burleigh offer as much as any top eight side, but the hit and miss form is a worry. Recent losses to Redcliffe, Sunshine Coast and Townsville don’t bode well for the finals ahead, and their wins against strugglers PNG Hunters and Northern Pride were modest compared to the thrashings other teams handed out. We say out in straight sets if Redcliffe win their first week game.

TOWNSVILLE BLACKHAWKS

Finished 2019 Regular Season – 4th

Season Record – Played 23 – Won 17 – Lost 6 – Scored 556 – Conceded 344

Last 5 Form – 3 Wins – 2 Losses

Form against Top Eight sides in 2019 – Won 7 – Lost 5

Streak heading into Finals –  2 Wins

How can they win?

Because they have a great all round side, with plenty of speed and experience. They also can draw on the experience of beating both fellow top four rivals Burleigh and Wynnum since Round 18 in the lead up to the finals.

Game Breaker – Shaun Nona – the man who has previously led the Northern Pride to a Intrust Super Cup title, and Illawarra to State Championship glory can be an a huge handful on his best days. That winning experience could just be the little extra they need to go that bit further in 2019. 

Premiership Odds – $9.00

Our Final Say….

They have enough talent, and oomph to go far in the 2019 Finals Series, but they have been in far more dominant positions after previous regular seasons and not followed through with premiership gold. And outside of their first season where they made the Grand Final, their finals record isn’t great. They’ll probably get beaten by the Falcons in Week 1, then likely face Norths in the next round, who they could possibly beat by virtue of the distance traveled and home ground advantage. Which would leave them playing at either Wynnum or Burleigh in Week 3. We say week 3 exit.

NORTHS DEVILS

Finished 2019 Regular Season – 5th

Season Record – Played 23 – Won 15 – Lost 8 – Scored 619 – Conceded 477

Last 5 Form – 4 Wins – 1 Loss

Streak heading into Finals – 1 Loss

Form against Top Eight sides in 2019 – Won 4 – Lost 6

How can they win?

The Devils have been the quiet achievers of the 2019 Intrust Super Cup season, momentum building nicely into a fifth place finish. A home final to start the campaign should also help their cause. Although, the home game is against the Easts Tigers, who have beaten them in their last five clashes at Bishop Park going back to 2014, which could be worse if we could find some more records. The respective form of Norths and Easts makes that stat less relevant, but some teams do have bogey opponents. For the Devils sake, we say it’s time to break with history.

Game Breaker – Nixon Putt. OK, some PNG bias here, but what a new recruit he has turned out to be for the Devils. He is a big physical presence in both attack and defense. We are also big fans of Connor Broadhurst, who has been another inspired off season recruit for 2019. Their wingers also have some decent 2019 stats – Paul Ulberg is fourth with 114 tackle breaks and Herbie Farnworth is fourth for line breaks with 17.

Premiership Odds – $31.00

Our Final Say….

A team flying under the radar in 2019 to a degree. They should win their first game to Easts, whose recent results have been poor. However the previously mentioned drought of wins over Easts at Bishop Park puts a doubt in our minds about their progress. Even a win is rewarded with a likely trip to Townsville, where the Devils have never won since the Blackhawks’ inclusion in 2015. So probably a second finals week exit.

TWEED HEADS SEAGULLS

Finished 2019 Regular Season – 6th

Season Record – Played 23 – Won 14 – Lost 9 – Scored 464 – Conceded 438

Last 5 Form – 4 Wins – 1 Loss

Streak heading into Finals – 4 Wins

Form against Top Eight sides in 2019 -Won 4 – Lost 7

How can they win?

Tweed Heads have found some late season form, after going winless from round 13 to round 19. Ash Taylor is the key though, as few teams have the NRL experience as he does. If he is allowed to play in the finals series.

Game Breaker – Christian Hazard – the former Dolphins player lines up against his old team after he left Redcliffe for a chance in the NRL with the Tigers. He’s with the Seagulls these days, but still a great competitor.

Premiership Odds – $81.00

Our Final Say….

For all of their decent end to the 2019 season, the fact that they have to play Redcliffe means we think their 2019 journey ends at Round 1. Although the Seagulls did beat the Dolphins late last season at Piggabeen.

REDCLIFFE DOLPHINS

Finished 2019 Regular Season – 7th

Season Record – Played 23 – Won 13 – Lost 10 – Scored 558 – Conceded 392

Last 5 Form – 5 wins

Streak heading into Finals – 5 wins

Form against Top Eight sides in 2019 – Won 5 – Lost 6

How can they win?

In form and on a roll. Plus their record against the top three sides in the second half of the season is great. Plus they are the only team to beat the Sunshine Coast Falcons in 2019. Lucky to be there with a newly expanded top eight, and what a shame it would have been without a dangerous floater in the first weeks of the finals season.

Game Breaker – Izaia Perese  – the former rugby union player is on the Broncos radar for when a vacancy becomes available. It won’t be too long. This season for Redcliffe sees him top the Tackle Break stats with 133 in just 17 games, and also features in the top five for offloads. The only back among the forward dominated stat.

Premiership Odds – $21.00

Our Final Say….

Real dark horses for the Premiership, and their record against the top side recently is impressive. If they knock off Tweed Heads in the first week of the finals, they could possibly face the Sunshine Coast Falcons in week three of the finals, a side whom Redcliffe have already beaten. 

EASTS TIGERS

Finished 2019 Regular Season – 8th

Season Record – Played 23 – Won 10 – Lost 12 –  Draw 1 – Scored 478 – Conceded 541

Last 5 Form – 5 Losses

Streak heading into Finals – 5 Losses

Form against Top Eight sides in 2019 – Won 2 – Lost 10

How can they win?

Because the Easts Tigers are always a force when it comes to finals. Give them a sniff, and they’ll grab the nose and run with it. But that recent form is a worry, although the last round defeat to Townsville was better. And the Tigers do have an incredible record at Bishop Park against Norths.

Game Breaker – Billy Walters has impressed every time we have seen him play, so we say he is the go to man for the Tigers. But as ever with Easts it probably won’t be the big name player that eventually catches the eye or is the game breaker.

Premiership Odds – $101.00

Our Final Say….

Hard to pick a team whose results have fallen away so badly, but we give them a real chance of beating Norths, which would then give them a match up against Townsville the following week. Their last two losses have only been by two points, so perhaps that form isn’t too bad.