The new season of local rugby league is well underway now, and our weekly look forward to the action is here with our HostPlus Cup aka Queensland Cup Round 3 Preview featuring as many barely interesting stats as we could muster for the opening weekend.
Our weekly preview also features some predictions. Not just our but some guest tipsters of note. More on that below.
And it is no joke, there is a Friday game on this weekend, which is April Fool’s day. Plus a double header at Runaway Bay on Sunday.
The point of interest from last weekend was that the first three games saw the winning team score exactly 26 points, and the fourth game saw a multiple of 26, as Mackay thrashed Ipswich 52-12. Last weekend saw the season’s first draw between the Magpies and Tigers at Marsden High.
But there’s much more to learn ahead from our HostPlus Cup-Queensland Cup Round 3 preview.
Queensland Cup Round 3 Predictions
With the return of the HostPlus Cup for 2022 comes our regular weekly tipping.
The merge of Intrust Super and HostPlus may have seen the competition name change from Intrust Super Cup to HostPlus Cup, but we still have Intrust Super’s Brendan O’Farrell joining us for the 2022 season again. He is the multiple reigning champion after all for our website.
New for 2022 is the main man of the local independent rugby League website Nothing But League. They have outstanding rugby league coverage and still have time for Queensland Cup here too.
And then there’s our tips….Anyways, here they are.
BRENDAN O’FARRELL
REIGNING GURGLER QLD CUP TIPPING CHAMP
FORMERLY OF INTRUST SUPER
2022 Stats 5/14
WYNNUM SEAGULLS to beat Townsville Blackhawks
SUNSHINE COAST FALCONS to beat Souths Logan Magpies
REDCLIFFE DOLPHINS to beat Burleigh Bears
CENTRAL CAPRAS to beat Ipswich Jets
TWEED HEADS SEAGULLS to beat Norths Devils
BRISBANE TIGERS to beat PNG Hunters
MACKAY CUTTERS to beat Northern Pride
MATT PRITCHARD
NOTHING BUT LEAGUE EDITOR
2022 Stats – 8/14
TOWNSVILLE BLCKHAWKS to beat Wynnum Seagulls
BURLEIGH BEARS to beat Redcliffe Dolphins
SUNSHINE COAST FALCONS to beat Souths Logan Magpies
CENTRAL CAPRAS to beat Ipswich Jets
NORTHS DEVILS to beat Tweed Heads Seagulls
BRISBANE TIGERS to beat PNG Hunters
MACKAY CUTTERS to beat Northern Pride
THE GURGLER (US)
2022 Stats – 4/14
WYNNUM SEAGULLS to beat Townsville Blackhawks
BURLEIGH BEARS to beat Redcliffe Dolphins
SOUTHS LOGAN MAGPIES to beat Sunshine Coast Falcons
CENTRAL CAPRAS to beat Ipswich Jets
NORTHS DEVILS to beat Tweed Heads Seagulls
PNG HUNTERS to beat Tigers
NORTHERN PRIDE to beat Mackay Cutters
QUEENSLAND CUP ROUND 3 GAMES
FRIDAY 7:00PM
TOWNSVILLE BLACKHAWK v WYNNUM SEAGULLS
POINTS OF INTEREST
Wynnum have won their last three away trips to non SEQ sides and nine of their last 11.
Townsville have now lost four in a row going back to last season.
And the Blackhawks have now lost four in a row at home.
And six of their last seven v Brisbane clubs.
PREDICTION
Wynnum by 8
SATURDAY 3:00PM
BURLEIGH BEARS v REDCLIFFE DOLPHINS
POINTS OF INTEREST
Redcliffe have the H2H advantage between these sides at Pizzey Park.
Burleigh have won 11 in a row at home, and their last loss at home was in August 2019.
Burleigh have won the only Saturday clash between these sides at Pizzey Park since 2014.
PREDICTION
Bears by 6
SATURDAY 3:00PM
SUNSHINE COAST FALCONS v SOUTHS LOGAN MAGPIES
POINTS OF INTEREST
Out of Souths Logan’s opening two games, 22 has been scored by three of the teams. The other was 24.
Falcons have won four straight v Magpies.
Falcons lost four of their six home games on a Saturday last season.
The last two Magpies games on a Saturday have ended in draws. Both against the Tigers.
PREDICTION
Souths Logan by 2
SATURDAY 5:00PM
IPSWICH JETS v CENTRAL CAPRAS
POINTS OF INTEREST
The Capras top the table for probably the first time ever.
It’s the first time they have won back to back games since August 2018.
Capras have won two of their last three Brisbane trips.
Ipswich have never lost a home game to the Capras. And average a healthy 37.7 points scored over those games.
PREDICTION
Capras by 2
SUNDAY 12:10PM
TWEAD HEADS SEAGULS v NORTHS DEVILS
POINTS OF INTEREST
Norths only lost two games last season. One v Gold Coast opposition.
Norths have lost only one of their last 11 away matches.
Tweed Heads have lost their last three games on a Sunday v Brisbane opposition. But have won five of the last six home matches on a Sunday v Brisbane teams.
PREDICTION
Norths by 6
SUNDAY 2:10PM
PNG HUNTERS v BRISBANE TIGERS
POINTS OF INTEREST
Tigers are unbeaten in their last four v Hunters.
Hunters have never beaten the Tigers outside of PNG.
Hunters have lost their last four Sunday matches and conceded 32 points or more.
Tigers have lost their last six Sunday games.
Hunters have lost their last five games v Brisbane sides.
PREDICTION
Hunters by 4
SUNDAY 3:00PM
MACKAY CUTTERS v NORTHERN PRIDE
POINTS OF INTEREST
Mackay’s win last weekend over the Jets made it two in a row against them with a total of 88 points scored.
Mackay have beaten the Pride just once in seven home matches. With one draw.
Mackay’s last home match on a Sunday was in August 2019. Just five of the 78 Mackay home matches since 2014 have been on a Sunday. For the record, Mackay have won one of those five.
Pride (W2 D1) were undefeated last season away to Non SEQ teams.
PREDICTION
Pride by 1
