We love the Intrust Super Cup aka the Queensland Cup, and usually go as far as providing a weekly preview for those who love it as much, but we do get slack when it comes to a review.
So with just five weeks remaining after this weekend before the finals start, what better time to start of quick wrap up of the action with a top 5 of all the Intrust Super Cup Round 20 action.
People these days barely have time for anything, let alone a second tier rugby league competition, which is why we try and cherry pick the best of the weekend so you can use it for all your water cooler talk for the rest of the week.
So enjoy our top 5 of the weekend action, and why not get on board if you haven’t already.
The Top 5 of Intrust Super Cup Round 20
COUNTRY WEEK IS A GREAT IDEA
The Intrust Super Cup’s Get in the Game Country Week is a great initiative by the QRL and State Government, and a great example of sporting body working with a government for the good of the game, making a difference in the real grassroots. For all those reasons it will never happen in the NRL as they are a bunch of corporate duds who are looking for a buck. We tried to make the argument in a piece for the Fox Sports Academy, but we are really kidding ourselves that it would ever happen.
Going through the highlights from the weekend, what a sight it is to see the game being played on the country grounds. Sure they aren’t perfect surfaces like Suncorp Stadium with a massive red dirt patch in the middle of a field like in St George, or the shelters with a roof made of what appears to be grass in Bamaga near Cape York, or how at most grounds you could just drive your car to the fence and enjoy the game.
One one week a year it is good to give back to the grass roots, and by al reports they enjoyed the company, and may it continue for a long time.
REDCLIFFE DOLPHINS > CENTRAL CAPRAS
Matches between these two sides have ended in a for and against of 220-30 for the last 5 encounters, and it was a timely that Redcliffe continued their dominance as they had lost two in a row before coming into the game.
The Capras were no match, and with the PNG Hunters drawing and Sunshine Coast losing in St George it was great opportunity for the Dolphins to get their top two chances back on track. They get to enhance their chances further with the arrival of the first placed PNG Hunters on Sunday for what will no doubt be an entertaining afternoon of rugby league.
NORTHERN PRIDE BREAK 8 GAME LOSING STREAK
Although there are winners and losers every week in the Intrust Super Cup, no one likes to see a side lose too many in a row.
So we save one of our top 5 for the Pride, who not only got rid of their losing streak but did it in style with a convincing win over the Wynnum Seagulls.
The match did see the return of Shaun Nona for Wynnum, a celebrated player in the Intrust Super Cup previously who couldn’t quite get the opportunities with the Dragons down south.
JAKE CARL SCORES 4 TRIES FOR BURLEIGH
Burleigh winger Jake Carl likes to score tries in multiples. He got three against Ispwich in the Bear’s 44-0 drubbing of Ipswich a month ago, and grabbed himself four tires on Sunday against the Falcons.
It is a good story of a player who is not necessarily part of any NRL feeder program or a youth product straight out of the National Youth comp.
He is a Police Officer, and played in Bundaberg previously to suit his career, and his form in the local Gold Coast competition has seen him get a start. Now he’s getting to play Intrust Super Cup and scoring plenty as a result. Some of the tries are worth checking out via the QRL website website highlights of each game.
NOTHING WRONG WITH A DRAW
The only thing usually wrong with a draw in Rugby League is the NRL.
They don’t like draws as it is not American enough, requiring golden point to mimic the overtime all US based games appear to need.
The NRL certainly don’t like draws, as in the schedules, as they like to pretend that the draw has been planned for months and then comes the TV listing for rounds 21-26 and you know damn well it hasn’t.
Back to the point, the PNG Hunters drew 28 all with Mackay, but we look back on a few seasons ago when the Hunters drew with Redcliffe at Dolphin Oval 28-28 and it was one of the best games of league ever seen. No sets of fans were unhappy with the result, because a draw is a result. And both sides were great.
Coincidentally, Redcliffe play the Hunters in the TV game this weekend. We’ll be there and look forward to catching up with any PNG Hunters fans.
For a full review of the Country Week action from the Intrust Super Cup Round 20 – why not catch our full rundown at Nothing But League.
RESULTS
Wynnum Manly Seagulls 16 Northern Pride 40
@ Yusia Ginau Oval, Bamaga.
CQ Capras 6 Redcliffe Dolphins 42
@ Bear Park, Clermont
Ipswich Jets 22 Townsville Blackhawks 20
@ Eric Lenton Memorial Recreation Ground, Winton
Norths Devils 12 Easts Tigers 34
@ Mundubbera
Burleigh Bears 32 Sunshine Coast Falcons 26
@ Rowden Park, St George
Souths Logan Magpies 34 Tweed Heads Seagulls 18
@ Kev Bannah Oval, Julia Creek
PNG Hunters 28 Mackay Cutters 28
@ National Football Stadium, Port Moresby
LADDER
| Team | P | W | D | L | B | F | A | +/- | Pts | |
| 1 | PNG Hunters | 18 | 14 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 448 | 282 | 166 | 33 |
| 2 | Sunshine Coast Falcons | 19 | 13 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 525 | 326 | 199 | 29 |
| 3 | Easts Tigers | 19 | 13 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 468 | 374 | 94 | 29 |
| 4 | Redcliffe Dolphins | 19 | 13 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 462 | 276 | 186 | 28 |
| 5 | Townsville Blackhawks | 19 | 11 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 493 | 365 | 128 | 26 |
| 6 | Souths Logan Magpies | 19 | 12 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 458 | 386 | 72 | 26 |
| 7 | Ipswich Jets | 19 | 10 | 0 | 9 | 1 | 436 | 463 | -27 | 22 |
| 8 | Mackay Cutters | 19 | 8 | 2 | 9 | 1 | 437 | 460 | -23 | 20 |
| 9 | Wynnum Manly Seagulls | 19 | 8 | 0 | 11 | 1 | 351 | 363 | -12 | 18 |
| 10 | Burleigh Bears | 19 | 7 | 0 | 12 | 1 | 340 | 418 | -78 | 16 |
| 11 | Norths Devils | 20 | 7 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 430 | 502 | -72 | 14 |
| 12 | Northern Pride | 19 | 5 | 0 | 14 | 1 | 320 | 439 | -119 | 12 |
| 13 | Central Queensland Capras | 19 | 4 | 1 | 14 | 1 | 362 | 563 | -201 | 11 |
| 14 | Tweed Heads Seagulls | 19 | 4 | 0 | 15 | 1 | 287 | 600 | -313 | 10 |
