Week two of the new Intrust Super Cup season is here, and we offer up our Round 2 Intrust Super Cup Round preview with our fearless predictions.
There’s a brief rundown of each game, a bit about betting, broadcasting, and more.
Most importantly, we have the CEO of main sponsor Intrust Super Brendan O’Farrell giving us his tips each week.
If you want to find out about our thoughts on Round 1 then follow this link.
If you need a full season preview – we have you covered here with our 2019 Intrust Super Cup preview.
If you don’t yet have an Intrust Super Cup team, then take our Personality Quiz.
And the TV game is thankfully back to Sunday afternoon. Where it belongs.
ROUND 2 INTRUST SUPER CUP TIPPING – ARE YOU SMARTER THAN SUPER BOF?
Fancy yourself an Intrust Super Cup tipping guru. Reckon you’re better than the CEO of Intrust Super yourself? Find out his tips below, and submit your via our Twitter or Facebook page.
BRENDAN O’FARRELL (CEO of Intrust Super)
BURLEIGH BEARS to beat Ipswich Jets
REDCLIFFE DOLPHINS to beat Sunshine Coast Falcons
EASTS TIGERS to beat Norths Devils
SOUTHS LOGAN MAGPIES to beat Mackay Cutters
CENTRAL CAPRAS to beat Wynnum Seagulls
TOWNSVILLE BLACKHAWKS to beat Tweed Heads Seagulls
NORTHERN PRIDE to beat PNG Hunters
SEASON PROGRESS 3/7
THE GURGLER’s TIPS (Us)
BURLEIGH BEARS to beat Ipswich JEts
REDCLIFFE DOLPHINS to beat Sunshine Coast Falcons
NORTHS DEVILS to beat Easts Tigers
SOUTHS LOGAN MAGPIES to beat Mackay Cutters
WYNNUM SEAGULLS to beat Central Capras
TOWNSVILLE BLACKHAWKS to beat Tweed Heads Seagulls
NORTHERN PRIDE to beat PNG Hunters
SEASON PROGRESS 4/7
Follow our weekly Twitter post to add your selections.
ROUND 2 INTRUST SUPER CUP – MINI PREVIEW
Here’s a quick rundown on our thoughts for all of the games this weekend.
The full Team Lists for Round 2 can be found at the QRL Website.
BURLEIGH BEARS v IPSWICH JETS
Saturday 4:00pm
The Intrust Super Cup Round 2 kicks off at Pizzey Park between two sides who lost in Round 1. The Bears went down in a close one to Norths at Bishop Park, while Ipswich were well beaten at home by the Townsville Blackhawks.
Some positives out of the Round 1 losses for both sides, that the Bears try scoring machine from last season – Troy Leo – continued his fine form with two tries at Bishop Park. And for Ipswich Josh Cleeland was a positive, even if it didn’t quite end in victory for the Jets.
Perhaps it was the heat, but the Jets ran out of steam last weekend against Townsville, and Burleigh are quite a similar side that could cause quite similar problems this weekend.
2018: R13 – Ipswich 20 Burleigh 42
Betting: N/A
REDCLIFFE DOLPHINS v SUNSHINE COAST FALCONS
Saturday 6:00pm
The James Ackerman Cup will be played on Saturday evening, Ackerman having represented both clubs with distinction before his untimely passing.
Redcliffe went down to the Northern Pride last weekend, coincidentally becoming the first reigning premier to lose their first game of the season since the Northern Pride failed to win in 2015 after their premiership the year before. They did win both of these fixtures last season, but as ever in the Intrust Super Cup, there has been plenty of player movement and changing fortunes.
The Falcons got home last weekend on the back of perfect goal kicking, having scored four tries to Wynnum’s five. The 74th minute try to Sam Burns getting them home alongside 4/4 conversions and one penalty goal.
Going through the team lists, the Falcons backline reads as one of the competition’s best, with former NRL players, Internationals, and plenty of real potential, all waiting for their chance in the Storm NRL talent factory.
2018: R11 – Sun Coast 4 Redcliffe 26 — R25 – Redcliffe 45 Sun Coast 16
NORTHS DEVILS v EASTS TIGERS
Saturday 6:00pm
Two classic Brisbane based clubs meet at a classic Brisbane venue in Bishop Park after opening their season with good wins in Round 1.
Norths continued their good recent record over Burleigh by holding on against the Bears after getting out to a big lead early in the second half. Exciting news for the Devils was the form of PNG International Nixon Putt. The former PNG Hunter made the big move to Brisbane for the 2019 season, and it appears that he will pick up where he left off from a very successful 2018. PEehaps he will get that NRL chance that is long overdue for a PNG Hunters forward, that has passed his former teammates by. Especially Willie Minoga.
Easts took care of the Mackay Cutters last weekend, possibly proving two things for the season ahead. One is that the Tigers will always be a factor, even more so in 2019 where the top six is now a top eight. Secondly that Mackay might not have a great 2019 but won’t be easybeats either.
At least in this game the poor goalkicking didn’t cost the Tigers a win like their rivals Wynnum on the Sunshine Coast last weekend.
Norths should be wary of the 46-12 home thumping they received last year by Easts.
2018: R8 – Easts 16 Norths 18 — R20 – Norths 12 Easts 46
MACKAY CUTTERS v SOUTHS LOGAN MAGPIES
Saturday 6:00pm
Two sides meet who were on the ends of first round losses last weekend.
Whilst Mackay were probably always going to struggle at Langlands against the Tigers, especially after losing Carlin Anderson, the Magpies lost convincingly at home to the Cental Capras.
Souths Logan had been fancied by a few as a side to go places in 2019, but losing to the Capras first up makes you wonder whether their disastrous set of results in the second half of last season has left a legacy at the club, despite new signings.
Mackay will be bullish about their chances, given the Magpies didn’t enjoy playing central Queensland opposition last weekend. But surely the Magpies depth will make a difference soon. Having a look at their bench they have the perfect mix of up and coming potential NRL talent, and the record holder for appearances in Phil Dennis, who is always a pleasure to watch him weave his magic.
2018: R11 – Souths Logan 42 Mackay 30 — R24 – Mackay 14 Souths Logan 22
CENTRAL CAPRAS v WYNNUM SEAGULLS
Saturday 7:00pm
Central Capras handed out the upset of the first weekend with 36-14 win at Davies Park over the Magpies, and they will fancy themselves to double up against a visiting Brisbane based side in the last of a big night of five Intrust Super Cup Round 2 games on Saturday.
The win by the Capras underlined their excellent early season form in general, as they have lost just one of their opening fixtures in the past five seasons. hopefully this year they can kick on. And oh yes, Dave Taylor did play and contributed to the Cutters victory.
Wynnum should have beaten the Sunshine Coast last weekend, outscoring them five tries to four, bad goalkicking being the difference in the two competition points. On a positive note was the first game in the green and red of Wynnum for former PNG Hunter Edene Gebbie who provided plenty in attack as expected. The Seagulls may have stumbled on some potential gold if some of the small defensive deficiencies can be ironed out. Promising start though.
2018: R8 – Central 14 Wynnum 24
TWEED HEADS SEAGULLS v TOWNSVILLE BLACKHAWKS
Sunday 12:10pm
TV GAME
The Townsville Blackhawks feature on Sunday afternoon TV for the second weekend in a row. But who could blame them for not loving Piggabeen and the Townsville Blackhawks form they showed against Ipswich.
Tweed Heads too kicked their season off in style with a win over PNG Hunters 10-0. They also achieved a feat no other team has managed since the PNG Hunters arrival in 2014 – held them PNG side to nil.
They’ll be doing well to defeat the Blackhawks, whose side is so full of quality that Shaun Nona can only get onto the interchange bench. They did well against Ipswich last weekend, and find themselves a long way from home for the second weekend run. Townsville have had some big wins over the Tweed in recent seasons.
PNG HUNTERS v NORTHERN PRIDE
Sunday 3:00pm
Not a great result for the PNG Hunters last weekend, losing to nil for the first time since entering the competition, but a silver lining is that one of the Hunters weapons of strong defence remains as the 10 points conceded was the third lowest by any side – only behind Townsville and of course Tweed Heads.
Much change in the Hunters line up, and not only the quantity but the quality. Losing the Boas brothers, Willie Minoga among other overseas, alongside those who performed quite well for their new Intrust Super Cup sides was always going to be hard to cover straight away.
Don’t rule out that there’s some undiscovered gold that will come out of the Hunters side soon, but patience will be required.
That patience will probably need to extend past the visit of the Northern Pride, who beat premiers Redcliffe last weekend, and will have the services of NRL ready Jake Clifford among other fringe Cowboys. They look good for another tilt at the top four and beyond.
However the Pride don’t have a great record in PNG, so perhaps that gives the Hunters something.
2018: R2 – Pride 26 PNG Hunters 14 — R18 – PNG Hunters 18 Pride 8
