Intrust Super Cup Round 6 Results and Thoughts

The latest weekend of Intrust Super Cup has been completed, and we have the Intrust Super Cup Round 6 Results plus our thoughts on the major points.

At the end of Intrust Super Cup Round 6, just one team remains undefeated as the Sunshine Coast Falcons won the game of the two 100% sides. 

Happily for PNG Hunters fans, of which there are many, the Hunters opened their account for the season, and even moved up to 12th in the process.

Those vaguely familiar with the Intrust Super Cup will probably be intrigued by seeing reigning premiers Redcliffe Dolphins with one win and second last. They were beaten convincingly by Townsville on Saturday.

Burleigh moved into third at the expense of the team they beat on Saturday – Wynnum.

Souths Logan continued their decent run of away form and Tweed Heads did the same up north as well.

All of that and more below with our Intrust Super Cup Round 6 Results and Thoughts.

SUNSHINE COAST IMPRESS AT THE TOP

The Falcons won the battle of the two unbeaten sides on Saturday, in the big curtain raiser to the Souths-Warriors NRL on the Sunshine Coast.

This was the first time we’ve seen them live this season, and they could barely have been more impressive.

Although they were helped by a substantial breeze in the first half, they used it to their advantage by scoring some early tries, and in general dominating the first half to lead 16-0 at the break. Easts had barely made it into the Falcons 20 metre zone.

The thought was perhaps it was the wind giving a big advantage, but any thoughts of Falcons weather-based capitulation were erased not long after half time when they crossed for a fourth time.

Easts did get back into the game in the second half, with plenty of attacks close the Falcons line. but they only managed the most consolation of tries with a few minutes to go.

Emphasising the difference in each team’s day was when Falcon’s Darryn Schonig was sent to the sin bin., not only could Easts not score, but the Falcons did with 12 men.

That Nicho Hynes is some player too.

PNG HUNTERS WIN THEIR FIRST GAME

At the third time of us predicting it, the PNG Hunters got their first win of the season. And in reasonably impressive style in the unfamiliar surroundings of Emerald in Central Queensland.

The Hunters side has seen a lot of changes over the past month, with discipline, injuries, indifferent form and the return of their premiership winning captain Ase Boas causing massive changes week in and week out.

Perhaps after their good win over the Capras, Michael Marum and his staff could be convinced that less is more, with the team on the field on Saturday night looking quite capable of more.

Pleasing to see two players who were recently dropped on the score sheet in Charlie Simon and Oti Bland Tony, and Ase Boas looked an improvement than when we last saw him live against Easts. That was always going to take time but things are starting to turn. Moses Meninga’s power was a welcome return, and he was rewarded with the final try of the match to seal the game, which the Hunters celebrated plenty..

A hearty thanks for the online sharing of the game too. With the lack of TV games for the Hunters, it’s good to know we can watch them somehow. Channel Nein are jerks. Imagine the reigning premiers of a competition going an entire season without FTA coverage like what happened to PNG last season. 

They have a good run now with six of their next eight at home,, and playing no one higher than fourth. And their hardest opponent is the Blackhawks who they have a good record against, and the Bears in the traditional Anzac Day clash.

REIGNING PREMIERS STRUGGLING

The above win for the PNG Hunters saw them overtake the 2018 premiers Redcliffe in the Intrust Super Cup ladder. The Dolphins who now share the competition’s worst record of one win and five losses with the Hunters and the Capras, with the Rockhampton side’s slightly worse for and against keeping them bottom.

Attack seems to be the problem this season, with Redcliffe now behind the Hunters in points scored despite the PNG side going scoreless in their first two games. They scored 19 points in their only win over the Souths Logan Magpies a few rounds ago, and even then scored just the 19 points. It doesn’t help that one of their big attacking weapons in Cameron Cullen is sidelined for the season, and Kotoni Staggs is on Broncos duty.

Redcliffe were well into the game at half time, scoring after 4 minutes and only trailing 8-6 at the break, but four converted tries and two penalty goals to nil in the second 40 minutes takes the Blackhawks into fourth place and Redcliffe second last.

The Dolphins gets their first home TV game of the season next weekend, which is getting critical to get a win to get back on track, despite the expanded top eight.

NORTHS LOOK GOOD IN SUNDAY’S ONLY GAME

Sunday’s TV game gave us the first glimpse of Norths Devils this season, and safe to say we can see why some have them as dark horses of the competition.

We have been especially excited about Gehamat Shibasaki and PNG International Nixon Putt, and both looked good on Sunday. No wonder Shibasaki is on the Broncos fringes, and perhaps Nixon Putt should be too.

Norths looked the better side through on Sunday, led 18-8 at the break and that could have been more. The Devils then weathered the comeback from the Jets in the second half before kicking on with a couple of late tries and a cheeky field goal. 

Norths move up to 6th in the ISC table, and Ipswich drop to 11th. Making it the four of the five most recent premiers sandwiched between 9th and 13th. Whilst not good for those fans, it does point to a competitive competition with good turnover of prospects for most clubs.

COUNTRY WEEK VENUES ANNOUNCED

The minister for something or other announced this year’s Country Week fixture venues on behalf of the Intrust Super Cup.

It is one of the great initiatives in rugby league, so good that the NRL won’t copy it.

This year the venues are as below, as we will go into more detail soon.

INTRUST SUPER CUP ROUND 6 RESULTS

SUNSHINE COAST FALCONS 30 Easts Tigers 6
BURLEIGH BEARS 26 Wynnum Seagulls 18
TOWNSVILLE BLACKHAWKS 36 Redcliffe Dolphins 6
Mackay Cutters 12 TWEED HEADS SEAGULLS 14
Nothern Pride 12 SOUTHS LOGAN MAGPIES 16
Central Capras 10 PNG HUNTERS 28
Ipswich Jets 14 NORTHS DEVILS 31

INTRUST SUPER CUP ROUND 6