One great round of Intrust Cup Cup down and many to go, but before we go too much further here is our 2021 Intrust Super Cup – Round 2 Preview & Tips.
Round 2 brings some great games, best of all is the delightfully named Flockbuster between the Wynnum Seagulls and Tweed Heads Seagulls. Wynnum have the upper hand lately but both come off Round 1 wins.
There’s also a north Brisbane rivalry between Redcliffe and Norths and this is now a double header at Bishop Park as the Magpies-Falcons game has moved from Davies Park after last weekend’s wet weather. Twice the Sunday afternoon rugby league at Nundah this weekend. Boxes ticked.
Two of the entertainers of the past – PNG Hunters and Ipswich Jets face off at the new home of PNG rugby league for 2021 at Runaway Bay.
Each week will feature tips on each game, but with a bunch of stats to almost impress your friends and family.
So enjoy the stats and barely interesting facts in our Intrust Super Cup Round 2 Preview.
OUR FULL 2021 SEASON PREVIEW IS AVAILABLE HERE
2021 Intrust Super Cup – Round 2 Tips
As ever we have attempted to get some expert tips to accompany each weekly preview.
This season we feature no less than the CEO of competition sponsor Intrust Super Brendan O’Farrell for another season. We also have tips from Intrust Super Cup guru Matt Crowhurst who knows a lot more than most about Queensland’s premier rugby league competition.
Less interesting is that we also supply our own tips.
BRENDAN O’FARRELL – CEO INTRUST SUPER
BURLEIGH BEARS to beat Mackay Cutters
PNG HUNTERS to beat Ipswich Jets
TOWNSVILLE BLACKHAWKS to beat Brisbane Tigers
NORTHERN PRIDE to beat Central Capras
NORTHS DEVILS to beat Redcliffe Dolphins
WYNNUM SEAGULLS to beat Tweed Heads Seagulls
SOUTHS LOGAN MAGPIES to beat Sunshine Coast Falcons
MATT CROWHURST – ISC GURU
BURLEIGH BEARS to beat Mackay Cutters
PNG HUNTERS to beat Ipswich Jets
TOWNSVILLE BLACKHAWKS to beat Brisbane Tigers
NORTHERN PRIDE to beat Central Capras
REDCLIFFE DOLPHINS to beat Norths Devils
WYNNUM SEAGULLS to beat Tweed Heads Seagulls
SOUTHS LOGAN MAGPIES to beat Sunshine Coast Falcons
THE GURGLER – MEDIOCRE WEBSITE
BURLEIGH BEARS to beat Mackay Cutters
PNG HUNTERS to beat Ipswich Jets
TOWNSVILLE BLACKHAWKS to beat Brisbane Tigers
NORTHERN PRIDE to beat Central Capras
NORTHS DEVILS to beat Redcliffe Dolphins
WYNNUM SEAGULLS to beat Tweed Heads Seagulls
SOUTHS LOGAN MAGPIES to beat Sunshine Coast Falcons
Here’s the current leaderboard…..
BRENDAN O’FARRELL – Season 4/7 – Last Week 4/7
MATT CROWHURST – Season 3/7 – Last Week 3/7
THE GURGLER – Season 3/7 – Last Week 3/7
2021 Intrust Super Cup – Round 2 Teams & Preview
Here is where we go through each game on offer this weekend with the teams, stats and points of interest to get into your local team this weekend.
Teams originally published on QRL website.
BURLEIGH BEARS v MACKAY CUTTERS
THOUGHTS
Just the one win for the Cutters against Burleigh since 2014, but that was a goodun’ beat the Bears 46-4 in Mackay. It featured tries to current NRL players/hopefuls Josh Chudleigh and Jordan Pereira with Cameron Cullen running the show at five eighth.
The record at Burleigh is not good for Mackay since 2014, as in zero wins so the Bears have a big advantage stats wise.
Burleigh will probably be glad to play in dry conditions after last weekend’s clash at Davies Park in torrential rain and a field that wasn’t far off requiring an oar. The Bears were in the game early in the second half when the score was locked at 20-20 but faded as more rain came and the Magpies kicked it up a gear. Drier conditions should help.
There’s two good sets of forwards, and the edge looks to be at the back for the Bears with the experience of Kurtis Rowe and Jonus Pearson.
Interestingly the Bears remain the favourites for the 2021 Intrust Super Cup title.
PREDICTION
Bears by 12
BETTING (2021 Season)
Burleigh Bears $5.00 Mackay Cutters $26.00
PNG HUNTERS v IPSWICH JETS
THOUGHTS
A meeting of two teams that have been some of the great entertainers in the past, their Round 22 clash in 2015 remain the greatest game of rugby league at any grade we’ve ever seen.
But that was back in the day and these two sides have moved on from their long term coaches last season and they both started their 2021 campaign with a defeat last weekend.
The PNG Hunters will be happier with their lot as they were right in the game against Wynnum and a little more ball security they may have won. Ipswich meanwhile were thrashed 46-12 at home against Townsville last weekend.
You can read our thoughts on the PNG Hunters v Wynnum match from Round 1 here.
There were a number of good performers for the Hunters last weekend, but it was a decent showing from Jokadi Bire who came into the game with loads of wraps, and the lesser known Epel Kapinias was also good. It helps to have some internationals in your side too.
PREDICTION
PNG Hunters by 10
BETTING (2021 Season)
PNG Hunters $34.00 Ipswich Jets $26.00
TOWNSVILLE BLACKHAWKS v BRISBANE TIGERS
THOUGHTS
Townsville showed why they are always among the most fancied for the Intrust Super Cup title each season after they easily beat the Ipswich Jets at North Ipswich Reserve last weekend 46-12.
The Tigers were beaten by almost the same margin that the Blackhawks won by last weekend as they went down by 30 points to Norths as the home ground curse continued. The home side hasn’t won that fixture since before 2014.
Townsville’s record at home to Brisbane sides is very good winning around four of every five games against Brisbane based clubs. They have also only lost once to Easts at home so the 80% is pretty solid which ever way you look at it. They have a three game run over the Tigers too.
Loads of experience – Intrust Super Cup and NRL – in both sides but for us the two players we’ll be keeping an eye on (in the highlights) is Michael Purcell and Kyle Laybutt. Tigers fullback Purcell is an excitement machine and will likely be one player we point out every second week. Kyle Laybutt was a big part of last weekend’s Blackhawks win, and his good form will hopefully continue all the way to the PNG Kumuls World Cup squad. He is an underrated Intrust Super Cup performer.
PREDICTION
Blackhawks by 16
BETTING (2021 Season)
Townsville Blackhawks $7.00 Brisbane Tigers $12.00
CENTRAL CAPRAS v NORTHERN PRIDE
THOUGHTS
Stats don’t look good at first for the Capras to get a win over the Pride this week, as their only wins over the Pride have come when taking their games away from Rockhampton.
The Pride’s win on the Sunshine Coast showed they are up for a big 2021 having seen off one of the competition’s favorites. They should at least improve from their 12th place finish in 2019.
Not helping the Capras cause stats wise is their record at home to northern Queensland teams where their winning rate is only 29%.
But what does help is one of PNG’s best players in Nixon Putt who scored last weekend against the Tweed Heads Seagulls. The Capras led 18-6 at half time last weekend but faded as three tries in 11 minutes from the 45th minute swung the game to the home, and their 75th minute try nailed it. Still promising signs for the Capras in 2021.
PREDICTION
Pride by 4
BETTING (2021 Season)
Central Capras $101.00 Sunshine Coast Falcons $8.00
NORTHS DEVILS v REDCLIFFE DOLPHINS
THOUGHTS
Who doesn’t love a northern Brisbane rivalry and this is not only the Sunday TV game (available through the links below) but is now the first of two games at Bishop Park in an Intrust Super Cup double header after the Magpies have moved from their previously water logged ground.
The Devils have the recent superior record against Redcliffe and they have now not beaten Norths since 2017 with all of their three wins over Redcliffe coming at home on a Sunday. Which of course matches the day/ground from the previous wins. Although Norths’ record at home to Brisbane teams in general needs improvement at just 28%.
Norths’ big win featured two tries for fullback Reece Walsh, and he made some off field headlines after being snapped up by the Warriors for 2022. That could prove a real loss for the Broncos in 2022, and ironically a gain for Redcliffe if he doesn’t make it straight away as the Dolphins are now the Warriors feeder club.
Talking of the Dolphins they won a tight game in Mackay last weekend with a 62nd sin bin making the difference as the Dolphins ran in two tries during that period and got home by just two points in the end.
We think it will be tight again this weekend.
VIEWING OPTIONS
Kayo Freebies, 9Now, QRL.com.au, Intrust Super Cup app and Intrust Super Cup Facebook.
PREDICTION
Norths by 1
BETTING (2021 Season)
Norths Devils $9.00 Dolphins $9.00
WYNNUM SEAGULLS v TWEED HEADS SEAGULLS
THOUGHTS
Time for the all Seagull affair in the Intrust Super Cup this weekend, played under the wonderfully named headline of Flockbuster.
Good wins for both flocks last weekend, with both having to tough it out against determined opposition. Wynnum may welcome not having to face as many PNG Hunters tackles.
One quirky stat that goes in Tweed Heads favour is from the above visual. Tweed Heads have won every fourth game between these sides, which occurs every three years and is due next in 2021. So maybe another away upset in on the cards.
Wynnum may have some NRL talent to get excited about, but one of their best last weekend was the new recruit Jack Campagnolo who ran the show well for the Seagulls v Hunters.
PREDICTION
Wynnum by 8
BETTING (2021 Season)
Wynnum Seagulls $6.50 Tweed Heads Seagulls $12.00
SOUTHS LOGAN MAGPIES v SUNSHINE COAST FALCONS
THOUGHTS
Two teams that defied the odds last weekend with the Magpies triumphing against the Bears at a waterlogged Davies Park, and the Sunshine Coast losing at home to the Pride.
Souths Logan looked quite good despite the weather, but it does help to have a player like Tom Dearden in the halves. Not that he was the only star or the only former NRL player in the line up. Corey Paix and Corey Oates scored for the Magpies last weekend, and former NZ Warrior Kevin Locke also looked quite good on his return to the Intrust Sup.
A statistical point of interest for this games is that the Pride’s winning rate at Bishop Park is 2/3 since 2014, but the Magpies are undefeated in five matches (W4 D1).
The Sunshine Coast lost one of their big name players for this weekend with fullback Nicho Hynes getting a run with the Melbourne Storm in the opening NRL match for Round 3. But there’s still enough quality to match the Magpies this weekend.
PREDICTION
Souths Logan by 8
BETTING (2021 Season)
Souths Logan Magpies $8.00 Sunshine Coast Falcons $8.00
