Our Intrust Super Cup Round 12 Preview is here, and it’s hard to know what is worse – another lockdown or Queensland’s performance in the second State of Origin. Definitely the latter we say.
Hopefully this weekend will go ahead on the field as there are some great clashes awaiting, and we have our thoughts on every game this week.
Our weekly preview features expert tips from Intrust Super CEO Brendan O’Farrell, Intrust Super Cup man of knowledge Matt Crowhurst, and us. Those two battling it out for top tipster.
There’s also stats for H2H, for the 2021 season, and other points of interest and various other barely interesting facts.
Probably more than one could ever need or want.
Don’t forget you can watch two for the games these days on Kayo Freebies or via the QRL website
2021 Intrust Super Cup Round 12 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
IPSWICH JETS to beat Sunshine Coast Falcons
PNG HUNTERS to beat Mackay Cutters
NORTHS DEVILS to beat Townsville Blackhawks
BURLEIGH BEARS to beat Brisbane Tigers
WYNNUM SEAGULLS to beat Northern Pride
REDCLIFFE DOLPHINS to beat Central Capras
TWEED HEADS SEAGULLS to beat Souths Logan Magpies
MATT CROWHURST – ISC GURU
Coming soon
THE GURGLER – MEDIOCRE WEBSITE
SUNSHINE COAST FALCONS to beat Ipswich Jets
PNG HUNTERS to beat Mackay Cutters
TOWNSVILLE BLACKHAWKS to beat Norths Devils
BURLEIGH BEARS to beat Brisbane Tigers
WYNNUM SEAGULLS to beat Northern Pride
REDCLIFFE DOLPHINS to beat Central Capras
SOUTHS LOGAN MAGPIES to beat Tweed Heads Seagulls
CURRENT LEADERBOARD
BRENDAN O’FARRELL – Season 70% 54/77 – Last Round 6/7
MATT CROWHURST – Season 68% 41/60 – Last Round n/a
THE GURGLER – Season 65% 50/77 – Last Week 5/7 (picked Capras-Jets draw)
Note: Matt missed two and a half rounds.
2021 Intrust Super Cup Round 12 Ladder
Here is the current Intrust Super Cup Ladder. Colour coded to spot the stats.
2021 Intrust Super Cup Round 12 Stats & Match by Match 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.
Round 12 Teams originally published on QRL website.
SATURDAY 2:10PM IPSWICH JETS v SUNSHINE COAST FALCONS
GAME BROADCAST LIVE
THOUGHTS & STATS
Ipswich old the H2H record over the Falcons but not recently. Two Falcons wins and a draw in the last three games against Ipswich is advantage Sunshine Coast. The last match at North Ipswich Reserve saw a 62-8 to the Falcons.
Ipswich’s home record isn’t great so that is the worry heading into Saturday. Their home winning record since 2019 is just 22% having not beaten any team south of Rockhampton since 2018, and they are 1/6 at home this season.
The Falcons have won 2/3 away games v Brisbane teams this season but their away games are following a pattern. WLWLW – so an L is due right?
Or maybe the draw is not a bad bet again given the Jets drew with the Capras last time out and the second last meeting between these sides was a draw.
PREDICTION
Sunshine Coast by 8
SATURDAY 3:00PM PNG HUNTERS v MACKAY CUTTERS
THOUGHTS & STATS
The 2021 season started off so promisingly for the Hunters. A close loss to Wynnum in the first round, three wins in a row after that and a close loss on Anzac Day to Burleigh. And downhill since.
Not even their most winnable game (v Souths Logan at Davies Park) could turn around the fortunes.
The decline did begin with the departure of Watson Boas, but in his brother Ase and Charlie Simon they still have a solid pair of hands in the halves.
Recently they have lost one of their bright prospects Jokadi Bire who is thankfully recovering in a Gold Coast hospital after being rushed there weeks ago.
A bigger loss arguably is forward Epel Kapinias and try scoring machine Terry Wapi. Kapinias is due back for Round 18 but some good news is that Terry Wapi is back this weekend.
Good timing too as the Hunters face a team that they have a good record over, and indeed a team they have already beaten this season – winning 26-14 in Mackay in Round Three. And the Cutters only have the one win this season so far. The Hunters could certainly do with a little more firepower in attack.
The H2H record goes the Hunters way with six wins to two and a couple of draws, as does the Saturday record of four wins, two draws and one win to the Cutters.
So a lot of things going the Hunters way this weekend and surely it is time for a win.
Mackay’s last win away was on the Gold Coast v Tweed Heads, albeit in July 2019, so are not without hope at Runaway Bay this weekend.
PREDICTION
PNG Hunters by 6
SATURDAY 4:00PM TOWNSVILLE BLACKHAWKS v NORTHS DEVILS
THOUGHTS & STATS
A tale of two halves, almost, with the H2H between these sides since the Blackhawks entered the competition. Townsville won the first six clashes starting off with a big 50-6 win but the Devils have clawed back that advantage with three straight wins from 2018.
The Devils will have to overcome one stat to do it though, a winless record at Jack Manski Oval – 0/4 is the current tally.
But they are unbeaten away this season – 5-0 and the Devils hold the 3-1 record on a Saturday, so hold on to your favourite stat depending which side of the fence you’re on.
There’s not much between these sides in for and against with just two points difference in points against and just over two converted tries in attack. But the Devils have been better turning those points into wins, having only lost one of the opening 11 games. Townsville are currently just above the 50% winning record at 6-5.
Since we’re sitting on the fence, we’ll take the Townsville record stat and tip Blackhawks to win, just.
PREDICTION
Townsville by 2
SATURDAY 4:00PM BURLEIGH BEARS v BRISBANE TIGERS
THOUGHTS & STATS
Two teams coming into this clash with mirrored form over the last six rounds, the Bears with the much more favourable 5-1 record from the last six rounds than the Tigers 1-5.
The Tigers took advantage of Burleigh’s slow start to the season with a 50-10 win at Langlands Park in Round 3.
It’s a different story now for the Bears due to their form and the location of this weekend’s match. Burleigh are unbeaten in five games this season at home, but worth noting is they are yet to play a team currently sitting higher than 8th on the ladder, Easts recent form woes means that won’t change this weekend either. Not that the Bears can’t beat the higher placed opponents at home they just haven’t had to yet. They have lost just tow of their last 18 home games going back to 2019.
The Tigers though hold the overall H2H record since 2014 and have a slight edge at Pizzey Park. They do have a mixed record on the road this season and on the Gold Coast where they have beaten the PNG Hunters soundly in a game which saw multiple sin bins (before the crackdown) but were comprehensively beaten by Tweed Heads.
PREDICTION
Bears by 12
SATURDAY 4:10PM WYNNUM SEAGULLS v NORTHERN PRIDE
@ Pinklands Sports Complex, Redlands
THOUGHTS & STATS
Wynnum still sit on top with their superior for and against giving them top billing ahead of Norths. They are unbeaten at home this season and looking to take advantage of the Devil’s tough game in Townsville.
The Pride do come into the game with decent away form, losing just once on the road this season. Although that was last round against equal competition leaders Norths. Two games in a row in Brisbane against top two is a hard ask. Especially when that team is yet to be beaten at home.
Although home is a different location this weekend as the Wynnum Seagulls move a little further south to Redlands. And the Pride have won their last two away games against Wynnum and the Pride lead 4-2 overall since 2014.
However if you go back to 2019 and include all the sides from Rockhampton north, Wynnum have won six home games in a row.
The Northern Pride haven’t beaten either Seagulls side since a 22-16 win in Brisbane in June 2018, a run of 5 losses and 2 draws since. The Pride also haven’t beaten a Brisbane side away since (7 losses).
PREDICTION
Wynnum by 4
SATURDAY 5:00PM CENTRAL CAPRAS v REDCLIFFE DOLPHINS
THOUGHTS & STATS
The Capras almost upset the Dolphins in the clash earlier in the season, losing out to late, late penalty goal so will be looking for revenge as well as a first victory for the season. Easier said than done against a side on who before their last start loss to Tweed Heads were on a five game winning run.
Redcliffe have won every game in Rockhampton since 2014, and in fact the worst result for Redcliffe against the Capras since 2014 is a draw back in 2014. It has been 11 wins straight since.
Talking of draws the Capras got pretty close to a drought breaking win last start, but had to settle for a second draw of the season against Ipswich. They haven’t won in 16 home games going back to the end of 2018, but had at least drawn three of those.
Tough gig on paper, but they were probably given just as much chance on paper as their last match against Redcliffe earlier in the season and they went close to an upset.
PREDICTION
Redcliffe by 6
SUNDAY 2:10PM SOUTHS LOGAN MAGPIES v TWEED HEADS SEAGULLS
BROADCAST GAME
THOUGHTS & STATS
Two in form teams meet on Sunday’s only game, which should make for a great broadcast game to finish Round 12. The Sunday is significant too as this match has been played 13 times since 2014 and all but one match has been played on a Sunday.
The Magpies are on a five game winning run, and Tweed themselves have only lost once since round three.
H2H record between these sides since 2014 go in waves of results. Tweed won the first three clashes since 2014 and are currently on a three game winning streak v Magpies. In between Souths Logan won all the games.
Interesting fact is that Souths Logan are currently the second highest scorers of the competition at the moment, and the only team to have beaten Wynnum.
Tweed though have won five of their last six away games, mostly against Brisbane sides.
PREDICTION
Magpies by 4
2021 Intrust Super Cup Round 12 – Remaining Games
2021 Intrust Super Cup Round 12 – Stats Extra
Ever wanted to know which match is the highest scoring by average of total points scored by both sides?
Then we have answered your answer below.
Plus threw in the top ten lowest scoring games for free as well.
