The new season of local rugby league is underway now, and our weekly look forward to the action is here with our HostPlus Cup-Queensland Cup Round 2 Preview featuring as many barely interesting stats as we could muster for the opening weekend.
Our weekly preview also features some predictions. Not just our but some guest tipsters of note. More on that below.
It’s a bit of a back to school theme this week with two of the games being played at Brisbane high schools – Iona College for Wynnum v Northern Pride and Souths Logan playing the first of their matches at Marsden High. No doubt in the other five games teams will be look to school the other or tech them a lesson.
That’s after Round One was all about the away teams, with the home sides winning none of the seven clashes.
There’s much mire to learn ahead from our HostPlus Cup-Queensland Cup Round 2 preview.
Queensland Cup Round 2 Predictions
With the return of the HostPlus Cup for 2022 comes our regular weekly tipping.
The merge of Intrust Super and HostPlus may have seen the competition name change from Intrust Super Cup to HostPlus Cup, but we still have Intrust Super’s Brendan O’Farrell joining us for the 2022 season again. He is the multiple reigning champion after all for our website.
New for 2022 is the main man of the local independent rugby League website Nothing But League. They have outstanding rugby league coverage and still have time for Queensland Cup here too.
And then there’s our tips….Anyways, here they are.
BRENDAN O’FARRELL
REIGNING GURGLER QLD CUP TIPPING CHAMP
FORMERLY OF INTRUST SUPER
2022 Stats 3/7
WYNNUM SEAGULLS to beat Northern Pride
CENTRAL CAPRAS to beat PNG Hunters
TOWNSVILLE BLACKHAWKS to beat Burleigh Bears
IPSWICH JETS to beat Mackay Cutters
BRISBANE TIGERS to beat Souths Logan Magpies
NORTHS DEVILS to beat Redcliffe Dolphins
SUNSHINE COAST FALCONS to beat Tweed Heads Seagulls
MATT PRITCHARD
NOTHING BUT LEAGUE EDITOR
2022 Stats – 3/7
WYNNUM SEAGULLS to beat Northern Pride
CENTRAL CAPRAS to beat PNG Hunters
BURLEIGH BEARS to beat Townsville Blackhawks
MACKAY CUTTERS to beat Ipswich Jets
SOUTHS LOGAN MAGPIES to beat Brisbane Tigers
NORTHS DEVILS to beat Redcliffe Dolphins
TWEED HEADS SEAGULLS to beat Sunshine Coast Falcons
THE GURGLER (US)
2022 Stats – 2/7
WYNNUM SEAGULLS to beat Northern Pride
PNG HUNTERS to beat Central Capras
BURLEIGH BEARS to beat Townsville Blackhawks
IPSWICH JETS to beat Mackay Cutters
SOUTHS LOGAN MAGPIES to beat Brisbane Tigers
NORTHS DEVILS to beat Redcliffe Dolphins
SUNSHINE COAST FALCONS to beat Tweed Heads Seagulls
QUEENSLAND CUP ROUND 2 GAMES
SATURDAY 3:00PM
WYNNUM SEAGULLS v NORTHERN PRIDE
POINTS OF INTEREST
Northern Pride have won on their last three away games v Wynnum.
Wynnum have a good record v North and Central Qld teams in general though. They have won 11 of the last 13 matches both home and away since 2019.
Northern Pride have won their last three trips to Brisbane and six of their last seven matches v Brisbane teams hoe or away.
Wynnum have signed Epel Kapinias, who is one the best prospects out of PNG for some time. He was dropped from the PNG Hunters for non-form reasons, so a really good pick up for the Seagulls and one to certainly watch in 2022.
PREDICTION
Wynnum by 4
SATURDAY 3:50PM
CENTRAL CAPRAS v PNG HUNTERS
POINTS OF INTEREST
Last weekend’s win at Davies Park for the Capras was just their third away win since 2018.
The Capras haven’t home at home since August 2018 when they finished the season with two straight home wins. For the record, the last team they beat at home was the Hunters.
The Hunters are on a run of three straight away wins. IT’s four straight away wins v teams from Rockhampton north.
PREDICTION
Hunters by 2
SATURDAY 4:00PM
TOWNSVILLE BLACKHAWKS v BURLEIGH BEARS
POINTS OF INTEREST
Townsville’s loss last weekend was the first time they have lost the first game of the season since their inception in 2015.
The Blackhawks have now lost three in a row at home. All three games v last year’s grand finalists.
Burleigh lost their first game in Townsville v Blackhawks in 2015 by 78-6.
PREDICTION
Burleigh by 8
SATURDAY 5:00PM
IPSWICH JETS v MACKAY CUTTERS
POINTS OF INTEREST
Mackay have won just two of their last 19 games against Brisbane sides since 2019. At least one of those wins was their last game v Ipswich.
The Cutters haven’t won an away game v a Brisbane side since May 2018.
Ipswich have won their past four home games v Cutters/Capras and 10 of the last 12.
PREDICTION
Ipswich by 4
SATURDAY 7:00PM
SOUTHS LOGAN MAGPIES v BRISBANE TIGERS
POINTS OF INTEREST
Tigers record v Brisbane sides last season was W1 D1 L6. The draw being against the Magpies. For the record Souths Logan’s record was W3 D1 L2.
Tigers (W3 D1) have never lost to the Magpies on a Saturday (from 2014).
PREDICTION
Magpies by 2
SUNDAY 2:10PM
NORTHS DEVILS v REDCLIFFE DOLPHINS
POINTS OF INTEREST
Redcliffe haven’t beaten Norths since 2017. The Devils are on a three game streak.
Every game between these sides since 2014 has been on a Sunday.
Redcliffe have won just two of their last nine away trips v Brisbane sides since 2019.
Norths won both of their home games v Brisbane clubs last season.
They have also won six straight at Bishop Park.
PREDICTION
Devils by 10
SUNDAY 3:00PM
TWEED HEADS SEAGULLS v SUNSHINE COAST FALCONS
POINTS OF INTEREST
The Falcons and the Seagulls have alternated winners at Piggabeen for the last six meetings. The last two Falcons wins have been 36-0 and 58-0.
The Falcons have won their last four games on a Sunday.
Tweed Heads won both home games last season on a Sunday.
PREDICTION
Falcons by 12
