PREVIEWS: Intrust Super Cup 2015 Round 2

Michael Hillier & Colleen Edwards from the QRL media team preview the second round of the 2015 Intrust Super Cup.

SOUTHS LOGAN MAGPIES v CQ CAPRAS
Gary Larson Oval, Saturday, March 14 - 4pm

Referee: Tyson Brough
Head-to-Head: Souths 18 Central 17 Drawn 1
Twitter: #intrustsupercup #SLMvCQC

The Intrust Super Cup comes to Miriam Vale for the first time when the Magpies play the Capras at Gary Larson Oval. Local organisers, including the Gary Larson Oval Enhancement Group (GLOEG), have put together a bumper day of entertainment featuring three local league matches and a junior coaching clinic.

A small country town located 70km south-east of Gladstone, Miriam Vale is the home of the local Magpies who contest the Northern Districts competition. With buses departing from Gladstone, Calliope, Tannum Sands, Turkey Beach, Bororen, Agnes Water, Rosedale and Lowmead, a carnival atmosphere is expected at Gary Larson Oval.

The CQ Capras won't have the services of Corey Oates, who will now line up for the Broncos after Dale Copley was injured at training. Oates played a key role in Central's 22-14 win over the Burleigh Bears at Browne Park last weekend.

Souths Logan were outplayed by the PNG Hunters, going down 40-18 on home soil. But the Magpies are known for their ability to bounce back, and they do have a favourable record against the Capras having won 10 out of their past 11 matches.

NORTHERN PRIDE v SUNSHINE COAST FALCONS
Barlow Park on Saturday, March 14

Match postponed due to Cyclone Nathan. This match will now be played on May 3 (representative bye weekend) at Barlow Park, 2pm

MACKAY CUTTERS v TWEED HEADS SEAGULLS
Stadium Mackay on Saturday, March 14 - 6pm

Referee: Chris Anderson
Head-to-Head: Tweed 8 Mackay 2 Drawn 4
Twitter: #intrustsupercup #MCvTHS

Tweed Heads coach Aaron Zimmerle has brought in Tom Dawney as the replacement for injured five-eighth Jamal Fogarty. The young Titan suffered a hamstring strain at training during the week, ruling him out of the trip to Mackay.

Zimmerle has been forced to make a further change, with rookie Hemi Mullen set to come in for the injured Caleb Binge who was ruled out on Wednesday. Despite the changes, Tweed will be full of confidence and ready to push for a second-straight win after their stunning comeback against Redcliffe last weekend. Tweed trailed the Dolphins by 16 points at one stage, before storming home to collect a 42-28 victory on the back of a hat-trick from fullback Shaun Carney.

The head-to-head record between these clubs is quite remarkable. It includes four draws, and 10 of the 14 games have been decided by a converted try or less. Since 2008, Mackay's only joy against Tweed was in Mackay in 2013.

For the Cutters, hard-working forward Chris Gesch will play his 50th game for the club. A Barcaldine junior, Gesch is now part of the Cutters' leadership group under coach Kim Williams. Mackay is coming off a 30-16 loss, but were hardly disgraced against a quality Blackhawks team in Townsville last weekend.

IPSWICH JETS v TOWNSVILLE BLACKHAWKS
North Ipswich Reserve on Sunday, March 15 - 1.40pm* (Live on Channel 9 QLD)

Referee: Michael Wise
Head-to-Head: First game
Twitter: #intrustsupercup #JETSvTSVB
Radio: Switch 1197am Brisbane, Valley FM 94.9 Esk, Phoenix Radio Ipswich and 99.7 FM Redcliffe from 1.30pm

It's an afternoon of milestones for the Ipswich Jets, and in particular, the Walker family. Co-coaches Ben and Shane will coach the Jets for the 100th time in Sunday's Channel 9 match at the North Ipswich Reserve. Their record of 54 wins, seven draws and 38 losses is right up there with some of the best coaches in the competition's history.

Ironically, the Walkers will notch their century on the same day that younger brother Chris plays his 50th Cup game. The former Maroons and NRL flyer is now in his second stint with the Jets, having previously played for Brothers, Toowoomba and Norths.

The Round 2 match is also Rod Griffin's 50th game for Ipswich and the former PNG representative would dearly love to celebrate the occasion with a win. Kristian Woolf's Blackhawks are chasing back-to-back victories after their comfortable 30-16 win at home against Mackay last weekend.

The Blackhawks led from start to finish, but now must prove their mettle on the road against one of the competition's most unpredictable teams. Former Jet Lorenzo Ma'afu lines up against his old club for the first time in what should add extra spice to the intense forward exchanges. The two clubs will play off for the Defence Force Recruiting Shield as part of a fabulous day of entertainment at the ground.

WYNNUM MANLY SEAGULLSvEASTS TIGERS
BMD Kougari Oval Park on Sunday, March 15 - 1.45pm

Referee: Tim Rutherford
Head-to-Head: Easts 20 Wynnum 18 Drawn 1
Twitter: #intrustsupercup #WYNvTIGES
Livestreams: Seagulls TV & Tiger TV

Get ready for an early-season epic, with these two traditional rivals to face-off in a Sunday afternoon special. Their clashes in the back end of last season were modern classics, and with both teams recording wins last weekend, this Sunday should be no different.

The Seagulls are a team that never goes away and they proved it once again last weekend with a late try to snatch the match away from the Jets. For most of their Round 1 grand final replay, Easts were a step ahead of the defending premiers the Northern Pride, claiming a 20-12 win. Gulls coach Jon Buchanan has been able to name an unchanged side for this week's encounter against the Tigers.

The visitors however have not been quite as lucky, with attacking whiz Donald Malone out injured. No slouch himself on the wing, Eddie Tautali will come into the side, while Liam Tyson has been named in jersey 17, with Foisa Peni joining him on an extended bench. Adding to the atmosphere of the game, the Seagulls will be hosting a Family Fun Day with former Queensland and Kangaroo representative Petero Civoniceva in attendance.

PNG HUNTERS v REDCLIFFE DOLPHINS
Kalabond Oval on Sunday, March 15 - 2.30pm

Referee: Nick Morel
Head-to-Head: PNG 2 Redcliffe 0
Twitter: #intrustsupercup #PNGvPHINS

While off the field, the Hunters have undergone a major shake-up this past week; the on-field focus of the team will be to continue their strong start to the season and to maintain Kokopo's status as a fortress against visiting teams. Papua New Guinea were almost impossible to beat at home last year, winning 10 out of their 12 games played at Kalabond Oval.

The only two teams who managed to topple them were grand finalists Easts and Pride. Adding to Redcliffe's challenge this week is the weight of their recent history, with the Phins having lost six of their past seven away games. In team news, Redcliffe have made a number of changes for their away journey with star Colt Josh Beehag named in the key position of fullback.

Evander Cummins moves to five-eighth in place of Bobbie Goulding; while on the bench, Darcy Etrich and Anthony Cherrington come in for Logan Harris and Tom Geraghty. The Hunters welcome back Adex Wera (centre) from a wrist injury and Thompson Teteh moves to the bench. Other changes will see a reshuffle of the line-up with Esau Siune starting at prop and Henry Noki joining Warren Glare on the extended bench.

NORTHS DEVILS v BURLEIGH BEARS
Bishop Park on Sunday, March 15 - 2.30pm

Referee: Jarrod Cole
Head-to-Head: Burleigh 21 Norths 17
Twitter: #intrustsupercup #DEVILSvBEARS

While these teams had differing fortunes in Round 1 (a victory for the Devils and a loss for the Bears); both have been forced to make a number of personnel changes for their Round 2 match at Bishop Park. For Norths, young Broncos Kodi Nikorima and Jarrod Wallace have been called up to the NRL and will come from the bench against Cronulla.

Sam Foster will be the Devils' five-eighth this week, while Francis Molo comes into the starting forward pack. Rhett Webster will also replace Billy Solah as an interchange. Burleigh's changes will see Blackwater junior Connor Broadhurst brought in at centre for Brad Tighe after he failed to finish last week's game against the Capras due to a suspected rib cartilage injury.

Mitch Sharp has been including on the extended bench, while Shaun Maloney and Andrew Vela are in for Kyle McConnell and Ayden Lee. Bears coach Jim Lenihan needs to find a replacement for fullback Anthony Don, who was a late call-up for the Titans - in for winger Kevin Gordon who broke his nose at training. In milestone news, veteran Mark Vaiao moves to 114 Cup games for Norths - drawing equal with Wade Fenton for most appearances for the Devils.