Queensland Cup - Round 13 -
Preview

The two Seagulls teams in the Queensland Cup share the competition lead with Tweed in the most danger of slipping down the ladder this weekend. Tweed Heads Seagulls will host the Ipswich Jets at Piggabeen on Saturday in the ABC television game, the first time Aunty?s camera have ventured south of the border. Both teams are coming off losses ? Tweed in an upset to the Central Comets and Ipswich to the Burleigh Bears. Tweed?s loss was the biggest shock of the round although Central are confident of winning more games than they lose in the run home to the finals. While Tweed were losing the Wynnum Seagulls were hanging on for a thrilling 31-28 win over the North Queensland Young Guns at Kougari Oval. That result elevated Wynnum to first place on percentages after they had gone into the round in fourth place. That shows you how congested things are at the top and how difficult it is to predict the minor premiers. Wynnum play Souths Logan at Davies Park on Saturday afternoon although Souths will be at full strength and rejuvenated after a bye. Redcliffe, Ipswich and Toowoomba share third spot on 17 points with Redcliffe hosting the only Sunday match of the round ? against Burleigh at Dolphin Oval. Burleigh are on 15 points and a win will have people talking about the Bears as possible minor premiers. Toowoomba play bottom side Wests at Purtell Park on Saturday and no matter what team they field, the Clydesdales should account for the Panthers. The final make-up of the Toowoomba side will hinge on fitness tests on 15 Broncos players involved in Wednesday night?s State of Origin clash and the colts curtain-raiser. Toowoomba is the Broncos feeder club with the Brisbane side playing away to Canberra on Sunday in their NRL clash. There are two Saturday night matches this weekend: Central host Norths at Browne Park, Rockhampton and North Queensland host Easts Tigers at the Townsville Sports Reserve. Both the Comets and Norths would harbour some hope of making the finals, particularly as Norths have a game up their sleeve. But the loser of this game will do it tough. North Queensland and Easts are on 12 points, five points out of a finals berth, and like wise the loser here will do it tough to make the top five. Next Saturday at Roma the Queensland Rangers will play New South Wales Country with the Queensland side chosen after the annual divisional carnival at Stadium Toowoomba last weekend. South West won the carnival.