Queensland Cup - Round 9 -
Preview

Round nine of the Queensland Cup is undoubtedly one of the most attractive of the season so far. There is something for everyone ? a grudge match in Ipswich; a wooden spoon battle at Purtell Park; the venture of the only New South Wales team into the deep north; a farewell to one ground and the battle for club championship supremacy on the Gold Coast. The grudge match is between the Ipswich Jets and Norths Devils at Bendigo Bank Oval on Saturday night when former Ipswich coach, Gary Grienke returns to the scene of so many triumphs last season. Queensland State of Origin legend, Trevor Gillmeister has charge of the Jets now and they are on top of the Queensland Cup ladder on 13 points while Norths are in ninth spot on four points, just ahead of Central Comets on percentages. Still it promises to be a top match with Melbourne Storm coaching staff members likely to be on hand with the Storm playing the Broncos at ANZ Stadium the following day.

Wests Panthers and Souths Logan Magpies do battle at Purtell Park on Saturday afternoon with both sides searching for their first win. The Magpies have been far more competitive than Wests although the for and against of both clubs does not suggest that. Souths Logan have often led at half-time, but they have lacked the class and staying power to go on with things. Tweed Heads Seagulls hope to maintain their spot in the top three when they play North Queensland Young Guns at Dairy Farmers Stadium in Townsville on Saturday night in a curtain-raiser to the Cowboys ? Wests Tigers NRL clash. North Queensland have won four and lost four and they are just three points out of the top five promising to come home with a wet sail. Toowoomba Clydesdales, the Brisbane Broncos feeder club, will help the Broncos farewell ANZ Stadium on Sunday when they play Easts Tigers in the curtain-raiser to the NRL match against Melbourne. The Broncos have been at ANZ since 1993 when they quit the traditional home of the game, Lang Park after a number of disputes with the then Lang Park Trust and the QRL. Thankfully cool heads have prevailed in recent times and the Broncos and the QRL now have a good working relationship as the Broncos prepare to return to ?Suncorp Stadium?. In the ABC televised match on Saturday Burleigh Bears host Wynnum Seagulls at Pizzey Park, Miami with Burleigh coming off a big win over Norths and Wynnum coming off a big loss to Toowoomba. Wynnum are equal second with Tweed while Burleigh are equal fourth with Toowoomba and Redcliffe. Wynnum and Burleigh also are the pace setters in the Spotless Services Club Championship with their Mixwell Cup (South East Division) A grade and Colts teams performing strongly. In the other match of the round Redcliffe play Central Comets at Dolphin Oval on Sunday with Brothers Valleys meeting the Dolphins in A grade and Colts. Best of luck to the Brisbane team playing Sydney?s Jim Beam Cup representative side at Campbelltown on Wednesday night for the annual Brasch-Bellew Shield.

The Jim Beam Cup representative side to play the Brisbane Capitals is -

Dane Gilmore (Souths Juniors), Scott Ella (Wentworthville), Damien Mostyn (Sydney Bulls), Nathan Barnes (Windsor), Mick Corrie (Sydney Bulls), Jono Rolfe (St Marys-Penrith), Keiron Herring (Ryde-Eastwood), Hayes Lauder (Wentworthville), Glenn Sedwell (St Marys-Penrith), Cheyne Lennon (The Entrance), Peter Ford (Erina), Adam Capovilla (Wentworthville), Nathan De Bartolo (Sydney Bulls), Ryan Asplet (Sydney Bulls), Manu Asoava (St Marys-Penrith), Clint Cooke (Souths Juniors), Wes Tillott (Erina). Coach: Ian McCann (Wentworthville).

Queensland University teams host New South Wales University at Aspley RLFC, Kirby Road, Aspley next Saturday 24 May. Colts kick off at 5.30pm with the Opens match to commence at 7.00pm.