• TOWNSVILLE BLACKHAWKS v TWEED HEADS SEAGULLS
Saturday 8 August, Jack Manski Oval
Townsville Blackhawks 52 (Kyle Feldt 3, Jahrome Hughes, Zac Santo, Tom Humble, Samsen O’Neill, Daniel Beasley, Kelepi Tanginoa tries; Feldt 6, Robert Lui 2 goals) def Tweed Heads Seagulls 12 (Nathaniel Barnes, James Wood tries; Jamal Fogarty 2 goals) at Jack Manski Oval.
The Townsville Blackhawks are one week closer to sewing up the Intrust Super Cup minor premiership in their debut season following a dominant 52-12 Round 22 win over the Tweed Heads Seagulls at Jack Manski Oval on Saturday.
The nine-tries-to-two victory over the 10th-placed Tweed side and the Hunters’ impressive away win over the third-placed Ipswich Jets, means Townsville and PNG are both five points clear of the chasing pack on the competition ladder. The teams are locked on 37 points but the Blackhawks occupy top spot thanks to a far superior for-and-against record.
If the Blackhawks win their three remaining matches, the Hunters won’t bridge the for-and-against gap and a successful first season will be all but complete save for that much sought-after premiership.
Saturday’s big win in front of a healthy Townsville crowd was punctuated by a hat-trick from North Queensland Toyota Cowboys-contracted centre Kyle Feldt whose treble and six goals gave him a personal points tally of 24. Tries to fellow Cowboys-aligned Blackhawks Zac Santo and Kelepi Tanginoa assured it was a good day out for those attached to the National Rugby League club, while Samsen O’Neill, younger brother of Cowboys centre/winger Justin, also touched down for the Blackhawks.
The Blackhawks head west next weekend when they host the third-placed Ipswich Jets in Charters Towers for Country Round.
• NORTHERN PRIDE v MACKAY CUTTERS
Saturday 8 August, Stadium Mackay
Northern Pride 26 (Javid Bowen 2, Luke George 2, Sam Obst tries; Bowen 3 goals) def Mackay Cutters 22 (Sam Clune, Jordan Pereira, Ben Jones, Liam Taylor tries; Taylor 2, Buchanan Rawhiti goals) at Stadium Mackay.
The Northern Pride have given their chances of defending the 2014 Intrust Super Cup title an almighty boost following an impressive, determined 26-22 victory over fellow Cowboys feeder club the Cutters in Mackay.
The victory moves the sixth-placed Pride (12 wins, eight losses) to 28 points on the ladder, a full two wins clear of the seventh-placed Cutters (10 wins, 10 losses), who will now need to win their remaining three regular season games and have other results go their way to be a chance of playing post-season football.
Cowboys-contracted winger Javid Bowen scored a double and kicked three goals for the victors, who were missing regular fullback Hezron Murgha through suspension.
In next weekend’s country round, the Cutters head to Dalby for a clash with Norths Devils while the Pride take on the eighth-placed Dolphins in Innisfail.
SATURDAY, 8 AUGUST, 2015
• PNG Hunters 32 (Stargroth Amean, Noel Zeming, Israel Eliab, Atte Bina tries; Noel Zeming 8 goals) def Ipswich Jets 14 (Marmin Barba 2, Dane Phillips tries; Carlin Anderson goal) at North Ipswich Reserve.
SUNDAY, 9 AUGUST, 2015
• Sunshine Coast Falcons 36 (Young Tonumaipea, Travis Robinson, David Oakes, Ryan Hansen, Jaz Nahu-Main, Mboya Adams tries; David Oakes 3, Ryan Hansen 3 goals) def CQ Capras 16 (Sam Smith 2, Matt Minto tries; Ian Webster 2 goals) at Sunshine Coast Stadium.
• Wynnum Manly Seagulls 46 (Mitchell Frei 3, Matthew Grieve 2, Greg Eden 2, Patrick Templeton tries; Mathew Seamark 7 goals) def Burleigh Bears 24 (Dimitri Pelo 2, Jamie Dowling, Christian Hazard, Tyron Haynes tries; Kevin Gordon 2 goals) at Pizzey Park.
• Redcliffe Dolphins 46 (Josh Beehag 2, Luke Capewell 2, Aaron Whitchurch, Curtis Johnston, John Brady, Darcy Etrich, Shane Pumipi tries; Luke Capewell 5 goals) def Souths Logan Magpies 6 (Ben Thorburn try; Scott Doyle goal) at Dolphin Oval.
