2015 Queensland Cup Explained

Year:2015
Competition:Queensland Cup
Duration:March 7 – September 27, 2015
Teams:14
Count:1st
Mpcount:1st
Matches:167
Points:8,231
Top Point Scorer: Luke Capewell (208)
Top Try Scorer: Marmin Barba (27)
Player Of The Year: Patrick Templeman
(Courier Mail Medal)
Nextseason Year:2016

The 2015 Queensland Cup season was the 20th season of Queensland's top-level statewide rugby league competition run by the Queensland Rugby League. The competition, known as the Intrust Super Cup due to sponsorship from Intrust Super, featured 14 teams playing a 29-week long season (including finals) from March to September.[1]

The Ipswich Jets won their first premiership after defeating the Townsville Blackhawks 32–20 in the Grand Final at Suncorp Stadium. Wynnum Manly Seagulls' Patrick Templeman was named the competition's Player of the Year, winning the Courier Mail Medal.[2] [3]

Teams

In 2015, the competition expanded to the 14 teams with the inclusion of the Townsville Blackhawks. Townsville had previously been represented in the competition by the North Queensland Young Guns and Townsville Stingers.[4]

The Canberra Raiders ended their affiliation with the Souths Logan Magpies, who partnered with the Brisbane Broncos.[5] After four seasons without an NRL affiliate, the Sunshine Coast Falcons formed a partnership with the Melbourne Storm.[6]

ColoursClubHome ground(s)Head coach(s)Captain(s)NRL Affiliate
Burleigh BearsPizzey ParkJim LenihanDarren Griffiths Gold Coast Titans
Central Queensland CaprasBrowne ParkJason HetheringtonLionel HarbinGuy Williams Brisbane Broncos
Easts TigersLanglands ParkCraig IngebrigtsenDane Hogan Melbourne Storm
Ipswich JetsNorth Ipswich ReserveBen Walker & Shane WalkerKeiron Lander Brisbane Broncos
Mackay CuttersStadium MackayKim WilliamsChris Gesch North Queensland Cowboys
Northern PrideBarlow ParkJoe O'CallaghanBrett Anderson & Jason Roos North Queensland Cowboys
Norths DevilsBishop ParkMark GliddonBrett Greinke Brisbane Broncos
Papua New Guinea HuntersKalabond OvalMichael MarumIsrael EliabNone
Redcliffe DolphinsDolphin OvalTroy LindsayLuke Capewell Brisbane Broncos
Souths Logan MagpiesDavies ParkJosh HannayPhil Dennis Brisbane Broncos
Sunshine Coast FalconsGlen DregerTom Murphy Melbourne Storm
Townsville BlackhawksJack Manski OvalKristian WoolfDan Beasley North Queensland Cowboys
Tweed Heads SeagullsPiggabeen Sports ComplexAaron ZimmerleJames Wood Gold Coast Titans
Wynnum Manly SeagullsBMD Kougari OvalJon BuchananTim Natusch Brisbane Broncos

Ladder

2015 Queensland Cup
Team
1 Townsville Blackhawks2319 1 3 2870 507 +507 43
2 Papua New Guinea Hunters2318 3 2 3718 487 +231 42
3 Ipswich Jets (P)2316 0 7 2700 502 +198 36
4 Wynnum Manly Seagulls2316 0 7 2623 440 +183 36
5 Easts Tigers2313 2 8 2623 428 +204 32
6 Northern Pride2314 0 9 2523 447 +76 32
7 Redcliffe Dolphins2310 1 12 2671 574 +97 25
8 Mackay Cutters2310 1 12 2547 497 +50 25
9 Tweed Heads Seagulls239 1 13 2510 585 -75 24
10 Burleigh Bears2310 0 13 2401 674 -273 23
11 Sunshine Coast Falcons237 1 15 2452 599 -147 19
12 Souths Logan Magpies237 1 15 2506 664 -158 19
13 Norths Devils235 2 16 2420 727 -307 16
14 Central Queensland Capras231 0 22 2330 882 -552 6

Final series

The Queensland Cup reverted to a six-team finals format in 2015.

HomeScoreAwayMatch Information
width=10%Date and Time (Local)width=10%Venue
Elimination Finals
Ipswich Jets54 – 26 Northern Pride6 September 2015, 1:40pmNorth Ipswich Reserve
Wynnum Manly Seagulls24 – 32 Easts Tigers6 September 2015, 3:00pmBMD Kougari Oval
Major / Minor Semi-final
Townsville Blackhawks26 – 12 PNG Hunters12 September 2015, 5:00pmJack Manski Oval
Ipswich Jets44 – 18 Easts Tigers13 September 2015, 1:35pmNorth Ipswich Reserve
Preliminary Final
PNG Hunters12 – 28 Ipswich Jets20 September 2015, 3:00pmBMD Kougari Oval
Grand Final
Townsville Blackhawks20 – 32 Ipswich Jets27 September 2015, 3:55pmSuncorp Stadium

Grand Final

Townsville BlackhawksPositionIpswich Jets
  1. Jahrome Hughes
  1. Carlin Anderson
2. Marmin Barba
3. Liam Capewell
4. Nemani Valekapa
5. Samsen O'Neill 5. Richard Pandia
6. Josh Cleeland
7. Michael Parker-Walshe 7. Dane Phillips
15. Kurtis Lingwoodock
9. Matt Parcell
10. Dan Beasley (c) 10. Rod Griffin
16. Billy McConnachie
12. Kurt Capewell
13. Keiron Lander (c)
Bench 8. Josh Seage
16. Chris McLean Bench 11. Sam Martin
18. Rhys Matsen Bench 14. Landon Hayes
Bench 22. Fakahoko Teutau
Coach Ben & Shane Walker

Townsville took out the minor premiership in their debut season, losing just three games (one of those to Ipswich). They qualified for their first Grand Final after defeating the PNG Hunters 26–12 in the major semi final. Ipswich, who finished the regular season in 3rd, defeated the Northern Pride 54–26 in the first elimination final. In the minor semi final, they defeated Easts and then upset the Hunters a week later to qualify for their third Grand Final.

First half

Townsville got off to a great start, scoring in the 2nd minute of the game through centre Tom Humble. Ipswich scored their first try in the 19th minute in spectacular fashion, when winger Marmin Barba ran 70 metres before finding his halfback Dane Phillips who scored. The Jets grabbed their second just minutes later when Townsville fullback Jahrome Hughes threw a wayward pass as he was being dragged over the sideline, that was dived on by Barba in the in-goal. Townsville hit back in the 29th minute when winger Zac Santo scored in the right corner. With a minute remaining in the half, Jets' fullback Carlin Anderson sliced through the Blackhawks defence off a scrum to give his side a 10-point lead.

Second half

It took just a minute before the Jets had their fourth try of the game, when captain Keiron Lander latched onto a Phillips grubber. Three minutes later they recorded their fifth try when centre Nemani Valekapa scored in the corner. The Blackhawks finally stemmed the flow of points in the 50th minute when Hughes crossed the try line. An Ipswich penalty goal from right in front extended their lead to 12 with 20 minutes to play. Townsville gave themselves a chance late when Robert Lui grubbered for himself to score in the 73rd minute to see his side trail by just six. A tense final seven minutes followed but Ipswich held on and sealed the win with an 80th minute try to hooker Matt Parcell.[7]

The premiership was the first ever for the Jets, who had gone 30 seasons without success dating back to the Brisbane Rugby League competition. Ipswich second-rower Billy McConnachie was awarded the Duncan Hall Medal for the man of the match.[8]

NRL State Championship

See also: 2015 NRL State Championship. After winning the Grand Final, the Ipswich Jets qualified for the NRL State Championship on NRL Grand Final day. They defeated the Newcastle Knights, the New South Wales Cup premiers, 26–12.[9]

Player statistics

The following statistics are as of the conclusion of the season (including finals).[10]

Leading try scorers

Poswidth=150PlayerTeamTries
1Zac Santo Townsville Blackhawks31
2Marmin Barba Ipswich Jets29
3Linc Port Northern Pride24
4Israel Eliab PNG Hunters22
5Carlin Anderson Ipswich Jets19
6Matt Parcell Ipswich Jets18
Michael Parker-Walshe Townsville Blackhawks18
8Greg Eden Wynnum Manly Seagulls17
9Stargroth Amean PNG Hunters16
Luke George Northern Pride16
Kyle Feldt Townsville Blackhawks16

Leading point scorers

Poswidth=140 PlayerTeamwidth=20 Twidth=20 Gwidth=20 FGwidth=20 Pts
1Carlin Anderson Ipswich Jets18 80 -232
2Luke Capewell Redcliffe Dolphins8 88 -208
3Noel Zeming PNG Hunters7 83 -194
4Kyle Feldt Townsville Blackhawks16 63 -190
5Matt Seamark Wynnum Manly Seagulls2 84 1177
6Scott Doyle Souths Logan Magpies8 66 -164
7Marmin Barba Ipswich Jets29 23 -162
8Shaun Nona Easts Tigers7 66 -160
9Liam Taylor Mackay Cutters5 61 1 143
10Zac Santo Townsville Blackhawks31 0 -124

QRL Awards

Team of the Year

PositionNatWinnerClub
Jahrome Hughes Townsville Blackhawks
Marmin Barba Ipswich Jets
Kyle Feldt Townsville Blackhawks
Israel Eliab PNG Hunters
Michael Parker-Walshe Townsville Blackhawks
Daniel Beasley Townsville Blackhawks
Josh Chudleigh Mackay Cutters
Anthony Cherrington Redcliffe Dolphins
Mitchell Frei Wynnum Manly Seagulls

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Draw.
  2. Web site: Templeman wins Courier Mail Medal. 9 September 2015.
  3. News: Ipswich Jets win Intrust Super Cup. National Rugby League . 27 September 2015.
  4. Web site: QRL announces Townsville's entry. 10 September 2014.
  5. Web site: Affiliates 2015 |Brisbane Broncos and Souths Logan Magpies – Souths .
  6. Web site: Storm join forces with Sunshine Coast Falcons » League Unlimited.
  7. Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: Web site: 2015 QLD Cup Grand Final Ipswich 32 v Townsville 20 . YouTube.
  8. Web site: Duncan Hall Medal winner Billy McConnachie. 27 September 2015 .
  9. Web site: Jets win State Championship in style. 4 October 2015.
  10. Web site: Stats.