2018 Queensland Cup Explained

Year:2018
Competition:Queensland Cup
Duration:March 10 – September 23, 2018
Teams:14
Count:6th
Mpcount:6th
Matches:167
Points:7,279
Top Point Scorer: Guy Hamilton (176)
Top Try Scorer: Daniel Ogden
Michael Purcell (22)
Player Of The Year: Nathaniel Neale
(Petero Civoniceva Medal)
Nextseason Year:2019

The 2018 Queensland Cup season was the 23rd 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 28-week long season (including finals) from March to September.[1]

The Redcliffe Dolphins won their sixth premiership after defeating the Easts Tigers 32–22 in the Grand Final at Suncorp Stadium. Ipswich Jets Nathaniel Neale was named the competition's Player of the Year, winning the Petero Civoniceva Medal.[2]

Teams

In 2018, the lineup of teams remained unchanged for the fourth consecutive year.

ColoursClubHome ground(s)Head coach(s)Captain(s)NRL Affiliate
Burleigh BearsPizzey ParkJim LenihanLuke Page Gold Coast Titans
Central Queensland CaprasBrowne ParkKim WilliamsJack MaddenNone
Easts TigersSuzuki StadiumScott SippleJake Foster Melbourne Storm
Ipswich JetsNorth Ipswich ReserveBen & Shane WalkerNathaniel NealeNone
Mackay CuttersBB Print StadiumSteve SheppardTom Murphy North Queensland Cowboys
Northern PrideBarlow ParkTy WilliamsRyan Ghietti North Queensland Cowboys
Norths DevilsBishop ParkRohan SmithJohn Palavi Brisbane Broncos
Papua New Guinea HuntersNational Football StadiumMichael MarumAse BoasNone
Redcliffe DolphinsDolphin OvalAdam MoggCameron Cullen Brisbane Broncos
Souths Logan MagpiesDavies ParkJon BuchananPhil Dennis Brisbane Broncos
Sunshine Coast FalconsCraig IngebrigtsenDane Hogan Melbourne Storm
Townsville BlackhawksJack Manski OvalKristian WoolfAndrew Niemoeller North Queensland Cowboys
Tweed Heads SeagullsPiggabeen Sports ComplexBen WoolfSam Meskell Gold Coast Titans
Wynnum Manly SeagullsBMD Kougari OvalAdam BridesonMitch Cronin Brisbane Broncos

Ladder

2018 Queensland Cup
Team
1 Redcliffe Dolphins (P)2316161600382+21835
2 Burleigh Bears2316071589427+16234
3 Townsville Blackhawks2315081571348+22332
4 Northern Pride2313191474404+7029
5 Easts Tigers23130101576503+7328
6 Ipswich Jets23130101554505+4928
7 Papua New Guinea Hunters23130101444418+2628
8 Norths Devils23110121516553-3724
9 Souths Logan Magpies23100131534499+3522
10 Sunshine Coast Falcons23100131453464-1122
11 Tweed Heads Seagulls2391131435634-19921
12 Wynnum Manly Seagulls2390141472593-12120
13 Central Queensland Capras2370161390576-18616
14 Mackay Cutters2341181386688-30211

Final series

HomeScoreAwayMatch Information
width=10%Date and Time (Local)width=10%Venue
Elimination Finals
Townsville Blackhawks12 - 32 Ipswich Jets1 September 2018, 1:10pmJack Manski Oval
Northern Pride0 – 32 Easts Tigers1 September 2018, 3:00pmStan Williams Park
Major / Minor Semi-finals
Easts Tigers50 – 20 Ipswich Jets8 September 2018, 1:10pmSuzuki Stadium
Redcliffe Dolphins13 – 6 Burleigh Bears8 September 2018, 6:00pmDolphin Stadium
Preliminary Finals
Burleigh Bears26 – 36 Easts Tigers15 September 2018, 1:10pmPizzey Park
Grand Final
Redcliffe Dolphins36 – 22 Easts Tigers23 September 2018, 3:10pmSuncorp Stadium

Grand Final

Redcliffe finished the regular season as minor premiers for the sixth time and earned a bye in the first week of the finals. In the major semi final, they defeated Burleigh 13–6 and qualified for their 11th Grand Final. Easts finished fifth on the ladder and defeated the fourth-placed Northern Pride 32–0 in the first week of the finals. In the minor semi final, they eliminated Ipswich 50–20 before upsetting Burleigh in the preliminary final to qualify for their fifth Grand Final. Redcliffe and Easts last met in a Grand Final in 1997, with the Dolphins winning 18–16.

First half

Redcliffe were the first to score in the Grand Final thanks to a Kotoni Staggs penalty goal from 20 metres out. The first try of the contest went to Easts, with Conor Carey stretching out to score in the corner. Redcliffe recorded their first four-pointer in the 16th minute when a late Cameron Cullen offload found fullback Trai Fuller who muscled his way over. They scored their second when Jeremy Hawkins leapt high to catch a Bryce Donovan kick and planted it down for a try. Another penalty goal in the 33rd minute gave the Dolphins a 14–6 lead. Easts hit back in the shadow of half time when Marion Seve scored out wide to cut the margin to four points.

Second half

The Dolphins opened the second half with an early try when Fuller ducked through the Tigers' defence to score his second try. They extended their lead in the 46th minute when a Donovan grubber was kept alive by Aaron Whitchurch, who batted infield for Staggs to score. Easts got back into the game in the 56th minute when captain Jake Foster barged over from close range to score. In the 62nd minute, Redcliffe all but sealed the win when Donovan set up another try with his boot, this time finding Nathan Watt who dived on his grubber. The Tigers got one back two minutes later through fullback Scott Drinkwater but it proved to be a consolation try in the end, as Redcliffe ended the game with a try to Tom Opacic in the 78th minute. Dolphins' second rower Toby Rudolf was awarded the Duncan Hall Medal for man of the match.[3] [4]

NRL State Championship

After winning the Grand Final, the Redcliffe Dolphins qualified for the NRL State Championship on NRL Grand Final day. They were defeated by the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, the New South Wales Cup premiers, 18–42.[5] [6]

Player statistics

Leading try scorers

Poswidth=140PlayerTeamTries
1Michael Purcell Ipswich Jets22
2Daniel Ogden Wynnum Manly Seagulls19
3Scott Drinkwater Easts Tigers17
4Linc Port Easts Tigers16
Marion Seve Easts Tigers16
Kalifa Faifai Loa Townsville Blackhawks16
7Jaelen Feeney Townsville Blackhawks15
8Jonus Pearson Redcliffe Dolphins14
Jarrod McInally Easts Tigers14
Troy Leo Burleigh Bears14

Leading point scorers

Poswidth=140 PlayerTeamwidth=20 Twidth=20 Gwidth=20 FGwidth=20 Pts
1Kotoni Staggs Redcliffe Dolphins1363-178
2Guy Hamilton Souths Logan Magpies578-176
3Wes Conlon Ipswich Jets1153-150
4Jake Clifford Northern Pride10462134
5Marmin Barba Ipswich Jets10440128
6Brayden Torphy Easts Tigers6500124
Ase Boas Papua New Guinea Hunters7480124
8Cameron Broadhurst Central Queensland Capras4500116
9Todd Murphy Norths Devils4470110
10Jamal Fogarty Burleigh Bears5420104

QRL awards

Team of the Year

PositionNatWinnerClub
Scott Drinkwater Easts Tigers
Kalifa Faifai Loa Townsville Blackhawks
Kotoni Staggs Redcliffe Dolphins
Billy Walters Easts Tigers
Jake Clifford Northern Pride
Nathaniel Neale Ipswich Jets
Pat Politoni Burleigh Bears
Patrick Kaufusi Easts Tigers
Jamil Hopoate Redcliffe Dolphins

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Draw.
  2. Web site: Ipswich hardman claims Civoniceva Medal . Queensland Rugby League . 29 August 2018 . QRL Media . 29 June 2019.
  3. Web site: live. https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211205/cmP7QouReqY. 2021-12-05. 2018 QLD Cup Grand Final - Redcliffe 36 v Easts 22 . YouTube.
  4. Web site: Sharks recruit Rudolf red-hot as Dolphins sink Tigers. 23 September 2018.
  5. Web site: NRL State Championships Team List v Redcliffe Dolphins. 25 September 2018.
  6. Web site: Bulldogs add to NSW dominance over Queensland with a big win in the Intrust Super State Championship over the Dolphins. 30 September 2018.