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]

2015 Queensland Cup
DurationMarch 7 – September 27, 2015
Teams14
Premiers Ipswich Jets (1st title)
Minor premiers Townsville Blackhawks (1st title)
Matches played167
Points scored8,231
Top points scorer(s) Luke Capewell (208)
Player of the year Patrick Templeman
(Courier Mail Medal)
Top try-scorer(s) Marmin Barba (27)
← 2014
2016 →

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

Teams

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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]

Colours Club Home ground(s) Head coach(s) Captain(s) NRL Affiliate
Burleigh Bears Pizzey Park Jim Lenihan Darren Griffiths   Gold Coast Titans
Central Queensland Capras Browne Park Jason HetheringtonLionel Harbin Guy Williams   Brisbane Broncos
Easts Tigers Langlands Park Craig Ingebrigtsen Dane Hogan   Melbourne Storm
Ipswich Jets North Ipswich Reserve Ben Walker & Shane Walker Keiron Lander   Brisbane Broncos
Mackay Cutters Stadium Mackay Kim Williams Chris Gesch   North Queensland Cowboys
Northern Pride Barlow Park Joe O'Callaghan Brett Anderson & Jason Roos   North Queensland Cowboys
Norths Devils Bishop Park Mark Gliddon Brett Greinke   Brisbane Broncos
Papua New Guinea Hunters Kalabond Oval Michael Marum Israel Eliab None
Redcliffe Dolphins Dolphin Oval Troy Lindsay Luke Capewell   Brisbane Broncos
Souths Logan Magpies Davies Park Josh Hannay Phil Dennis   Brisbane Broncos
Sunshine Coast Falcons Sunshine Coast Stadium Glen Dreger Tom Murphy   Melbourne Storm
Townsville Blackhawks Jack Manski Oval Kristian Woolf Dan Beasley   North Queensland Cowboys
Tweed Heads Seagulls Piggabeen Sports Complex Aaron Zimmerle James Wood   Gold Coast Titans
Wynnum Manly Seagulls BMD Kougari Oval Jon Buchanan Tim Natusch   Brisbane Broncos

Ladder

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2015 Queensland Cup
Pos Team Pld W D L B PF PA PD Pts
1   Townsville Blackhawks 23 19 1 3 2 870 507 +507 43
2   Papua New Guinea Hunters 23 18 3 2 3 718 487 +231 42
3   Ipswich Jets (P) 23 16 0 7 2 700 502 +198 36
4   Wynnum Manly Seagulls 23 16 0 7 2 623 440 +183 36
5   Easts Tigers 23 13 2 8 2 623 428 +204 32
6   Northern Pride 23 14 0 9 2 523 447 +76 32
7   Redcliffe Dolphins 23 10 1 12 2 671 574 +97 25
8   Mackay Cutters 23 10 1 12 2 547 497 +50 25
9   Tweed Heads Seagulls 23 9 1 13 2 510 585 -75 24
10   Burleigh Bears 23 10 0 13 2 401 674 -273 23
11   Sunshine Coast Falcons 23 7 1 15 2 452 599 -147 19
12   Souths Logan Magpies 23 7 1 15 2 506 664 -158 19
13   Norths Devils 23 5 2 16 2 420 727 -307 16
14   Central Queensland Capras 23 1 0 22 2 330 882 -552 6

Final series

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

Home Score Away Match Information
Date and Time (Local) Venue
Elimination Finals
  Ipswich Jets 54 – 26   Northern Pride 6 September 2015, 1:40 pm North Ipswich Reserve
  Wynnum Manly Seagulls 24 – 32   Easts Tigers 6 September 2015, 3:00 pm BMD Kougari Oval
Major / Minor Semi-final
  Townsville Blackhawks 26 – 12   PNG Hunters 12 September 2015, 5:00 pm Jack Manski Oval
  Ipswich Jets 44 – 18   Easts Tigers 13 September 2015, 1:35 pm North Ipswich Reserve
Preliminary Final
  PNG Hunters 12 – 28   Ipswich Jets 20 September 2015, 3:00 pm BMD Kougari Oval
Grand Final
  Townsville Blackhawks 20 – 32   Ipswich Jets 27 September 2015, 3:55 pm Suncorp Stadium
Elimination FinalsMajor / Minor Semi-finalsPreliminary FinalGrand Final
1  Townsville261  Townsville20
2  PNG Hunters123  Ipswich32
3  Ipswich542  PNG Hunters12
6  Northern Pride263  Ipswich28
3  Ipswich44
5  Easts18
4  Wynnum Manly24
5  Easts32

Grand Final

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Sunday, 27 September
3:55pm (AEST)
Townsville Blackhawks   20 – 32   Ipswich Jets
Tries:
Jahrome Hughes 1
Tom Humble 1
Robert Lui 1
Zac Santo 1
Goals:
Robert Lui 2
1st: 8 - 16
2nd: 12 - 16
Report
Tries:
1 Carlin Anderson
1 Marmin Barba
1 Keiron Lander
1 Matt Parcell
1 Dane Phillips
1 Nemani Valekapa
Goals:
2 Carlin Anderson
1 Marmin Barba
1 Keiron Lander
Suncorp Stadium
Attendance: 8,086
Referee: Clayton Sharpe
Player of the Match: Billy McConnachie (Ipswich)
Townsville Blackhawks Position Ipswich Jets
  1. Jahrome Hughes
FB
  1. Carlin Anderson
2. Zac Santo WG 2. Marmin Barba
3. Tom Humble CE 3. Liam Capewell
4. Mosese Pangai CE 4. Nemani Valekapa
5. Samsen O'Neill WG 5. Richard Pandia
6. Robert Lui FE 6. Josh Cleeland
7. Michael Parker-Walshe HB 7. Dane Phillips
8. Glenn Hall PR 15. Kurtis Lingwoodock
9. Anthony Mitchell HK 9. Matt Parcell
10. Dan Beasley (c) PR 10. Rod Griffin
11. Rhyse Martin SR 16. Billy McConnachie
12. Kelepi Tanginoa SR 12. Kurt Capewell
13. Neville Costigan LK 13. Keiron Lander (c)
15. Lorenzo Ma'afu Bench 8. Josh Seage
16. Chris McLean Bench 11. Sam Martin
18. Rhys Matsen Bench 14. Landon Hayes
19. Ricky Thorby Bench 22. Fakahoko Teutau
Kristian Woolf 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

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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

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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

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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]

Sunday, 4 October
3:40pm (AEDT)
Newcastle Knights  

2015 NSW Cup Premiers

12–26   Ipswich Jets

2015 QLD Cup Premiers

Tries:
G Ndaira (28')
J Feeney(42')
Goals:
G Ndaira 2/2
Report
Tries:
M Parcell (1')
B McConnachie (10')
M Barba (37')
R Griffin(63')
Goals:
C Anderson 5/5
ANZ Stadium, Sydney
Referee: Matt Noyen

Player statistics

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

QRL Awards

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Team of the Year

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Position Nat Winner Club
Fullback   Jahrome Hughes   Townsville Blackhawks
Wing   Marmin Barba   Ipswich Jets
Centre   Kyle Feldt   Townsville Blackhawks
Five-eighth   Israel Eliab   PNG Hunters
Halfback   Michael Parker-Walshe   Townsville Blackhawks
Prop   Daniel Beasley   Townsville Blackhawks
Hooker   Josh Chudleigh   Mackay Cutters
Second-row   Anthony Cherrington   Redcliffe Dolphins
Lock   Mitchell Frei   Wynnum Manly Seagulls

See also

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References

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