QCUP Round 17: Northern Pride v Ipswich Jets

[DIEHARD]

Northern Pride v Ipswich Jets
Barlow Park on Saturday, July 30 ? 5.30pm

Northern Pride

1. Ben Fitzpatrick 2. Hezron Murgha 3. Chey Bird (c) 4. Rod Jensen 5. Michael Bani 6. Mick Wilson 7. Ryan Ghietti 8. Luke Harlen 9. Jason Roos 10. Ben Laity 11. Scott Bolton 12. Mark Cantoni 13. Joel Riethmuller

14. Ben Spina 15. Mark Dalle Cort 16. Ricky Thorby 17. Alex Starmer

Coach: David Maiden

Ipswich Jets

1. Luke Walker 2. Ramon Filipine 3. Donald Malone 4. Brendon Marshall 5. Jarrod McInally 6. Brendon Lindsay 7. Todd Riggs 8. Joseph Tomane 9. Michael Fisher 10. Trevor Exton 11. Jacob Ling 12. Lorenzo Maafu 13. Keiron Lander

15. Nathaniel Neale 16. Smith Samau 17. Slade King 18. Max Seumanutafa

Coach: Ben Walker & Shane Walker

[DIEHARD]

Jets score as Titans clean house

Ipswich will gain the services of Joe Tomane (above), Luke Capewell (right) and Esi Tonga for the rest of the season.

File THE Gold Coast Titans’ loss is the Ipswich Jets’ gain, with the green brigade set to field three Titans players for the rest of year.

The Jets will have the services of Brisbane Broncos-bound Luke Capewell, ACT Brumbies-bound Joe Tomane and Parramatta Eels-bound Esi Tonga.

All three players have been in and out of the Titans and Jets this season, with Capewell becoming the standout fullback in the Queensland Cup.

Born in Charleville in south-western Queensland, Capewell made his NRL debut for the Rabbitohs at just 19 years of age in 2008, playing for the club until the end of the 2010 season.

Capewell will begin training with the Broncos when the next pre-season gets underway later this year.

With Marshall Chalk also returning from injury, the Jets are set to boast the best backline in the Queensland Cup.

But the return of star players is sure to give Jets co-coaches Ben and Shane Walker a headache or six.

“We have a number of players who have been doing a really good job for us so we will have some sleepless nights I’m sure trying to work out the team with those three players back,” Ben Walker said.

“They are all excellent players so it’s great for the club.”

Capewell has already declared his commitment to the Jets for the rest of this season, telling Walker he wants to help the club win a grand final.

Jets chief executive Steve Johnson said the Titans did what made sense in permanently dropping the three players.

“In the position the Titans are in, you should be giving opportunities to players who will be there next year,” Johnson said. “It’s a win for us and the club is wrapped to have them back.”

The Jets sit fourth on the Queensland Cup ladder.

They are near-certainties to feature in the playoffs for the first time since 2008 when they were defeated in the grand final by the Souths Logan Magpies.

But the Jets will need to regain momentum when they face the third- placed Northern Pride on Saturday night in Cairns after a week off because of a split round.

The Pride is coming off an unimpressive 20-10 win over the bottom- placed Sunshine Coast Sea Eagles.

The Jets will be without captain Keiron Lander who has niggling injuries he needs to overcome before the run to the finals.

‘In the position the Titans are in, you should be giving opportunities to players who will be there next year.’

http://www.qt.com.au/

[DIEHARD]

NORTHERN PRIDE v IPSWICH JETS
Barlow Park Saturday, July 30 ? 5.30pm

The Northern Pride will field arguably its strongest side of the season when it hosts the Ipswich Jets in Cairns. Michael Bani makes his return from injury on the wing for the home side, while North Queensland Cowboys forward Scott Bolton has been named in the second row. Tully product Joel Riethmuller also returns after a number of weeks playing with the NRL side. The round 17 clash will have a huge bearing on the make up of the finals, with the third-placed Pride sitting two competition points ahead of the Jets. Ipswich?s Luke Walker has been named to play in his 100th Queensland Cup game for the Jets ? but with Titan Luke Capewell available for selection again and Marshall Chalk a chance of returning from injury ? it remains to be seen who slots into the backline. The Jets have shown good form recently and were able to snatch a 20-19 win over the second-placed Redcliffe Dolphins in their last start following a penalty goal after the siren. However, this week?s Northern Pride team will be tough to overcome with the home ground advantage and the inclusion of some experienced NRL campaigners.