Queensland Cup Grand Final: Easts Tigers vs Mackay Cutters

[DIEHARD]

Grand Final Preview: Tigers v Mackay

EASTS TIGERS v MACKAY CUTTERS
North Ipswich Reserve on Sunday, September 29 – 3.50pm
Broadcast: Live on Channel 9 and ABC Radio Grandstand
Livestream: http://www.qrl.com.au/default.aspx?s=live-stream
Referee: Clayton Sharpe
Head to Head: Easts Tigers 7, Mackay Cutters 6
Head-to-Head Finals: Easts Tigers 1, Mackay Cutters 0
CUP Grand Final Experience: Easts: Played 2 Won 0; Mackay: Played 0
Twitter: #intrustsupercup #CUPGF #TIGESvMC #tigerland #carnthecutters

The time is upon the Easts Tigers and Mackay Cutters to see who will come out of this Sunday’s grand final decider as the champion team of 2013. Whoever wins will be the 9th different premier in 10 years – with only Wynnum Manly (2011-2012) able to win back-to-back titles since Redcliffe in 2002-2003. Mackay – who are playing in their first ever Cup final – will hope their winning momentum can see them claim the silverware in their first attempt. Easts however, will hope it is third time lucky for them after losing their two previous grand final deciders. As a former a high-performance manager with the Melbourne Storm (who have a feeder club relationship with Easts); Cutters mentor Kim Williams has seen a number of his team’s opposition up close and is happy to use his knowledge against them. “(Mahe Fonua and Ben Hampton) are real keys for them, Fonua in particular,” he told Mackay’s Daily Mercury. “I know enough about them to know their strengths and weaknesses, so we'll try to exploit the weaknesses where we can, and we'll have to try to minimise the impact of their strengths.” Williams has named an extended bench, with big forward Jason Schirnack expected to be included in the final 17 after serving a two match suspension. The match will be David Milne’s last game with the club with the winger to play his 41st game for Mackay and his 75th Cup game overall. Easts skipper Steven Thorpe – who won the Colts title with the Tigers in 2009 – has singled out North Queensland Cowboys forward Jason Taumalolo as a player they must stop. “With a bloke that size, if you let him get his confidence up early and you let him run the ball he could do some damage,” Thorpe told the Tigers website. “Mackay’s very good up the middle and then they shift (the ball) well.” Easts coach Craig Ingebrigtsen has boosted his forwards for the match with Dane Hogan, Lagi Seti and Liam McDonald added to the side.

[DIEHARD]

Anyone else headed to the Grand Final today?

Go Easts Tigers!!

[TITAN PETE]

Wow what a game this turned out to be , one of the best games of Q Cup i've ever seen & wasn't won until the final minute

Next season will be something special again with the addition of PNG & also with the "Super Bowl" grand Final to be played between Q Cup winner v NSW Cup winners on Grand Final Day in Sydney, it will be huge

[DIEHARD]

So we are doing the Super Bowl? Excellent. My master plan is coming together! It's wonderful to see such innovation.

Queensland Cup Grand Finals are getting a reputation for being great games. This one didn't disappoint. Crowd of around 6,000. Still upset it isn't at Lang Park. But they reckon it's about cost. I wish they'd just promote it as an EVENT. A Queensland EVENT. Who cares what teams are involved. Promote it to NRL clubs members, local clubs and Origin attendees. Surely we can get 15,000 - 20,000!

I was supporting Easts Tigers on the day. But there was plenty of support for the Cutters. Lots of different coloured jerseys and plenty of people who care. I wore my Diehards jersey and got plenty of attention. I dunno about charging $3 for a can of coke though. Epic rip off. Parking was a bit of a nightmare.

[DIEHARD]

Maiden title for Mackay Cutters

TRIUMPHANT: Mackay Cutters celebrate their 27-20 win over Easts Tigers in the Queensland Cup grand final at North Ipswich Reserve yesterday.

The Cutters halfback and Rockhampton product played a hand in two of the Cutters' five tries, before slotting a field goal to break the deadlock in the 74th minute at North Ipswich Reserve yesterday.

Minto joined former Rockhampton Brothers star Chris Gesch in the winning team, while ex-Central Queensland Capras captain Tim Glasby was unlucky for the Tigers.

Melbourne Storm-contract centre Junior Sa'u scored the first of his two tries in the eighth minute, before Intrust Super Cup 'player of the carnival' Cody Walker added the extras to give Easts an early lead.

Minto put winger Bureta Faraimo away to score his second try of the grand final within the space of a couple of minutes to give Mackay a 10-8 lead six minutes before half-time.

But Easts hit back three minutes before the break through Sau, who pounced on a loose ball after Cutters fullback Liam Taylor let a towering Tom Butterfield bomb bounce.

Walker converted the try for the Tigers to head into half-time leading 14-10.

Mackay returned serve six minutes after half-time when Minto, who received a dubious pass from Anthony Mitchell, spotted some space down the Tigers' right edge.

From 30m out, the Cutters halfback hit centre Kalifa Faifai Loa to put winger David Mills over to tie the scores at 14-14.

Minto nailed a beautiful sideline conversion after Morgan scored a miraculous try with 20 minutes to go to put the Cutters ahead 20-14.

Big Tigers prop Mitch Garbutt, who was his side's best, barged over to score to the right of the posts and Walker added the extras to tie the match up at 20-20 with 11 minutes to go.

From another barnstorming run from Jason Taumalolo, Anthony Mitchell ran through a gaping hold in the Easts Tigers defence to seal the match.

Mitchell received the Duncan Hall Medal for player of the match.

IntrustSuper Cup

Grand final

Mackay Cutters 27 (B Faraimo 2, M Morgan, D Milne, A Mitchell tries; L Taylor, D Milne, M Minto goals; M Minto field goal) def Easts Tigers 20 (J Sa'u 2, M Garbutt tries; C Walker 4 goals).

Bundaberg NewsMail