The 2015 Queensland Cup season was the 20th season of top-level statewide rugby league competition in Queensland, Australia, It was 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.
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.
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.
The Canberra Raiders ended their affiliation with the Souths Logan Magpies, who partnered with the Brisbane Broncos. After four seasons without an NRL affiliate, the Sunshine Coast Falcons formed a partnership with the Melbourne Storm.
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 Hetherington → Lionel 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 2015 Queensland Cup Team 1 Townsville Blackhawks2319 1 3 2870 507 +507 432 Papua New Guinea Hunters2318 3 2 3718 487 +231 423 Ipswich Jets (P)2316 0 7 2700 502 +198 364 Wynnum Manly Seagulls2316 0 7 2623 440 +183 365 Easts Tigers2313 2 8 2623 428 +204 326 Northern Pride2314 0 9 2523 447 +76 327 Redcliffe Dolphins2310 1 12 2671 574 +97 258 Mackay Cutters2310 1 12 2547 497 +50 259 Tweed Heads Seagulls239 1 13 2510 585 -75 2410 Burleigh Bears2310 0 13 2401 674 -273 2311 Sunshine Coast Falcons237 1 15 2452 599 -147 1912 Souths Logan Magpies237 1 15 2506 664 -158 1913 Norths Devils235 2 16 2420 727 -307 1614 Central Queensland Capras231 0 22 2330 882 -552 6
Final series The Queensland Cup reverted to a six-team finals format in 2015. HomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDate and Time (Local)Venue Elimination Finals Ipswich Jets 54 – 26 Northern Pride6 September 2015, 1:40pm North Ipswich Reserve Wynnum Manly Seagulls 24 – 32 Easts Tigers6 September 2015, 3:00pmBMD Kougari Oval Major / Minor Semi-final Townsville Blackhawks 26 – 12 PNG Hunters12 September 2015, 5:00pmJack Manski Oval Ipswich Jets 44 – 18 Easts Tigers13 September 2015, 1:35pmNorth Ipswich Reserve Preliminary Final PNG Hunters 12 – 28 Ipswich Jets20 September 2015, 3:00pmBMD Kougari Oval Grand Final Townsville Blackhawks 20 – 32 Ipswich Jets27 September 2015, 3:55pmSuncorp Stadium
Grand Final
Townsville BlackhawksPositionIpswich Jets Jahrome Hughes FB Carlin Anderson2. Zac Santo WG 2. Marmin Barba3. Tom Humble CE 3. Liam Capewell4. Mosese Pangai CE 4. Nemani Valekapa5. Samsen O'Neill WG 5. Richard Pandia6. Robert Lui FE 6. Josh Cleeland7. Michael Parker-Walshe HB 7. Dane Phillips8. Glenn Hall PR 15. Kurtis Lingwoodock9. Anthony Mitchell HK 9. Matt Parcell10. Dan Beasley (c) PR 10. Rod Griffin11. Rhyse Martin SR 16. Billy McConnachie12. Kelepi Tanginoa SR 12. Kurt Capewell13. Neville Costigan LK 13. Keiron Lander (c)15. Lorenzo Ma'afu Bench 8. Josh Seage16. Chris McLean Bench 11. Sam Martin18. Rhys Matsen Bench 14. Landon Hayes19. Ricky Thorby Bench 22. Fakahoko TeutauKristian 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 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.Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine:
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.
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.
Player statistics The following statistics are as of the conclusion of the season (including finals).
Leading try scorers PosPlayerTeamTries1Zac Santo Townsville Blackhawks312Marmin Barba Ipswich Jets293Linc Port Northern Pride244Israel Eliab PNG Hunters225Carlin Anderson Ipswich Jets196Matt Parcell Ipswich Jets18Michael Parker-Walshe Townsville Blackhawks188Greg Eden Wynnum Manly Seagulls179Stargroth Amean PNG Hunters16Luke George Northern Pride16Kyle Feldt Townsville Blackhawks16
Leading point scorers PosPlayerTeamTGFGPts1Carlin Anderson Ipswich Jets 18 80 -2322Luke Capewell Redcliffe Dolphins 8 88 -2083Noel Zeming PNG Hunters 7 83 -1944Kyle Feldt Townsville Blackhawks 16 63 -1905Matt Seamark Wynnum Manly Seagulls 2 84 11776Scott Doyle Souths Logan Magpies 8 66 -1647Marmin Barba Ipswich Jets 29 23 -1628Shaun Nona Easts Tigers 7 66 -1609Liam Taylor Mackay Cutters 5 61 1 14310Zac Santo Townsville Blackhawks 31 0 -124
QRL Awards Courier Mail Medal (Best and Fairest): Patrick Templeman ( Wynnum Manly Seagulls) Coach of the Year: Michael Marum ( PNG Hunters) Rookie of the Year: Aaron Rockley ( Wynnum Manly Seagulls) Representative Player of the Year: Shaun Nona ( Queensland Residents, Easts Tigers) XXXX People's Choice Awards: Wartovo Puara ( PNG Hunters)
Team of the Year PositionNatWinnerClubJahrome Hughes Townsville BlackhawksMarmin Barba Ipswich JetsKyle Feldt Townsville BlackhawksIsrael Eliab PNG HuntersMichael Parker-Walshe Townsville BlackhawksDaniel Beasley Townsville BlackhawksJosh Chudleigh Mackay CuttersAnthony Cherrington Redcliffe DolphinsMitchell Frei Wynnum Manly Seagulls
See also
Queensland Cup Queensland Rugby League
References