# 2017 Queensland Cup

The 2017 Queensland Cup season was the 22nd 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.
The Papua New Guinea Hunters won their first premiership after defeating the Sunshine Coast Falcons 12–10 in the Grand Final at Suncorp Stadium, becoming the first team from outside of Australia to win the Queensland Cup. Hunters' halfback Ase Boas was named the competition's Player of the Year, winning the Courier Mail Medal.

## Teams

In 2017, the lineup of teams remained unchanged for the third consecutive year.
| Club | Home ground(s) | Head coach(s) | Captain(s) | NRL Affiliate |
| Burleigh Bears | Pizzey Park | Jim Lenihan | Luke Page | Gold Coast Titans |
| Central Queensland Capras | Browne Park | Kim Williams | Gavin Hiscox | None |
| Easts Tigers | Suzuki Stadium | Scott Sipple | Jake Foster | Melbourne Storm |
| Ipswich Jets | North Ipswich Reserve | Ben & Shane Walker | Dane Phillips | Brisbane Broncos |
| Mackay Cutters | Stadium Mackay | Steve Sheppard | Andrew Davey & Setaimata Sa | North Queensland Cowboys |
| Northern Pride | Barlow Park | Ty Williams | Ryan Ghietti | North Queensland Cowboys |
| Norths Devils | Bishop Park | Mark Gliddon | Billy Brittain | Brisbane Broncos |
| Papua New Guinea Hunters | National Football Stadium | Michael Marum | Ase Boas | None |
| Redcliffe Dolphins | Dolphin Oval | Adam Mogg | Sam Anderson | Brisbane Broncos |
| Souths Logan Magpies | Davies Park | Jon Buchanan | Phil Dennis | Brisbane Broncos |
| Sunshine Coast Falcons | Sunshine Coast Stadium | Craig Ingebrigtsen | Dane Hogan | Melbourne Storm |
| Townsville Blackhawks | Jack Manski Oval | Kristian Woolf | Dan Beasley | North Queensland Cowboys |
| Tweed Heads Seagulls | Piggabeen Sports Complex | Aaron Zimmerle | Damian Sironen | Gold Coast Titans |
| Wynnum Manly Seagulls | BMD Kougari Oval | Adam Brideson | Mitchell Frei | Brisbane Broncos |

## Ladder

2017 Queensland Cup :
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | B | PF | PA | PD | Pts |
| 1 | Papua New Guinea Hunters (P) | 23 | 17 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 550 | 378 | +172 | 39 |
| 2 | Redcliffe Dolphins | 23 | 17 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 604 | 332 | +272 | 38 |
| 3 | Easts Tigers | 23 | 16 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 596 | 422 | +174 | 37 |
| 4 | Sunshine Coast Falcons | 23 | 15 | 1 | 7 | 2 | 645 | 418 | +227 | 35 |
| 5 | Souths Logan Magpies | 23 | 15 | 0 | 8 | 2 | 580 | 484 | +96 | 34 |
| 6 | Townsville Blackhawks | 23 | 12 | 2 | 9 | 2 | 575 | 473 | +102 | 30 |
| 7 | Ipswich Jets | 23 | 12 | 0 | 11 | 2 | 536 | 539 | -3 | 28 |
| 8 | Mackay Cutters | 23 | 10 | 2 | 11 | 2 | 531 | 566 | -35 | 26 |
| 9 | Burleigh Bears | 23 | 10 | 0 | 13 | 2 | 466 | 510 | -64 | 24 |
| 10 | Wynnum Manly Seagulls | 23 | 9 | 0 | 14 | 2 | 433 | 465 | -32 | 22 |
| 11 | Norths Devils | 23 | 9 | 0 | 14 | 2 | 502 | 570 | -68 | 22 |
| 12 | Northern Pride | 23 | 6 | 0 | 17 | 2 | 400 | 555 | -155 | 16 |
| 13 | Tweed Heads Seagulls | 23 | 5 | 0 | 18 | 2 | 337 | 710 | -373 | 14 |
| 14 | Central Queensland Capras | 23 | 4 | 1 | 18 | 2 | 416 | 729 | -313 | 13 |

## Final series

| Home | Score | Away | Match Information | Match Information |
| Home | Score | Away | Date and Time (Local) | Venue |
| Elimination Finals |||||
| Sunshine Coast Falcons | 26 – 18 | Souths Logan Magpies | 3 September 2017, 1:30pm | Sunshine Coast Stadium |
| Easts Tigers | 20 – 16 | Townsville Blackhawks | 3 September 2017, 2:00pm | Suzuki Stadium |
| Major / Minor Semi-finals |||||
| Easts Tigers | 22 – 26 | Sunshine Coast Falcons | 10 September 2017, 1:30pm | Suzuki Stadium |
| PNG Hunters | 6 – 4 | Redcliffe Dolphins | 10 September 2017, 3:00pm | National Football Stadium |
| Preliminary Final |||||
| Redcliffe Dolphins | 8 – 34 | Sunshine Coast Falcons | 17 September 2017, 2:30pm | Dolphin Oval |
| Grand Final |||||
| PNG Hunters | 12 – 10 | Sunshine Coast Falcons | 24 September 2017, 3:25pm | Suncorp Stadium |
| Qualifying / Elimination Finals | Qualifying / Elimination Finals | Qualifying / Elimination Finals | Major / Minor Semi-finals | Major / Minor Semi-finals | Major / Minor Semi-finals | Preliminary Final | Preliminary Final | Preliminary Final | Grand Final | Grand Final | Grand Final |
| | | | 1 | PNG Hunters | 6 | | | | 1 | PNG Hunters | 12 |
| | | | 2 | Redcliffe | 4 | | | | 4 | Sunshine Coast | 10 |
| 3 | Easts | 20 | | | | 2 | Redcliffe | 8 | | | |
| 6 | Townsville | 16 | | | | 4 | Sunshine Coast | 34 | | | |
| | | | 3 | Easts | 22 | | | | | | |
| | | | 4 | Sunshine Coast | 26 | | | | | | |
| 4 | Sunshine Coast | 26 | | | | | | | | | |
| 5 | Souths Logan | 18 | | | | | | | | | |

## Grand Final

* Sunday, 24 September 3:25pm (AEST)
| PNG Hunters | 12 – 10 | Sunshine Coast Falcons |
| Tries: Watson Boas 1 Willie Minoga 1 Goals: Ase Boas 2 | 1st: 0 - 10 2nd: 12 - 0 Report | Tries: 1 Matt Soper-Lawler 1 Joe Stimson Goals: 1 Joe Stimson |
* Suncorp Stadium Attendance: 11,260 Referee: Jarrod Cole, Nick Pelgrave Player of the Match: Ase Boas (PNG Hunters)
| PNG Hunters | Position | Sunshine Coast Falcons |
| Stargroth Amean | FB | Jahrome Hughes |
| 22. Wawa Paul | WG | 2. Matt Soper-Lawler |
| 3. Bland Abavu | CE | 3. Justin Olam |
| 4. Adex Wera | CE | 4. Chris Lewis |
| 5. Butler Morris | WG | 5. Jeremy Hawkins |
| 6. Ase Boas (c) | FE | 6. Scott Drinkwater |
| 7. Watson Boas | HB | 7. Ryley Jacks |
| 8. Wellington Albert | PR | 18. Tui Kamikamica |
| 9. Wartovo Puara | HK | 14. Brandon Smith |
| 10. Stanton Albert | PR | 10. Lachlan Timm |
| 11. David Loko | SR | 11. Dane Hogan (c) |
| 12. Nixon Putt | SR | 12. Joe Stimson |
| 13. Moses Meninga | LK | 13. Harrison Muller |
| 14. Rhadley Brawa | Bench | 15. Jon Grieve |
| 15. Willie Minoga | Bench | 16. Louis Geraghty |
| 16. Enoch Maki | Bench | 17. Jye Ballinger |
| 17. Brandy Peter | Bench | 21. Guy Hamilton |
| Michael Marum | Coach | Craig Ingebrigtsen |
The PNG Hunters won their first minor premiership after finishing ahead of Redcliffe by a single point. After earning a bye in the first week of the finals, they defeated Redcliffe in the major semi final to qualify for their first Grand Final. Sunshine Coast had to earn their Grand Final spot the hard way, winning four straight games on route to the decider. In the first week, they eliminated Souths Logan and then upset the third-placed Easts Tigers in the semi-finals and the second-placed Dolphins in the preliminary final to qualify for their second Grand Final.

### First half

The Sunshine Coast stunned the Hunters early in the first half, with winger Matt Soper-Lawler scoring in just the 2nd minute as the Falcons hunted another finals upset. Five minutes later they scored their second try when second rower Joe Stimson crossed in the 7th minute. That would be the end of the first half scoring, with the Hunters getting close to getting their first try in the 15th minute but were ruled back for a forward pass.

### Second half

It took the Hunters just two minutes to record their first points of the game when halfback Watson Boas scored after a deflected kick and an error from the Falcons. The scoreline remained unchanged for the next 36 minutes as neither side could crack the others defence. Finally, in the 79th minute, Hunters' forward Willie Minoga became his side's hero, as he dived onto an Ase Boas' grubber to score the try that levelled the scores. After consulting with the video referee, the try was awarded and Ase Boas kicked the game-winning conversion from right in front to give the Hunters their first ever Queensland Cup premiership. Hunters' captain Ase Boas was awarded the Duncan Hall Medal for man of the match.

### NRL State Championship

After winning the Grand Final, the PNG Hunters qualified for the NRL State Championship on NRL Grand Final day. They were defeated by the Penrith Panthers, the New South Wales Cup premiers, 18–42.
* Sunday, 1 October 3:40pm (AEDT)
| Penrith Panthers | 42 – 18 | Papua New Guinea Hunters |
| Tries: Tony Satini (9', 11', 16', 40') 4 Darren Nicholls (20') 1 Viliame Kikau (31') 1 Christian Crichton (38') 1 Maika Sivo (47') 1 Goals: Darren Nicholls 5/8 (13', 17', 22', 34', 39') Sin Bin: Jarome Luai (68') | 1st: 38 – 2 2nd: 4 – 16 | Tries: 1 (69') Adex Wera 1 (72') Bland Abavu 1 (77') Ase Boas Goals: 3/4 Ase Boas (3' pen, 70', 77') |
* ANZ Stadium, Sydney Referee: Jarrod Cole, Chris Treneman Man-of-the-Match medal: Kaide Ellis

## Player statistics

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

## QRL awards

* Courier Mail Medal (Best and Fairest): Ase Boas ( PNG Hunters)
* Coach of the Year: Michael Marum ( Redcliffe Dolphins)
* Rookie of the Year: Brandon Smith ( Sunshine Coast Falcons)
* Representative Player of the Year: Nick Slyney ( Queensland Residents, Redcliffe Dolphins)
* XXXX People's Choice Award: Ase Boas ( PNG Hunters)

### Team of the Year

| Position | Winner | Club |
| Fullback | Jamayne Isaako | Souths Logan Magpies |
| Wing | Jonathon Reuben | Townsville Blackhawks |
| Centre | Justin Olam | Sunshine Coast Falcons |
| Five-eighth | Billy Walters | Easts Tigers |
| Halfback | Brodie Croft | Easts Tigers |
| Prop | Matthew Lodge | Redcliffe Dolphins |
| Hooker | Pat Politoni | Burleigh Bears |
| Second-row | Blake Leary | Townsville Blackhawks |
| Lock | Sam Anderson | Redcliffe Dolphins |