Ipswich Jets v Northern Pride at North Ipswich Reserve on Sunday, September 6 – 1.35pm
Ipswich Jets: 1. Carlin Anderson 2. Marmin Barba 3. Richard Pandia 4. Nemani Valekapa 5. Brendon McGrady 6. Josh Cleeland 7. Dane Phillips 8. Josh Seage 9. Matt Parcell 10. Rod Griffin 11. Fakahoko Teutau 12. Kurt Capewell 13. Keiron Lander (c) 15. Kurtis Lingwoodock16. Billy McConnachie 17. Liam Capewell 22. Sam Martin
Coach: Ben Walker and Shane Walker
Northern Pride: 1. Linc Port 2. Hezron Murgha 3. Brett Anderson (c) 18. Javid Bowen 5. Luke George 20. Ryan Ghietti 7. Sam Obst 8. Jack Svendsen 9. Jason Roos (c) 10. Patrick Kaufusi 11. Vaipuna Tia Kilifi 12. Graham Clark 13. Tom Hancock 14. Jordan Biondi-Odo 15. Brent Oosen 16. Sheldon Powe-Hobbs 17. David Murphy 4. Justin Castellaro
Coach: Joe O’Callaghan
Head to Head: Pride 10 Ipswich 7 Drawn 1.
Round 5 and Round 16- 2015
These two sides have clashed twice this year for a win each both winning on their home grounds.
IPSWICH JETS 26 (Marmin Barba 2, Nemani Valekapa, Brandon McGrady, Josh Seage tries; Marmin Barba 3 goals) def NORTHERN PRIDE 22 (Javid Bowen 2, Hezron Murgha, Linc Port, Luke George tries; Cameron King goal) at North Ipswich Reserve.
NORTHERN PRIDE 20 (Vaipuna Tia Kilifi 2, Linc Port tries; Justin Castellaro 4 goals) def IPSWICH JETS 14 (Carlin Anderson, Brandon McGrady tries; Carlin Anderson 3 goals) at Barlow Park.
The Jets and Pride have clashed twice in finals:
The Jets and Pride have played some epic battles in their short history; The Jets beat the Pride 34-16 in the finals in 2008, in 2011 the Pride knocked the Jets out of the finals by winning 30-6.
2008 Major Semi (Briggs Rd): Ipswich 34 (S.Ireland 2, D.Malone, J.Lewis, K.Lingwoodock, L.Coghill tries; Lewis 5 goals) def Pride 16 (H.Murgha, J.Vaughan, J.Frizzo tries; C.Bird 2 goals)
2011 2v5 (Barlow Park): Pride 30 (Rod Jensen 2, Chey Bird, Ben Spina, Jason Roos tries; Bird 5 goals) def Ipswich 6 (Ian Lacey try; Brendon Lindsay goal).
Elimination Semi Final 3 v 6
Both these Intrust Super Cup clubs have developed a habit of not being able to beat each other away from home. The Pride hasn’t won in Ipswich since 2009 when they won both regular season games at the Briggs Road Complex. From six games at the North Ipswich Reserve there have been five wins to Ipswich and a 12 all draw in 2012.
The Pride represents that dangerous combination that you don’t want in finals, they are the reigning premiers and have just snuck into the finals and want one last dig.
The Pride’s finals campaign will see the end of five Intrust Super Cup champions for the Pride, Semi Tadulala, Sam Obst, Brett Anderson, Jason Roos and the non-playing Alex Starmer will all retire at the end of 2015. A combined 537 games for the Pride and Roos and Starmer are still there from 2008 when the Pride started.
The Jets know the clock is ticking on the career of their captain courageous Keiron Lander.
The Pride started the year 0 from 4 but from there they’ve won 14 games to qualify sixth for the finals. This will be the Pride’s seventh finals campaign having only missed the finals once since 2008. The Pride has the impressive finals’ record of 15 games, winning 9.
The Pride has scored 523 points this year from 102 tries while the Jets have scored 700 points from 126 tries. That’s 24 more tries and 177 more points to the Jets advantage.
In defence the Pride has let in 447 points. While the Jets 502. The Pride has the upper hand by 55 points. The Pride has let through 12 less tries than the Jets with 81 against 93.
The Pride started last week against the Capras on fire scoring 42-6 at half time. It would be impossible to talk about the Pride and scoring without talking about Linc Port.
Port has now scored 24 tries this season from 23 games including four against the Capras with three in the first half. He’s also the Pride’s leading point scorer with 118 (24 tries 11 goals).
Port has been playing full back while Hezron Murgha has been injured. Murgha is expected back this week which could move Port to the wing and mean they will swap throughout the game to create a lethal back two.
Port’s efforts scoring this year have seen him beat Tom Humble’s Pride record of 20 tries in a season. His fourth try equalled the efforts of his captain Brett Anderson and Tom Humble for Pride’s most tries in a game.
Pride’s captain Jason Roos still directs the play from dummy half when he skips out and has forward options with him. Roos loves to throw a flat ball to big bodies. If the Jets get sucked in by focusing on the runners than Roos can still skip through and leave defenders wondering.
Pride Coach Joe O’Callaghan said the team will be preparing as normal and focusing on playing good footy.
“The two times this year we played the Jets, we lost by four points in Ipswich and we beat them in Cairns. I think there isn’t too much between the two teams,” O’Callaghan said.
“This is what you train for all year and this could be the last time some of these guys play. I don’t think the boys will be lacking motivation.”
“The Jets are playing very exciting footy and we will just have to prepared for what they throw at us.”
The Pride this year has played 12 games away from Barlow Park and has won five. While the Jets at home have won eight games losing three at North Ipswich.
The Jets will start this game as underdogs, they’re playing the premiers, they’ve lost 5 of their last 11 games, they’ve lost Chris Walker for the season and play with a style that many say won’t stand up under the heat of September finals action.
The Jets don’t take a great finals record into their 2015 campaign having played finals 16 times since 1996 and won 6. Under the co-coaching of Ben and Shane Walker it is 2 from 6 finals games since 2011.
The Jets last win at home in a finals game was against the Pride in 2008 at Briggs Road.
The Jets last win at the North Ipswich Reserve in the finals was 2007’s thriller v Easts. The Jets were knocked out by Norths at home in 2012.
Marvellous Marmin Barba alone is enough to get people through the gate but then you add into the mix Linc Port and you have a combined tally of 51 tries for the year with Marmin contributing 27 from just 18 games.
The Jets will miss Chris Walker who has contributed 6 tries this year. More than tries though Walker brings a confidence to the side. Walker’s experience and aggression will be missed by the Jets but Richard Pandia showed he can fill in for the Jets and do a tremendous job scoring three tries in the last two weeks.
Carlin Anderson reads and anticipates the play better than most fullbacks. He seems to know when to inject himself and will be a real danger for the Pride. Anderson blasts through the middle of the ruck and moves like a footballer when he receives the ball- some players just look right running with the ball. Anderson has now scored 178 points this year from 14 tries and 61 goals. The Jets’ record for a season is 264 points by Steven West in 2003.
Kurt Capewell will play his 50th Intrust Super Cup game, 48 of those have been for the Jets.
The Jets will be preparing for an ambush. You don’t play the premiers in the finals without expecting a tough game. It all starts again now and as Wynnum proved in 2011 you don’t need to be the best team for 30 weeks just 4. The competition starts again now.
We know two things .The Jets will score a try for the ages and the Pride is September specialists who will start the game as firm favourites.
If you require further information please contact Wayne Wendt on 0411 517 495.