Courtesy of Michael Nunn,
Intrust Super Cup Round 4 teams
Ipswich Jets v Sunshine Coast Falcons at North Ipswich Reserve on Saturday, March 25 – 3pm
Ipswich Jets
1. Wesley Conlon 2. Michael Purcell 3. Marion Seve 4. Nemani Valekapa 5. Ono So’oialo 6. Luke Capewell 7. Dane Phillips (c) 8. Billy McConnachie 9. Mikaere Beattie 10. Nathaniel Neale 11. Samuel Martin 17. Mitchell Carpenter 22. Tyson Lofipo 15. Sebastian Pandia 16. Fakahoko Teutau 21. Nathan Gaulton 14. Christopher Ash
Coach: Ben Walker and Shane Walker
Sunshine Coast Falcons
1. Eddie Tautali 2. Matthew Soper-Lawler 3. Jeremy Hawkins 4. Matt Grieve 5. Alexander Copelin 6. Jahrome Hughes 7. Guy Hamilton 18. Tui Kamikamica 9. Alex Bishop 17. Vincent Leuluai 11. Dane Hogan (c) 12. Joe Stimson 13. Jon Grieve 10. Lachlan Timm 14. Brandon Smith 15. Christian Morris 16. Jye Ballinger 19. Harrison Muller
Coach: Craig Ingebrigtsen
LAST TIME THEY PLAYED Round 8 2016.
IPSWICH JETS 20 (Joshua Damen, Tyson Lofipo, Joshua Seage, Ben White tries; Haydan Lipp 2 goals) def SUNSHINE COAST FALCONS 6 (Felise Kaufusi try; Ryan Hansen goal) at Stafford Park, Hervey Park.
Head to Head – Ipswich 11 Sunshine Coast 3 Drawn 1
The Falcons will leave the comfort of Caloundra on Saturday morning and travel to Ipswich. I personally hope it’s a lovely 30 degree day and maybe they are reluctant to want to leave the Coast.
The last time the Falcons beat the Jets was 25 June 2011. The Jets have won the last five at North Ipswich and the last nine games in a row. The Falcons got a draw in 2009 at Briggs Road and a win at North Ipswich in 2010.
I spoke to Falcons coach Craig Ingebrigtsen about the clash with the Jets. “You have to prepare really well for the Jets. I have made mistakes in the past approaching their style in a holistic way but you need to just approach it from a one tackle at a time viewpoint.”
“Ipswich have a very good ruck; Neale, McConnachie and Lofipo are very good players.
Dane Phillips is a great half who has a great short kicking game.”
“Nemani is a player you have to force to the side line and do a lot of work on during the week.”
“We will have a different approach again this week, I have a few things I want to try to stop the Jets.”
FALCONS
The Falcons are coming to tackle their Ipswich demons but they’re doing it a week after beating the Pride in Cairns for the first time ever so they will be full of confidence.
The Falcons are currently sitting on a draw and win after three rounds of the Intrust Super Cup.
The Falcons went to Cairns and led well into the game before the Pride came back into the game.
The Falcons have scored 41 points in three games and conceded 39. Their top try scorer is dangerous Ipswich hooker Jake Turpin who has scored two tries and Matthew Soper-Lawyer who has scored two tries.
Falcons have a busy hooker in Jake Turpin. Turpin played 42 minutes against the Pride making 19 tackles. Turpin interchanges with Brendon Smith who was the Under 20’s hooker of the year last year playing for the Cowboys.
Smith is a smart operator kicking out of dummy half to get his side momentum. Smith also laid on two tries for the Falcons but using his big men close to the line and hitting them when the gap opened.
Falcons number six Jahrome Hughes was also dangerous. Hughes is a dangerous support player who can spring up anywhere on the field. His previous life as a full back means he has great awareness.
The Falcons have lots of kicking options that pin teams down and make them make mistakes trying to dig themselves out of their end.
The Falcons love bodies and big bodies at that, all moving in sync. If the Jets go up too far they will have to contend with big humans making an impact. The Jets have given away so many penalties in the last three weeks that if they repeat that it could lead to sustained pressure which is always hard to deal with on your line.
JETS
The Jets were beaten in nearly every department on Sunday. They had 50% of the ball but just didn’t use it well enough.
The Devils made more metres and more runs but the Jets missed less tackles, so it’s a shock that they could only score twice.
The Devils had 11 more sets than the Jets and with penalties they kept getting marched down the field to attack again. The Jets defended their own line admirably but there is only so many times you can keep sending an attacking team away.
The Jets made 60 more tackles than the Devils.
The Jets dangerous backs against Norths were Nemani Valekapa, Marion Seve and Michael Purcell. Between the three of them they were constantly poking through the line and threatening the Devils.
Purcell 120m, one line break and two tackle breaks.
Nemani Valekapa 102m, three tackle breaks and one off-load.
Marion Seve 127m and two tackle breaks.
The Jets have scored 12 tries in three games and had 13 scored against them. The Jets have missed 83 tackles in three games which is an average of 27 per game.
In defence, the Jets’ two big men, Nat Neale and Tyson Lofipo were terrific. Neale made 30 tackles for 0 misses while Lofpio made 12 and missed two.
The Jets are doing a mountain more work having made 741 tackles compared to 647.
The penalty count against the Jets is now 30-13.
If the Jets can close the gap on penalties and not have to defend so much then things will flow more openly and they can get back to the form against Tweed.
The Jets were great against Tweed but have now lost two games in a row. Jets play their best football when they relax the last two weeks the Jets have looked tense and forcing options.
It’ll be a great battle this week, the free flowing Jets against the more regimented and organised Falcons.