2008 Queensland Cup

The 2008 Queensland Cup season was the 13th season of Queensland's top-level statewide rugby league competition run by the Queensland Rugby League. The competition, known as the Queensland Wizard Cup due to sponsorship from Wizard Home Loans featured 11 teams playing a 26-week long season (including finals) from March to September.[1]

2008 Queensland Cup
DurationMarch 15 – September 13, 2008
Teams11
Premiers Souths Logan Magpies (1st title)
Minor premiers Ipswich Jets (1st title)
Matches played116
Points scored5,635
Top points scorer(s) Nick Parfitt
Player of the year Nat Bowman (Courier Mail Medal)
Top try-scorer(s) Adam Fielder

The Souths Logan Magpies won their first premiership after defeating the Ipswich Jets 24–18 at North Ipswich Reserve. Central Comets' five-eighth Nat Bowman was named the competition's Player of the Year, winning the Courier Mail Medal.[2][3][4]

Teams

Two new teams entered the Queensland Cup in 2008, as the competition expanded north with the Mackay Cutters and the Northern Pride. Mackay hadn't hosted a team since the 1996 season, while the Pride, based in Cairns, were represented by the Cairns Cyclones from 1996 to 2000. The two new clubs replaced the Aspley Broncos and North Queensland Young Guns, who withdrew from the competition.[5]

With the loss of Aspley and the Young Guns, the Brisbane Broncos and North Queensland Cowboys formed new feeder club partnerships. The Broncos sent players to six different clubs and the Cowboys sent players to the Cutters and Pride, while the Canberra Raiders formed a partnership with the Souths Logan Magpies. 2008 marked the first season since 1997 that the Melbourne Storm were not affiliated with the Norths Devils, instead forming the Central Coast Storm who played in the NSW Cup.[6]

Colours Club Home ground(s) Head coach(s) Captain(s) NRL Affiliate
 Burleigh Bears Pizzey Park Jim Lenihan Shane O'Flanagan Brisbane Broncos
 Central Comets Browne Park Wayne Barnett Wayne Barnett Brisbane Broncos
 Easts Tigers Langlands Park Darren Smith Trent Young Brisbane Broncos
 Ipswich Jets North Ipswich Reserve Kevin Walters Danny Coburn Gold Coast Titans
 Mackay Cutters Mackay JRL Grounds Shane Muspratt Shane Muspratt North Queensland Cowboys
 Northern Pride Barlow Park Andrew Dunemann Chris Sheppard North Queensland Cowboys
 Norths Devils Bishop Park Mark Gee Marc Brentnall Brisbane Broncos
 Redcliffe Dolphins Dolphin Oval Gary O'Brien Troy Lindsay Brisbane Broncos
 Souths Logan Magpies Davies Park Paul Bramley Phil Dennis Canberra Raiders
 Tweed Heads Seagulls Ned Byrne Field Michael Woods Brad Davis Gold Coast Titans
 Wynnum Manly Seagulls Kougari Oval Shane McNally Darren Bain Brisbane Broncos

Ladder
2008 Queensland Cup
Pos Team Pld W D L B PF PA PD Pts
1 Ipswich Jets 2016042656329+32736
2 Souths Logan Magpies (P) 2014062592378+21432
3 Northern Pride 2013072494416+7830
4 Wynnum Manly Seagulls 2011272526514+1228
5 Redcliffe Dolphins 2011182498418+8027
6 Burleigh Bears 2011092528506+2226
7 Easts Tigers 2081112454462-821
8 Tweed Heads Seagulls 2071122507535-2819
9 Mackay Cutters 2071122416488-7219
10 Central Comets 2070132404595-19118
11 Norths Devils 2020182288722-4348

Regular season
See also: 2008 Queensland Cup season results

The 2008 Queensland Cup regular season featured 22 rounds, with one team receiving a bye in each round. Each team played 20 games and received two byes.

Final series
Home Score Away Match Information
Date Venue
Qualifying / Elimination Finals
Wynnum Manly Seagulls 16 – 50 Redcliffe Dolphins 23 August 2008 BMD Kougari Oval
Souths Logan Magpies 16 – 40 Northern Pride 24 August 2008 Davies Park
Semi Finals
Ipswich Jets 34 – 16 Northern Pride 30 August 2008 Briggs Road Complex
Souths Logan Magpies 16 – 14 Redcliffe Dolphins 30 August 2008 Meakin Park
Preliminary Final
Northern Pride 12 – 16 Souths Logan Magpies 6 September 2008 Langlands Park
Grand Final
Ipswich Jets 18 – 24 Souths Logan Magpies 13 September 2008 North Ipswich Reserve
 
  Qualifying / Elimination Finals Major / Minor Semi Finals Preliminary Final Grand Final
                                     
1 Ipswich 34  
    Northern Pride 16         Ipswich 18
2 Souths Logan 16     Northern Pride 12   Souths Logan 24
3 Northern Pride 40       Souths Logan 16  
Souths Logan 16
4 Wynnum Manly 16   Redcliffe 14  
5 Redcliffe 50

Grand Final
Saturday, 13 September
Ipswich Jets 18 – 24 Souths Logan Magpies
Tries:
Donald Malone 1
Michael Ryan 1
Aaron Sweeney 1
Goals:
Josh Lewis 3		 1st: 0 - 18
2nd: 18 - 6
Report		 Tries:
1 McKanah Gibson
1 Cy Lasscock
1 Kyle Lodge
1 Matt Templeman
Goals:
2 Tim Cannard
2 Josh White
North Ipswich Reserve
Attendance: 6,000
Referee: Justin Eastwood
Man of the Match: Albert Talipeau (Souths Logan)
Ipswich Jets Position Souths Logan Magpies
Troy O'SullivanFBQuentin Laulu-Togaga'e
Scott IrelandWGMatt Templeman
Donald MaloneCEKyle Lodge
Brendon MarshallCEChad Grintell
Smith SamauWGShea Moylan
Josh LewisFEBrad Cross
Ian LaceyHBAlbert Talipeau
Aaron SweeneyPRDaniel Joyce
Michael RyanHKMcKanah Gibson
Isaak Ah MauPRLiam McDonald
Kurtis LingwoodockSRTim Cannard
Trevor ExtonSRLewis Balcomb
Danny Coburn (c)LKJosh White
Matt McPheeBenchPhil Dennis (c)
Scott AloBenchGraham Levu
Leigh CoghillBenchCy Lasscock
Jason BulgarelliBenchDashae Francis
Kevin WaltersCoachPaul Bramley

Ipswich had their best regular season to date, finishing with their first minor premiership. They then defeated the Northern Pride in the major semi final to earn their second Grand Final appearance. Souths Logan, who finished second and qualified for the finals for just the second time, were upset by the Pride in Week 1 of the finals. In Week 2, they hosted and defeated Redcliffe before getting revenge on the Pride and defeating them 16–12 in the preliminary final to qualify for their first Grand Final.

First half

Souths Logan got off to a brilliant start when they forced an error off the kickoff and scored in the second minute through prop Cy Lasscock. It took them just five minutes to extend their lead when hooker McKanah Gibson dived over from dummy half in almost the exact spot of their first try. After denying two Ipswich try scoring opportunities, the Magpies crossed for their third try of the game when Matt Templeman intercepted an Ian Lacey pass and sprinted away to score. With two minutes left in the half, Souths Logan converted a penalty goal from in front to lead 18-0.

Second half

Down 18, Ipswich began their fightback with a try from hooker Michael Ryan just four minutes into the second half. In the 55th minute, the Jets cut the lead to six when centre Donald Malone pulled down a Lacey kick to score. Just a minute later, Ipswich completed the comeback when prop Aaron Sweeney scored under the posts to level the scores. A tense final 20 minutes followed, with Souths Logan being denied a try in the 65th minute and Ipswich missing a field goal from in front in the 78th minute. With 40 seconds left to play, Magpies' halfback Albert Talipeau put his centre Kyle Lodge through a gap close to the line. Lodge was cut down short by Jets' fullback Troy O'Sullivan but got up and scored after O'Sullivan couldn't complete the tackle. Referee Justin Eastwood checked with the video referee, who awarded the try. Josh White converted the try to seal the win and give Souths Logan their first Queensland Cup premiership.[7]

End-of-season awards

See also

References
  1. Queensland Rugby League Website Archived 12 August 2009 at WebCite Retrieved 17 Dec 2007
  2. https://www.qrl.com.au/news/2019/09/26/flackback-albys-last-minute-magpie-magic-a-sticky-special-in-2008/
  3. https://www.themorningbulletin.com.au/news/comets-all-set-for-baby-broncos/166349/
  4. Queensland Rugby League 2008 Draw Archived 27 September 2011 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 17 Dec 2007
  5. https://web.archive.org/web/20080724023622/http://www.qrl.com.au/display.php?pg_id=3355
  6. https://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/souths-logan-magpies-keep-fighting-for-survival/story-e6frep5o-1225846069473?sv=305cf054830dbff702a9bb20c575e28a
  7. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHmX4SWLVFY
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