• Northern Pride v Burleigh Bears
Saturday, 1 August at Barlow Park, 5.30pm
Referee: Chris Anderson
The defending Intrust Super Cup champions - the Northern Pride - have been plagued by inconsistency this year, and currently sit just outside the all-important top six on the ladder with a 10-win, eight-loss record. Coming off a bye, the Cairns-based team return to their home ground of Barlow Park to face the ninth-placed Burleigh Bears (nine wins, 10 losses), who are coming off a gritty last-start win over the Souths Logan Magpies, the very team to hand the Pride their last loss. For the Pride, the Round 20 bye was preceded by a 24-12 win over the Tweed Heads Seagulls and that 17-8 loss to the Magpies in Round 18. Coach Joe O’Callaghan has named his full allocation of available Cowboys squad members for the match, with fullback Hezron Murgha, winger Javid Bowen, prop Patrick Kaufusi, lock Ben Spina and hooker Cameron King all set to play for the Pride.
• Tweed Heads Seagulls v Mackay Cutters
Sunday, 2 August at Piggabeen Sports Complex, 2pm
Referee: Liam Kennedy
Like fellow Cowboys feeder club - the Northern Pride, the Mackay Cutters have been unable to post long runs of wins this year, and they subsequently sit on sixth place on the ladder, equal with the Pride on points (24), but ahead in rank on points differential. With 10 wins and eight losses, the Cutters’ last two matches have seen them lose big (40-18 at the hands of Redcliffe) and win big (46-4 over the Burleigh Bears). Travelling south for their Sunday afternoon encounter with the Tweed Heads Seagulls (10th place, nine wins, 10 losses and a draw), the Cutters will have the services of Cowboys’ forwards Sam Hoare and Josh Chudleigh, while National Youth Competition prop Braden Uele again lines up for Kim Williams’ men.
The Townsville Blackhawks have the bye this weekend.
