The race for the Intrust Super Cup top five hasn't become any clearer with a number of upsets and nail-biting finishes the main talking points after the conclusion of Round 14.
Four out of the six games on the weekend were decided by eight points or less, highlighting the competitive nature of Queensland's premier rugby league competition.
The opening fixture of Round 14 saw the Souths Logan Magpies packing their passports to make the daunting trip to Papua New Guinea to take on the Hunters at their Kalabond Oval fortress. Playing on a heavy track due to a typical tropical downpour in the lead-up to kick-off, the locals held a slim 10-0 lead at half-time but four tries from exciting winger Garry Lo saw PNG run riot over the soddened Magpies in the second stanza, running away with a 42-12 victory.
The win for the Hunters see them solidify their place inside the top five, sitting on 19 competition points in outright third position on the ladder. They remain three points behind the first-placed Northern Pride who are on 22 points with a game in hand.
On the Redcliffe peninsula, the Pride were made to work hard for their win over the Dolphins, scraping home 24-22. Both sides scored four tries apiece with Davin Crampton and Oliver Regan bagging doubles for the Pride and the Dolphins respectively. The slim two-point victory saw the Pride return to the summit of the ISC ladder, while the red and white of Redcliffe currently sit on 15 points in eighth place, three points outside the elusive top five.
The same scoreline occurred at Pizzey Park on the Gold Coast as the Burleigh Bears upset Norths Devils 24-22 in Sunday's TV game with Henare Wells the star of the show with three tries. Keiran English crossed twice for the Devils, but it was the goal-kicking of Khan Ahwang that proved the difference as he slotted four goals compared to the three landed by Devils new recruit Darren Nicholls.
Another cracker of a contest saw the Wynnum Manly Seagulls upset the previously table-topping Ipswich Jets 26-20 at BMD Kougari Oval. The Seagulls ran in five tries to three, with Brisbane Bronco Jake Granville claiming a try in a spritely performance after returning to the Seagulls' nest for the first time in three weeks. The six-point loss saw the Jets surrender top spot on the ladder, while Wynnum Manly are sitting in fourth position with 18 points.
In other results, Easts Tigers recorded a 22-14 victory over the Mackay Cutters at Langlands Park and the Tweed Heads Seagulls notched up their eighth win of the season with a comfortable 36-18 over the bottom-placed Sunshine Coast Falcons.
This weekend's Round 15 fixtures see the PNG Hunters hosting Redcliffe, the Jets at home to the Bears, Sunshine Coast will host the Pride and Wynnum Manly will welcome the Cutters to round out Saturday's matches.
There are two games on Sunday afternoon with the Central Queensland Capras coming off the bye to host the Easts Tigers in Sunday's TV game at Browne Park in Rockhampton and the Norths Devils and Tweed Heads Seagulls will battle it out for fifth spot on the ladder at Bishop Park.
For the updated Intrust Super Cup ladder click here.
