2017 Queensland Cup

The 2017 Queensland Cup season was the 22nd season of Queensland's top-level statewide rugby league competition run by the Queensland Rugby League. The competition, known as the Intrust Super Cup due to sponsorship from Intrust Super, featured 14 teams playing a 29-week long season from March to September.
The Papua New Guinea Hunters won their first premiership after defeating the Sunshine Coast Falcons 12–10 in the Grand Final at Suncorp Stadium, becoming the first team from outside of Australia to win the Queensland Cup. Hunters' Ase Boas was named the competition's Player of the Year, winning the Courier Mail Medal.

Teams

In 2017, the lineup of teams remained unchanged for the third consecutive year.

Colours	Club	Home ground	Head coach	Captain	NRL Affiliate
	Burleigh Bears	Pizzey Park	Jim Lenihan	Luke Page	Gold Coast Titans
	Central Queensland Capras	Browne Park	Kim Williams	Gavin Hiscox	-
	Easts Tigers	Suzuki Stadium	Scott Sipple	Jake Foster	Melbourne Storm
	Ipswich Jets	North Ipswich Reserve	Ben & Shane Walker	Dane Phillips	Brisbane Broncos
	Mackay Cutters	Stadium Mackay	Steve Sheppard	Andrew Davey & Setaimata Sa	North Queensland Cowboys
	Northern Pride	Barlow Park	Ty Williams	Ryan Ghietti	North Queensland Cowboys
	Norths Devils	Bishop Park	Mark Gliddon	Billy Brittain	Brisbane Broncos
	Papua New Guinea Hunters	National Football Stadium	Michael Marum	Ase Boas	-
	Redcliffe Dolphins	Dolphin Oval	Adam Mogg	Sam Anderson	Brisbane Broncos
	Souths Logan Magpies	Davies Park	Jon Buchanan	Phil Dennis	Brisbane Broncos
	Sunshine Coast Falcons	Sunshine Coast Stadium	Craig Ingebrigtsen	Dane Hogan	Melbourne Storm
	Townsville Blackhawks	Jack Manski Oval	Kristian Woolf	Dan Beasley	North Queensland Cowboys
	Tweed Heads Seagulls	Piggabeen Sports Complex	Aaron Zimmerle	Damian Sironen	Gold Coast Titans
	Wynnum Manly Seagulls	BMD Kougari Oval	Adam Brideson	Mitchell Frei	Brisbane Broncos

Grand Final

PNG Hunters	Position	Sunshine Coast Falcons
Stargroth Amean	FB	Jahrome Hughes
22. Wawa Paul	WG	2. Matt Soper-Lawler
3. Bland Abavu	CE	3. Justin Olam
4. Adex Wera	CE	4. Chris Lewis
5. Butler Morris	WG	5. Jeremy Hawkins
6. Ase Boas	FE	6. Scott Drinkwater
7. Watson Boas	HB	7. Ryley Jacks
8. Wellington Albert	PR	18. Tui Kamikamica
9. Wartovo Puara	HK	14. Brandon Smith
10. Stanton Albert	PR	10. Lachlan Timm
11. David Loko	SR	11. Dane Hogan
12. Nixon Putt	SR	12. Joe Stimson
13. Moses Meninga	LK	13. Harrison Muller
14. Rhadley Brawa	Bench	15. Jon Grieve
15. Willie Minoga	Bench	16. Louis Geraghty
16. Enoch Maki	Bench	17. Jye Ballinger
17. Brandy Peter	Bench	21. Guy Hamilton
Michael Marum	Coach	Craig Ingebrigtsen

The PNG Hunters won their first minor premiership after finishing ahead of Redcliffe by a single point. After earning a bye in the first week of the finals, they defeated Redcliffe in the major semi final to qualify for their first Grand Final. Sunshine Coast had to earn their Grand Final spot the hard way, winning four straight games on route to the decider. In the first week, they eliminated Souths Logan and then upset the third-placed Easts Tigers in the semi-finals and the second-placed Dolphins in the preliminary final to qualify for their second Grand Final.

First half

The Sunshine Coast stunned the Hunters early in the first half, with winger Matt Soper-Lawler scoring in just the 2nd minute as the Falcons hunted another finals upset. Five minutes later they scored their second try when second rower Joe Stimson crossed in the 7th minute. That would be the end of the first half scoring, with the Hunters getting close to getting their first try in the 15th minute but were ruled back for a forward pass.

Second half

It took the Hunters just two minutes to record their first points of the game when halfback Watson Boas scored after a deflected kick and an error from the Falcons. The scoreline remained unchanged for the next 36 minutes as neither side could crack the others defence. Finally, in the 79th minute, Hunters' forward Willie Minoga became his side's hero, as he dived onto an Ase Boas' grubber to score the try that levelled the scores. After consulting with the video referee, the try was awarded and Ase Boas kicked the game-winning conversion from right in front to give the Hunters their first ever Queensland Cup premiership. Hunters' captain Ase Boas was awarded the Duncan Hall Medal for man of the match.

NRL State Championship

After winning the Grand Final, the PNG Hunters qualified for the NRL State Championship on NRL Grand Final day. They were defeated by the Penrith Panthers, the New South Wales Cup premiers, 18–42.

Player statistics

The following statistics are as of the conclusion of the season.

QRL awards

Courier Mail Medal : Ase Boas Coach of the Year: Michael Marum Rookie of the Year: Brandon Smith Representative Player of the Year: Nick Slyney XXXX People's Choice Award: Ase Boas