After a long off-season the Bentspoke John I Dent Cup is finally set to make a return this weekend with all 6 Premier clubs getting a taste of the action in Round 1.
With three blockbuster fixtures lined up, kick-off will be at 3:05 for the John I Dent Cup across locations at ANU North Oval, Nicholls Enclosed and Jamison Oval.
However as we look ahead to this weekends fixtures, a deep dive is required to form a preview that will do justice to such a prestigious competition.
See our full stats breakdown ahead of Round 1 below:
- Coming into the season, 2023 minor premiers the Tuggeranong Vikings will be out to prove they are still the ladder-topping dominant force we have seen in the past after just falling short in last years big dance.
- The 2024 competition shapes up as one of the most competitive seasons yet with no sides finishing with a negative for and against after a full season in 2023 due to the departure of the Penrith Emus.
- New coaches to both ends of the 2023 ladder in the Vikings and the Queanbeyan Whites will present an interesting question for what changes this season for both sides.
- Racking up an interesting total of just 5 wins but a whopping 13 bonus points last year, the Uni-Norths Owls will have a tough challenge beginning to win those close battles especially in Round 1 against the Vikings.
- 2023 stat leaders were dominated by the Vikings at the top of the board in both try and point scorer categories.
- Interestingly the bottom of the table (exempting the Emus) Queanbeyan side also had two players in the top five try scorers for the season, showing they are still a force to be worried about with the ball in hand.
- Lachlan Davis will be eager to get an early start on his 2024 try-scorer tally from Tuggeranong's wing position as he was three tries clear of second place in the previous season.
- Despite ending the season in fifth Uni-Norths showed the best discipline of any side in 2023, ending the season with just four yellow cards and no reds.
- The Whites however will aim to correct their discipline this season after conceding 16 yellow cards last season.
- The Eagles-Royals head-to-head has resulted no bragging rights across their last five matches with both sides having two wins and a draw under their belts. The biggest margin in the last five head-to-head matches is 31 points which fell Gungahlin's way in their most recent encounter in 2023.
- Since 2015 a total of 60% of the Eagles-Royals head-to-head has been won by the Royals with 5% drawn and Eagles winning 35%.
- Vikings-Owls presents a more one sided story with the Vikings taking all the last five wins with margins anywhere from 7 to 42 points.
- Since 2015 a total of 85% of the Vikings-Owls head-to-head has been won by the Vikings with 5% drawn and Uni-Norths winning just 10%.
- Another even split in Wests-Whites with two wins and a draw for each side, however another nail biter may be on the cards with the biggest margin in the last five matches being just 17 points in a match won by the Queanbeyan side.
- Since 2015 a total of 70% of the Wests-Whites head-to-head has been won by Queanbeyan with 5% drawn and the Lions winning just 25%.
