Minor premiers the Redcliffe Dolphins have secured their place in next weekend’s grand final at Suncorp Stadium with a 38-16 preliminary final win over the Sunshine Coast Falcons.
Coached by former Canberra Raider and Queensland State of Origin winger Adam Mogg, the Dolphins have earned a rematch with the Burleigh Bears, who upset them 40-24 in the major-semi final last weekend.
Redcliffe trailed 12-6 at half-time in yesterday’s preliminary final against the Falcons, before unleashing a second half attacking blitz. Their win ended the Falcons giant-killing run, after they had upset both the Papua New Guinea Hunters and the Townsville Blackhawks in elimination semi-finals in previous weeks.
The Burleigh grand final team will feature five-eighth Cameron Cullen and lock Lachlan Burr, who both played matches for the Gold Coast Titans in the NRL this season.
Redcliffe will most likely welcome back exciting winger Jonus Pearson for the decider, who spent most of the season with them before receiving a late season call-up for the Broncos. Pearson played for the Broncos in their season-ending loss to the Cowboys in Townsville on the weekend.
The Dolphins will be looking to win their ninth first grade premiership this weekend, and their first since 2006. At the start of this year, they were third favourites to win the premiership at 9-1, behind the Townsville Blackhawks and Papua New Guinea Hunters.
The Burleigh Bears will be trying to win their third first grade premiership, and their first since 2004. They were 21-1 to win the premiership at the start of the year.
It will be the third time the two teams have played each other in the decider. The Bears won the premiership with a 12-10 victory over Redcliffe in 1999, while the Dolphins turned the tables on Burleigh in 2003 with a 31-18 grand final win.
Whichever team wins this weekend will head to Sydney and will be hoping to continue the proud record of Queensland premiers in the State Championship curtain-raiser on NRL grand final day.
The Queensland premiers have defeated their New South Wales counterparts in both of the State Championship matches held so far. The Northern Pride beat Penrith 32-28 in 2014, and the Ipswich Jets beat Newcastle 26-12 in 2015.
Andy
Guest
Probably worth noting that the Brisbane suburban grounds are not big, and had little to no reserved seating. We always sat on the grass on the western touchline at Corbett Park and if you wanted to get a good spot you arrived during the U23s game. Which consequently meant you saw lots of up and coming players in later stages of that game and then the reserves. Match of the day at Lang Park would get a decent crowd too, but it only held 30k people back then, and would only be full for finals and GF. The QRL sold family tickets for Match of the Day during the regular season at Lang Park which got kids an ice cream and a ride on a giant slide or jumping castle on the northern terrace in the mid 80s too.
John Coomer
Roar Guru
I can only speak for the late 70s and early 80s as I wasn't around before then, but the crowds for the BRL comp were generally very good. The suburban grounds would generally be full for local derbies like Norths v Valleys etc, and you also had teams like Wynnum and Souths that had big names likes Lewis, Miles, Meninga etc. BRL grand final day was usually packed at the old Lang Park as well, and the local competition received more media coverage on local TV and newspapers than the Sydney comp, even though the Sydney comp was acknowledged as a superior standard. But the standard of the BRL comp was good too, as is the Qld Cup, but it's just a different era now without some of the big names that played in it back then.
Chris
Guest
How big were crowds for club games before the Bronco's ?
The Gurgler
Roar Guru
Agreed. To beat PNG up there was a great result, and the way they shut down Townsville was very good. Good progress over past three seasons. They only won one game in 2014. Thought Troy Giess was their best whenever I saw them play. Curtis Scott will be some player too for Melbourne.
The Gurgler
Roar Guru
I'm hoping Burleigh play like they did in the first against Redcliffe and the Dolphins play like they did in the second half against the coast. That'll be a game then. I'll be there, always a great day out. The Colts is Easts v Wynnum too so good rivalry there. Funny though that the first Sunday arvo game at Suncorp this year is the QCup final. Either team will take it to the NSW Cup equivalent too. Hopefully another win for the Qlders. That State Championship is the best thing the NRL have done to GF day in decades. Well, since it moved from daytime anyway.
John Coomer
Roar Guru
Certainly was a great era for Souths, plenty of big names came out of Davies Park back then. The 1980 grand final with Norths was a cracker as well.
John Coomer
Roar Guru
Always had a soft spot for those great Redcliffe teams of the 70s and 80s. They came so close so many times, blokes like Bunny Pearce, Tony Obst etc deserved a premiership. 1981 with the Mick Reardon try was especially heart-breaking for the Dolphins.
Rellum
Roar Guru
The first game I ever saw was the 79 grand final and I have been a Magpie fan ever since. It was a good time to be a Maggie fan. I would love to see a Souths Seagulls grand final to relieve those glory days. I am hoping Valleys and Wests can make a come back to the QRL. They are trying in the current BRL. I am not sure where Brothers sit with the QRL if their NRL bid fails. It has loads of issues, but I love Wally's idea of promotion and relegation to give these great old BRL and the newer QRL teams a shot at the NRL.
Matth
Guest
On the other hand that was the Dolphin's last chance to win the QRL comp before it was gutted. They only won the one in 1965 with a young Artie Beetson. The 8 since then are Some compensation after the despair of 81 and 87. Should be a good game and I'll be looking to go along.
John Coomer
Roar Guru
Yea I loved Corbett Park as well Andy, I spent many Sunday afternoons there in my youth watching Brothers do battle. Rugby league in Brisbane was very tribal back then, and the atmosphere at the suburban grounds was great. The 87 grand final was the icing on the cake, glad I got to see a premiership before the demise of both Brothers and the old BRL comp.
Mike from Tari
Guest
Redcliffe v Burleigh Grand Final should be a good one, but I have to give kudos to the Sunshine Coast Falcons, to go to Port Moresby & beat the Hunters then come back & go to Townsville & beat the Blackhawks was simply amazing, they have limited funds, therefore no depth, ok they had Storm players but with injuries to storms players they lose players to the NRL side & the storm players do not train with the side until they turn up on the morning of their games, lastly their coach has a great football brain & great man management skills, hopefully he can get a go with an NRL team.
Andy
Guest
Loved going to Corbett Park as a kid, booing Wally, booing Happy Jack, and very fondly remember the great Brothers teams of the mid 80s and that epic Grand Final win over Redcliffe in 1987. That was the only BRL GF I ever attended, a good one!
John Coomer
Roar Guru
I agree Cathar, they certainly were the halcyon days in the "pre-Broncos" era. I was a Brothers supporter myself, sadly the senior version of the club is no more.
ScottWoodward.me
Roar Guru
tiff You can get it via www.QRL.com.au click on the LIVE Streaming link.
Cathar Treize
Roar Guru
Breaks my heart remembering the legends of Brisbane Rugby League, the stories, the folklore and how far those days seem now. But give credit to today's Q Cup, it's probably the most professional its ever been.
John Coomer
Roar Guru
Mounties v Illawarra bigJ, see link below. http://www.nswrl.com.au/news/2016/09/18/nswrl_grand_final_fi.html Hope you can catch the games this weekend somehow up there in NT, or if not, you should be able to get the State Championship game on NRL grand final day?
Rellum
Roar Guru
Redcliffe need to clean up there first half. They were abysmal in the first 40 of the grand final qualifier against the Bears. Do that and I think they win. Should be a great game.
tiffington
Roar Rookie
I was disappointed to see Townsville go out the other week to Sunshine Coast, but this should be a good match up. Unfortunately there doesn't seem to be any television coverage in NSW,
bigJ
Guest
Ray, dont worry mate, the crowds will turn up, this will be a another great match up, I havent see much of the comp this year (living in the NT makes it a bit hard) but I have always loved watching the comp, it flows smoother than the nrl and the game are just as exciting (except when the Capras are being flogged). my tip, Bears but eight and they should take on the NSW champs on GF day and beat them without too many problems, does anyone know who is in the NSW cup final???
John Coomer
Roar Guru
I hope the Fiji NSW Cup bid succeeds soon. If the PNG's Hunters' inclusion in the Qld Cup is anything to go by, they will be a great addition to the comp and popular with local crowds if/when they play here in Australia.