Action aplenty in Rockhampton and District Junior Rugby League grand finals 2022
The region’s rising stars battled it out in the Rockhampton and District Junior Rugby League grand finals. Read how each of the seven deciders played out here.
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Spectators savoured a feast of footy action as the region’s rising stars did battle in the Rockhampton and District Junior Rugby League grand finals.
Seven premierships were decided at Rugby Park, with the spoils shared between Rockhampton and Capricorn Coast-based teams.
RDJRL president Michael Fletcher gives a rundown on each of the deciders here.
Under-13: Fitzroy Sharks 38 (tries Tyttus Auda 3, Andrew Watene 2, Logan Kane, Laine Hocking, Luaitama Paiaaua-Doyle; goals Darius Canham 3) d Norths Blue 8 (tries Matthew Toon, Tyson Carlos)
Both Norths and Fitzroy came into the decider full of confidence.
Norths inflicted Fitzroy’s first loss of the year in the major semi-final, while Fitzroy bounced back with a good win the week before.
But it would be Fitzroy that jumped out of the blocks early thanks to Tyttus Auda leading them around the paddock and they took a 28-0 lead into half-time.
Norths fought back in the second half but the lead was too great to reel in.
Players of the match: Tyttus Auda (Fitzroy Sharks) and Mannix Busch (Norths Blue)
Under-14 boys: Rockhampton Brothers White 12 (tries Liam Mayne, Marcus Tipman; goals Mitch Carr, Archie Lloyd) d Yeppoon 8 (tries Terell Ross-Miller 2).
Yeppoon went straight into the grand final when they knocked off Norths in the semi-final while Brothers had to come from third on the ladder to get through to the decider.
Brothers’ cause was not helped when coach Nathan Biles tested positive to Covid on the Friday before the grand final.
The game was a tight affair and was suspended when a Brothers player was injured.
The Brethren went into the half-time break up 6-4.
Yeppoon wrestled back the lead in the second half when Terell Ross-Miller scored his second and the game looked to be theirs until the 47th minute when Brothers put up a cross-field kick and the ball sat up perfectly for Marcus Tipman who crossed for the winner.
Players of the match: Archie Lloyd (Brothers White) and Terell Ross-Miller (Yeppoon)
Under -14 girls: Rockhampton Tigers 26 (tries Milleah Fuller 3, Amarli Batchelor, Jayleah Dempsey; goals Milleah Fuller 3) d Norths 12 (tries Maleline Johnson; goals Madeline Johnson 2)
In the first of the girls grand finals, it was Rockhampton Tigers up against Norths, which proved to be a very skilful and tough affair.
Milleah Fuller was a standout for Tigers and helped them to a big half-time lead.
In the second half, Norths fought back thanks to Madeline Johnson but yet again the lead was too great for them to pull back.
Players of the match: Milleah Fuller (Rockhampton Tigers) and Madeline Johnson (Norths)
Check out the photos from the under-14 boys, girls finals here
Under-15: Emu Park 22 (tries Maurice Cameron, Francis Darkin, Tyler Melrose, Harrison Hill; goals Tyler Melrose 3) d Cap Coast Brothers 6 (tries Toby Love; goals Cameron Da Forna)
Emu Park and Cap Coast Brothers had been close all year and the early exchanges proved this was going to be the case again in the grand final.
Both sides were guilty of errors and field position became a premium.
Emu Park then started spreading the ball and were rewarded with two tries in the first half, while Cap Coast bounced back with one before the break.
After half-time, Emu Park picked up two more tries to seal the premiership 22-6.
Players of the match: Francis Darkin (Emu Park) and Harvey Mahony (Cap Coast Brothers)
Under-16 (Rockhampton Tigers 22 (tries Logan Barclay 2, Jonathon Hockley, Isaac Walker; goals Isaac Walker 3) d Cap Coast Brothers 16 (tries Petheru Toby, Anasta Tamwoy, Jett Day; goals Banjo Walker 2)
In one of the most anticipated grand finals, this one was always going to entertain and the fans were not disappointed.
Both sides are packed with Capras under-16s and the forward battle was as tough as any game on the day.
Both sides went try for try and with a few minutes remaining, halfback Isaac Walker slid through some tired defence to score and then convert his own try for the victory.
Players of the match: Logan Barclay (Rockhampton Tigers) and Jett Day (Cap Coast Brothers)
Under-17 girls: Emu Park 26 (tries Jasmine Miller 2, Matilda Lyons, Lilly Field; goals Jasmine Miller 3) d Rockhampton Tigers 20 (tries Lille Merlow 2, Janae Jarrett-Lawton 2; goals Gabrielle Yarrow 2)
This was always going to a tough, close affair and the girls did not disappoint.
Emu Park got out to an early lead thanks to some good teamwork that saw Matilda Lyons and Jasmine Miller score tries but Lille Merlow and Janae Jarrett-Lawton helped Tigers get back into the game before half-time.
Emus extended their lead in the second half and looked like running away with it when Lilly Field scored and they hit the 26-point mark.
Merlow and Jarrett-Lawton crossed to get the Tigers within six but time ran out.
Players of the match: Jasmine Miller (Emu Park) and Lille Merlow (Rockhampton Tigers)
Under-17 boys: Cap Coast Brothers 22 (tries Mataio Tapau-Bon, Ethan Head, Tommy Green, Jeremy Green; goals Slater Leahy 3) d Rockhampton Brothers White 16 (tries Jack Milgate, Jett Hansen, Rhett Wedel; goals Jett Hansen, Clayton Debono)
In the last final of the day, Cap Coast Brothers - who have not lost a grand final since under-13s - took on the giant killers in Brothers White, who were making their first-ever grand final appearance.
Cap Coast started well and scored early through Ethan Head and the way they were playing, looked like scoring more points.
Brothers White then hit back after some sustained attack saw Jack Millgate crash over and the scores were locked at 6-all.
Cap Coast scored again through Mataio Tapau-Bon to grab 12-6 lead before Brothers’ Jett Hansen kicked through and won the race for the ball to level things at 12-all at half-time.
The second half started like the first with both teams scoring one try apiece to make it 16-all.
Cap Coast had a player sent off and with 12 men scored and then defended the remaining eight minutes to secure another grand final victory.
Players of the match: Jett Manion (Cap Coast Brothers) and Mutua Brown (Rockhampton Brothers)
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