Rockhampton and District Junior Rugby League grand final wrap

For the first time in the history of Rockhampton and District Junior Rugby League, seven grand finals were held including the girls under 15 and 17 games which are generally held later in the year.

Well it was a very chilly start to the 2021 grand final day with frost covering Browne Park early, though this was just a temporary event, as the day heated up and so did the grand finals.

For the first time in the history of Rockhampton and District Junior Rugby League, we held seven grand finals which included the girls under 15 and 17 games which were generally held later in the year.

All games were played in great spirit and the support from the family and friends was outstanding.

As Rockhampton and the Capricorn Coast are large boarding school districts all games were live streamed so that family from a far could watch and they did, with comments from Torres Strait Islands out to Mt Isa, over the borders to Katherine and Sydney and across to New Zealand.

The RDJRL would like to thank sponsors Rockhampton Leagues Club and the Rockhampton Senior Rugby League, Amanda Pearce and Cameron Stallard from the QRL for all their assistance with the livestream.

The Rockhampton Referee Association, all the players, coaching staff, volunteers, family and friends that have supported all the players.

We would like to wish all the players that may be leaving the Rocky Juniors this year all the best on and off the field.

Under 13

Rockhampton Brothers White 28 (Tries – Harley Biles, Archie Lloyd, Jacob Murphy, Mitch Carr, Marcus Tipman; Goals – Archie Lloyd 4) defeated Norths Knights 10 (Tries – Tyrese Wise, Alex Fuller; Goals – Nic Crawford)

Both these sides have been very close all year with the top four sides in this age group all within two competition points at the end of the regular season.

Norths didn’t get off to the ideal start with a mistake in the third minute and from the scrum Harley Biles scored in the corner to open the scoring.

A string of penalties from Brothers brought Norths into their territory which gave Alex Fuller a chance and he scored next to the posts with the conversion they had the lead.

Both sides worked back and forth and in the last two minutes of the half a grubber was put through and big Jacob Murphy was on the spot for the try and Brothers went into the break 10-6 up.

In the second half Brothers started strongly and by the halfway mark were leading 22-6 with tries to Marcus Tipman and Archie Lloyd.

Norths hit back shortly after with a try to Tyrese Wise and they started their comeback, but it would be shorted lived with Mitch Carr sealing the grand final and a final 28-10 victory.

Players of the Final: Archie Lloyd Brothers and Nic Crawford Norths.

Under 14

Rockhampton Tigers 18 (Tries – Jack O’Neill 2, Caleb Hare; Goals – Jaiden Savage 3) defeated Cap Coast Brothers 4 (Tries – Ethan Nona)

This game was always going to be tight affair and that’s the way it panned out with both sides defending their territory with strong tackling.

It took until the 13th minute of the half for the first points and it was Cap Coast front rower Ethan Nona that crashed over and took the lead 4-0.

This would be the only points of the half as both sides gave their opponents no field position to try and score.

The second half was a different story and Tigers found their groove and in the fifth minute Jack O’Neill crashed over from dummy half and Tigers had the lead 6-4.

Tigers were really starting to trouble Cap Coast and again O’Neill found his way through for his second try and Tigers were out to 12 -4.

Cap Coast were trying to fight back but in the last minute Caleb Hare scored and with Jaiden Savage’s perfect day with the boot Tigers won 18 to 4.

Players of the Final: Jack O’Neill Tigers and Ethan Nona Cap Coast

Under 15 Girls

Rockhampton Tigers 56 (Tries – Mackayla Champion 2, Tori Dankin 2, Caydence Fouracre 2, Zoe Robson 2, Louanne Dales, Jaslene Fetoa’l, Gabrielle Yarrow; Goals – Gabrielle Yarrow 6) defeated Emu Park 16 (Tries – Mackayla Oakley 3; Goals – Mackayla Oakley 2)

In the first of the girls grand finals Rockhampton Tigers started very strongly when they jumped out to a 22-0 lead at the 17th minute mark with tries to Mackayla Champion, Caydence Fouracre two and Louanne Dale.

Then a changeover saw Emu Park with some good ball in the opponent’s territory and Mackayla Oakley started to turn things around when she crossed for two converted tries and a half time score of 22-12.

Tigers again started the second half strongly when they scored tries through Jaslene Fetoa’l, a long range effort from Gabrielle Yarrow and Mackayla Champion getting her second.

This again sparked Mackayla Oakley and she scored her third try but that wasn’t enough with Tigers running in tries to Tori Dankin, a double to Zoe Robson and Tori Dankin got her double on full time.

Players of the Final: Mackayla Champion Rocky Tigers and Mackayla Oakley Emu Park

Under 15

Cap Coast Brothers 18 (Tries – Braith Lorenz, Liam Welsh, Jett Day; Goals – Rokoko Hunt 3) defeatedRockhampton Tigers 10 (Tries – Clancy Hohn, Baylee Melland; Goals – Issac Walker)

Cap Coast and Rocky Tigers have a history of close games and this was going to be no different.

Both sides tested each other out and for the first 10 minutes they looked like they were waiting for a mistake from their opponents.

Finally Cap Coast were able to get some field position and it was number 9 Liam Welsh that got over the line and with the conversation held a 6-0 lead.

Tigers finally got into some attacking position and a deft kick saw Clancy Hohn pounce on the ball and at half time Cap Coast held a 6-4 lead.

The second half saw Cap Coast jump out of the blocks and it was Braith Lorenz who cleaned up a dropped kick and the little winger had to break his way through the covering defence to score, the sideline conversion from Rokoko Hunt put Cap Coast ahead 12-4.

Jett Day then got himself involved in the game for the Coast and a strong run saw him score and Cap Coast were out 18-4 with 17 minutes remaining.

Both teams tried everything and finally in the final minute Baylee Meiland scored for Tigers and a final score of 18-10 to Cap Coast.

Players of the Final: Rokoko Hunt Cap Coast Brothers and Clancy Hohn Rocky Tigers

Under 16

Cap Coast Brothers 22 (Tries – Izaiah Waters, Matthew Groves, Finn Smallwood; Goals – Slater Leahy 3) defeated Rockhampton Brothers Blue 10 (Tries – Jack Biles, Grady Wright; Goals – Ryder Huth)

Both these sides contain Capras representative strike power and the start was going to be interesting to see how both coaches game plan would play out.

For the first 15 minutes both sides did have chances but good defence was able to hold both attacks out.

Brothers Blue got themselves within 10 metres of Cap Coast line and Jack Biles charged over for the first points of the game and a 4-0 lead.

This looked like the half time score until Grady Wright used his strength to get another try for Brothers and a 10-0 half time lead.

At the break Cap Coast regrouped and in the 4th minute of the second stanza Matthew Groves powered over and Cap Coast were back in the game at 10-6.

Both sides then tested each other missing opportunities, then winger Mataio Tapau-Bon dived over out wide and the game was all tied up at 10-

10.

Then Cap Coast fullback Izaiah Waters open up the Brothers defence with a stunning 70 metre run and Cap Coast had the lead for the first time at 16-10.

Brothers had 12 minutes to square the contest up but mistakes at crucial times stuttered their chances and in the last minute Finn Smallwood crossed and a win for Cap Coast 22-10.

Players of the Final: Izaiah Waters Cap Coast Brothers and Brandon Jenkins Brothers Blue

Under 17 Girls

Rockhampton Brothers 32 (Tries – Prue Peters 2, Sophie Davidson 2, Ruby Froast, Lalequa Songoro; Goals – Prue Peters 4) defeated Rockhampton Tigers 24 (Tries – Shauna Barnham 2, Luca Howarth, Lillian Yarrow; Goals – Aaliyah Gyemore 4)

In the second last game of the day and the first under 17 grand final to be played with the boys the girls decider was going to be a very skilled game with plenty of players on show that represent the Capras in the under 19 competition this year.

From the start it looked like Rocky Tigers Shauna Burnham’s day when she crossed twice in the first seven minutes and Tigers had a 12-0 lead.

Brothers halfback Prue Peters showed her strength when she crashed over and got brothers back to 12-6, but Tigers captain Lilly Yarrow wanted to swing the momentum back and she scored and Tigers had the lead again by 12.

It was going to be Brothers in the final 10 minutes getting on a roll and when Ruby Frost and Sophie Davidson scored we had a 18-18 half time score line.

The second half started with some physical defence and Tigers were able to strangle back the lead when Luca Howarth scored.

This fired up the Brothers side and they hit back quickly when Lalequa Sorgoro scored but the missed conversion kept the Tigers in front.

Tigers kept attacking the Brothers line but to no avail and it was Brothers coming home strong with Prue Peters getting her second and Sophia Davidson sealing the game for Brothers 32-24.

Players of the Final: Prue Peters Brothers and Shauna Barnham Rocky Tigers

Under 17

Yeppoon 18 (Tries – Matthew Hill 3; Goals – Zac Sainsbury 3) defeated Rockhampton Brothers 16 (Tries- Brad Taylor, Luke Callanan, Darcy Williams; Goals – Angus Gabriel 2)

The final game of the 2021 grand final day would not disappoint, with two quality sides taking the field for the decider.

Yeppoon looked strong early and was denied a few times by the Brothers defence.

Brothers got an opportunity from a penalty and a quick play the ball saw Darcy Williams go from dummy half and score and with the conversion a 6-0 lead.

Brothers were soon back in Yeppoon’s 25 metre area and a sweeping back line saw Yeppoon caught short and a try to Brad Taylor and 12-0

lead.

Enter Yeppoon’s Matthew Hill – in the space of five minutes he individually turn the game around and with some fancy footwork scored twice and Yeppoon at the break were back at 12-12.

Matthew Hill was again in the thick of the action in the second half scoring another individual try and Yeppoon had the lead 18-12.

For the next 15 minutes both sides tried hard but no one could break the defence.

Then with eight minutes left Yeppoon were attacking hard and had a back line going when Brothers player Luke Callanan intercepted the ball 80 metres out.

Good Seagulls cover defence kept him out scoring in the corner and Angus Gabriel had a chance to level the game up.

Unfortunately he was unable to convert but Brothers were back.

In the final six minutes Brothers threw everything at Yeppoon but mistakes at critical times let them down and it was Yeppoon claiming the final premiership.

Players of the Final: Matthew Hill Yeppoon and Angus Gabriel Brothers

Originally published as Rockhampton and District Junior Rugby League grand final wrap