Club rugby Kingmakers highlighted here ahead of exciting StoreLocal Hospital Cup, Premier Women, Colts 1 grand finals
Club rugby Kingmakers highlighted here ahead of the exciting StoreLocal Hospital Cup, Premier Women, Colts 1 grand finals this Sunday at Ballymore. Read up on who is tipped to turn the tide.
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It’s go time.
The Queensland Premier club rugby grand finals are upon us and here the Kingmakers with their hand on the trigger are revealed.
At 11am on Sunday Bond University will look to bring up their third straight StoreLocal Premier Women premiership when they confront the Easts Tigers.
At 12:45pm the best two teams in the home-and-away season, Souths and Wests, face off in what shapes as a blockbuster Colts 1 grand final.
Finally at 2.45pm Brothers will butt horns with Wests to see who takes out the StoreLocal Hospital Cup, the Brethren chasing their second title in a row.
GRAND FINAL KINGMAKERS
Kaleb Akaroa (Souths)
The powerhouse utility forward has been on a tear over the last eight weeks and it’s unlikely he will take his foot off the gas pedal now.
A fixture at lock, flanker or even No. 8, the versatile big man will play a key role in Souths’ push forward in the wider channel and centrefield where he can be a damaging runner or link man.
Cooper Hoare (Souths)
Souths will look for Cooper Hoare’s consistency at lineouts in order to gain an upper hand on the well gelled Wests pack.
The nimble hooker has the potential to dictate the game for Souths at the set piece and there will be a game within a game between Hoare and his opposing number Finlay King, the Wests hooker.
Will Nason (Souths)
When the game was all but lost last weekend against Bond University, season saving Nason proved he can show the way to victory for the mighty Magpies.
The standout fly half of the season, Garden City sniper Nason will be looking to steer Souths to the right parts of the park with his clearing kicks and smart game management.
After kicking Souths into the final last weekend, Nason should feel bulletproof if he is called upon to replicate that effort this weekend.
James Martens (Wests)
For those that aren’t up to speed with bolt from the blue scrumhalf James Martens, he is a real wildcard with game-breaking ability.
Martens, 18, is the son of capped Springbok Hentie and moved to BBC from Canberra a few years back.
He played First XI cricket at BBC as a top order batsman and opening bowler before switching his cricket whites for the BBC First XV scrumhalf jumper in the winter.
With a bag full of tricks up his sleeve, the out of the box Martens poses a huge threat.
Dom Kallquist (Wests)
While his younger brother Henry has been running amok in the high achieving Rockhampton Grammar School first XIII in rugby league, Dom has been sending a ripple through this competition as a high class outside centre.
A prolific try scoring threat whose best is just around the corner, Kallquist is the Ferrari that Wests have purring in their garage, ready to fire in the second finals instalment between Wests and Souths.
Finlay and Campbell King (Wests)
Without putting too much pressure on them, the King brothers have a big say in how Wests’ fair this weekend.
Captain and inside centre Campbell is arguably the best goal kicker in the competition and Finlay the top performing hooker this season.
No.12 Campbell has it all. The apprentice mechanic by trade is a damaging ball runner, an elite kicker and rarely overplays his hand.
Finlay has surprised even himself with just how good he has been this season, after last year missing games for Nudgee with a broken thumb.
Xavier Rubens (Souths)
Xavier Rubens, the Australian Under-20s select, has been playing in Garrick Morgan’s Hospital Cup side most of the season but has lobbed back into Colts 1 to finish the year.
The hard running outside centre is well versed in finding the tryline, hitting gaps with speed and his opposite Dom Kallquist, who has also made the Reds Under-19s squad, will be on high alert.
Rubens was dangerous with the ball in hand last week despite having limited opportunities.
Rourke Symons (Souths)
Rourke Symons’ craftsmanship from the ruck base is where it all starts for the Magpies.
Symons is another young gun returning to Colts 1 after spending most of the season playing above his weight class in first grade.
That experience, in the toughest club rugby competition in Queensland, will no doubt give Symons confidence going into Souths second grand final in this age group.
MEN
Mosese Dawai (Wests)
With 16 tries to his name this season, flashy Fijian Mosese Dawai has proved a coup for the Bulldogs.
The former Highlanders Super Rugby winger can create for himself, just look at his spectacular try from last weekend’s preliminary final against University at GPS.
He has some flash too, kissing the football before he planted it under the posts after his swerving 50m run.
Angelo Smith (Wests)
Angelo Smith was a 2m machine for Wests in their preliminary final victory over University of Queensland last weekend.
With two tries and plenty of positive touches, the former Melbourne Rebels lock had an imposing presence on both sides of the ball, with silky ball skills to match his dominance in the middle of the park.
If Smith can continue his impressive form, it will go a long way to helping Wests claim the Hospital Cup once more. Remember it was his big showing in the 2022 grand final win that earned him his Rebels contract.
James O’Connor (Brothers)
Reds flyhalf James O’Connor, 34, has accomplished a lot in the world of rugby.
One piece of silverware that has evaded his grasp is the Hospital Cup.
With almost 300 professional games representing his club and country, O’Connor brings boundless experience and composure to a youthful Brothers backline looking to explode on Wests. His two games for the club have both been victories but just as importantly he has been a regular around the club over the past two months providing training advice you don’t see. He’s invested in this and his unselfish play makes all around him better.
Dom Fraser (Brothers)
While all eyes might be drawn elsewhere, trusty hooker Dom Fraser looms as the silent assassin capable of landing telling blows as the rudder to the Brethren’s productive rolling maul.
Fraser has been one of the competition’s more prolific try-scoring forwards over the last two seasons and Wests must be wary. He has 17 tries for the season, more than any winger.
WOMEN
Mel Wilks (Bond University)
Nicknamed “The Milkman”, she delivers and has done with big grand final displays in 2022 and 2023 victories.
The leading points scorer this season, Mel Wilks is no stranger to this stage and was regularly a cut above the rest this season.
The damaging midfielder, who should be a mainstay in the Wallaroos 23, just needs clean ball to get Bond University on the front foot.
Eva Doblo (Bond University)
A livewire pocket rocket out of All Saints Anglican College on the Coast, 19-year-old Eva Doblo has been one of the discoveries of the season for Bond and has sharp off the mark speed.
The diminutive outside back will start in a star-studded Bond lineup, which says a lot.
Zoe Hanna (Bond University)
No.8 Zoe Hanna has been a fixture over the last three seasons helping Bond University announce themselves as the best women’s club rugby team in Queensland.
It has been her tough carries, unforgiving defence, support play and low mistake rate that has given the Bull Sharks thrust in the forwards. History suggests Hanna has taken a liking to the big matches and she relished her Queensland debut in Tonga in July.
Loretta Lealiifano (Easts)
Responsible for a stunning solo try in last weekend’s sudden death preliminary against the minor premiers, inside centre Loretta Lealiifano is regarded by many as one of the top players in the competition.
The powerhouse midfielder and longstanding veteran of Easts’ Premier Women’s side has plenty of tricks. She is the calm, collected and to-the-point leader the Tigers need to tame Bond.
Carys Dallinger (Easts)
Pivotal in Easts’ 29-21 win over Sunnybank, New Zealand-born playmaker Carys Dallinger can challenge Bond University with her precise kicking game, smart passing and organising of play.
The Queensland Reds flyhalf will also a quality goalkicker.
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