Here’s 20 reasons the Redcliffe Dolphins will surely be an NRL success
Here are 20 reasons the Redcliffe Dolphins will surely be an NRL success story.
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Here are 20 reasons the Redcliffe Dolphins will surely be an NRL success story.
It is the names of 20 players who make up a juniors dream team which highlights the quality of the club’s northwest and northern nursery that will be at the disposal of the NRL’s newest team.
Imagine have a region at your disposal which has produced the likes of Petero Civoniceva, Brent Tate, Daly Cherry-Evans, Josh McGuire, Matt Gillett, Michael Crocker and Peter Leis?
Well that is the type of talent Redcliffe has produced, and will continue to produce.
With a catchment from Brighton, Aspley and Albany Creek west to Dayboro and Kilcoy, and north to Caboolture and Bribie Island, Redcliffe will have no shortage of quality juniors - as emphasised by this team.
Liam Georgetown
Cherburg born, he played juniors at Brighton where you can smell the salt of the bayside sea breeze. He then honed his craft in the Dolphins lower grades before becoming a Super Cup point scoring machine.
Tom Opacic
Redcliffe to the core, Opacic is a tough tackling centre who I think many people around the Peninsula would agree is a better player than the 64 NRL games he has played so far. We squeezed him into the side on the wing.
Brent Tate
Simply the best, an absolutely elite NRL, Origin and Test player with explosive speed and an iron will off the ball.
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Peter Leis
A treasure from the 1970s, Peter Leis would drive from his dairy farm on the hill overlooking the tiny township of Dayboro to train and play with Redcliffe. Leis was a wonderful centre who played for Queensland pre-Origin days.
Jack Reed
Reed makes our side as a winger, such is the quality of the three-quarter line. A late bloomer, he hailed from the Caboolture Snakes club and the Bribie Island Warrigals junior ranks.
Trevor Benson
A De La Salle College old boy, Benson was an absolute champion player who won a Rothman’s Medal for the competition’s best and fairest player, and also Queensland selection.
Daly Cherry-Evans
The Redcliffe SHS alumni is the reigning Queensland captain who will remain in folklore for leading the Maroons to the 2020 upset series win.
Danny Nutley
Honest as the day is long, Nutley played well above his weight. Built low to the ground, he used that to his advantage in getting his shoulder into rib cages and around the ball. Had the distinction of being Queensland’s best forward in his only match for the maroons in 2005.
Michael Crocker
Crocker was of course a backrower full of fire and brimstone. He was a winner and played every match as if there was no tomorrow. He makes our side as a dummy half which he would find humorous, but we have no doubts he would do the job with ease. We wanted to name our our best 13 - then find a position for them which was an old Jack Gibson (super coach) mantra.
Petero Civoniceva (c)
Look around where you are standing right now and peer toward the hardest object in your sight. No matter what you saw, big Petero was tougher than that. Tall, hard working, he was a Test prop ironman but also had ball skills. He is also one of the best blokes you’d meet in a day’s march as well.
Ian Graham
Another born and breed champion who was a premiership winning captain and Queensland Residents representative. He loved the Dolphins crest on his chest and he played with all his might in every match. He was a strong defender who could also slip a pass in traffic.
Dane Carlaw
The long striding Carlaw edge backrower had a glittering NRL career with the Broncos. And he had the distinction of scoring a remarkable, Origin series clinching try when he ran 50m on full-time playing for Queensland. So many kids dream of that moment - well Carlaw lived that moment.
Matt Gillett
The Morayfield State High School alumni was another Bribie Island Warrigals junior who, like Jack Reed (mentioned above) came within five seconds of winning a premiership (2015). This bloke is one of the best. The older generation will recall Canberra and NSW backrow champion Brad Clyde. Well this bloke is our Bradley Clyde. He was a super player with great timing in defence, pace and ball skills. Another splendid bloke off the field.
Reserves:
Troy Lindsay
A front rower champion and former club coach who went by the nickname “Cowboy”, Lindsay holds the club record for the most first-grade games played at 314.
David Stagg
Like Perry, Stagg was from Redcliffe’s southern catchment region. He was a coach’s dream whose work ethic knew no bounds. He played centre and backrower with ease and achieved whatever task coach Wayne Bennett set him. He deservedly earned State of Origin selection.
Grant Flugge
Another club champion from Redcliffe’s mid-2000s premiership winning era. The Pine Rivers junior formed a wonderful combination with Danny Burke and that dynamic duo’s forward effort helped pave the way for the Dolphins’ success.
Bevan Bleakley
Steve Bleakley’s cousin, Bevan was a 1970s warhorse who played in the same powerful teams as out centre selection Peter Leis. He hailed from the Kilcoy district, very much a catchment area for the Dolphins, where he mixed playing rugby league with boxing. He was a tough as nails middle forward.
Terry Webb
The son of club legend Des, Terry and his brother Mick had two of the best nicknames going in Australian sport. One was nicknamed “Spider’’ Webb and the other “Funnel” Webb. Terry makes this squad on football ability, not on nicknames, however. He was a clever ball playing forward who developed his game no end by having a season in France, of all places.
Shane Perry
The champion premiership winning captain had the distinction of winning both Super Cup and NRL grand finals after helping Brisbane to its last success in 2006.
The quality of our 20 is emphasised when you consider these very fine players missed selection, half a dozen by the narrowest of margins.
They included: Steve Bleakley, Craig Frawley, Luke Capewell, Clinton O’Brien, Curtis Powell, Michael Webb, Ben Jones, Trevor Harken, Sam Obst, Trent Leis, Trent Clayton, Aaron Whitchurch, Dane Campbell, Danny Russell, Tyson Gamble, David Moffett
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