Meninga Cup semi-final special: Teams of the Decade - so far - from your club

Meninga Cup semi-final special: How’s this for six Teams of the Decade - so far - from the clubs about to enter a finals football pressure cooker. See who has starred for Norths, Souths, Redcliffe, Mackay, Burleigh and Tweed here.

Dolphins Meninga Cup fullback Reeco Kirk takes the ball forward. Photo: Stephen Archer

And then there were six.

The elite Mal Meninga Cup under-19s is down to the competition’s Super Six who will strive for premiership glory in the elite junior representative competition.

Tweed Seagulls, Mackay Cutters, Redcliffe, Norths, Burleigh Bears and Souths Logan were the competition’s last standing who have qualified for the semi-finals.

In the past the six clubs have been prolific breeding grounds for NRL and Cup talent, and this season the clubs were again harbouring outingstand teenagers bound for the highest level.

This story highlights the elite talent which has poured through the respective clubs this decade.

Peek-a-boo - Braelan Marsh made the Redcliffe Meninga Team of the Decade. Photos by Stephen Archer

Players who have progressed to the NRL since 2020 from the six semi-final clubs were:

Tweed Seagulls: Keano Kini (Titans), Deine Mariner (Broncos), Jaylan De Groot (Titans), Blake Mozer (Broncos), Brendan Piakura (Broncos), Tom Weaver (Titans).

Bears: Alofiana Khan-Pereira (Titans), Jye Gray (Souths), Josiah Pahulu (Titans) and Arama Hau, while Jo Jo Fifita (Titans), Klese Haas (Titans), Reece Walsh (Broncos) and Xavier Savage (Raiders) were all named in the 2020 Tweed Meninga Cup squad but did not play due to the competition being cancelled as a result of COVID-19.

Mal Meninga Cup player Saxon Innes in action for Burleigh. Picture: Burleigh Bears.

Norths: Karl Oloapu (Canterbury), Liam Le Blanc (Souths), Benjamin Te Kura (Broncos).

Souths Logan: Ezra Mam (Broncos), Jye Gray (Souths), Blake Mozer (Broncos)

While the Cutters only have Jaxon Purdue and the Dolphins Karl Oloapu (Canterbury) as recent juniors who have played NRL, both regions have an extraordinary record for producing NRL and state footballers.

Featured below were past and present stars who make up the Meninga Cup Teams of the Decade - so far - from the six semi-final clubs.

Several players like Jac Finigan, Lewis Symonds and Blake Mozer played across several clubs, so we named them in just one side - their first Meninga Cup club.

Keano Kini in his first season with Tweed in 2021. Picture: Scott Powick Newscorp

Tweed Seagulls best 2020-25

1. Keano Kini

2. Mason Barber

3. Michael Roberts

4. Deine Mariner

5. Jaylan De Groot

6. Javon Andrews

7. Zane Harrison

8. Bodhi Sharpley

9. Blake Mozer

10. Torino Jackson

11. Taylan To’a

12. Brendan Piakura

13. Isaac Harrison

14. Tom Weaver

15. Tom Summer

16. Jac Finigan

17. Jake Lateo

18th man: Oskar Bryant

Emergencies: Josh Lynn, Jack Cullen, Ryan Foran, Will Saunders.

Mackay Cutters best 2020-25

Joseph Doyle Mackay Cutters. Picture:Michaela Harlow

1. Mutua Brown

2. Toby Woodall

3. Flynn Battaia

4. Will Shears

5. Kai Simon

6. Jaxon Purdue

7. Nikolaus Djukic

8. Tavita Penaia Te’o

9. Xavier Kerrisk

10. Matthew Watts

11. Joseph Doyle

12. Rory Woodall

13. Declan Grady

14. Zane Elletson

15. Travis Larner

16. Harrison Considine

17. Tenzin Contor

18th man. Luka Russell

Emergencies: Ethan Sweet, Jack Thorburn, Mark Morrow, Camden Hopes, Kayne Smith, Setaleki Mafileo.

Redcliffe Dolphins best 2020-25

Cody Starr was an easy choice in the Redcliffe Meninga Cup Team of the Decade - so farPhotos by Stephen Archer

1. LJ Nonu (First played for the Jets before being signed)

2. Jayden Alefaio

3. Prestyn Laine-Sietu

4. Elijah McKay

5. Callum Bowles

6. Lachlan Buchbach

7. Noah Fien

8. Elijah Rasmussen

9. Mitch Rogers

10. Cody Starr

11. Zac Garton

12. Brian Pouniu

13. John Fineanganofo

14. Braelan Marsh

15. Carter Ford

16. Patrick Kailahi

17. Aholoka Toia

18th man. Amare Wynyard

Emergencies: Drew Timms, Michael Waqa, Larry Siala.

Burleigh Bears best from 2025-25

Alofiana Khan-Pereira of the Titans. (Photo by Izhar Khan/Getty Images)

1. Saxon Innes

2. Alofiana Khan-Pereira

3. Sam Stephenson

4. Phillip Coates

5. Disharne Tonihi

6. Jye Gray

7. Coby Black

8. Josiah Pahulu

9. Hayden Watson

10. Zac Kumbamong

11. Kilarney Lavender

12. Arama Hau

13. Cooper Bai

14. Jett Bryce

15. Philip Hakaraia-Ngamotu

16. Ray Puru

17. Anton Whaiapu

18th: Seth Nikotemo

Emergencies: Bailey McConnell, Dallas Ingram, Marley Igasan, Vaa Semu

Charlie Dickson on the move - Photos by Stephen Archer

Norths Devils best from 2025-25

1. Adaquix-Jeramiah Watts-Luke

2. Kurt Jones

3. Robertson Tusi Tofu

4. Keyarn Pene

5. Tyreece Tait

6. Karl Oloapu

7. Zac Herdegen

8. Liam Le Blanc

9. Harrison Hill

10. Benjamin Te Kura

11. Lauloto Salei

12. Duquan Talaepa

13. Charlie Dickson

14. Carter Welfare

15. Damascus Neemia

16. Jahrel Iselin-Jansen

17. Maddox Goodwin

18th. Angus Hinchey

Emergencies: Jordan Kake, Montgomery Betham, Sylas Simon

Joseph Tupuse unloads. Picture: Evan Morgan

Souths Magpies best from 2020-25

1. Siosaia Poese

2. Bailey Trew

3. Will Semu

4. Joseph Tupuse

5. Israel Leota

6. David Bryenton

7. Ezra Mam

8. Dirhys Sefo

9. Jacob Tinsley

10. Alex Leapai

11. Christopher Faagutu

12. Lewis Symonds

13. Jayden Solien

14. Ahmani Leilua

15. Stanley Huen

16. Mou Taumaletila-Maulolo

17. Fa’apale Feaunati

18th. Tom Parker

Emergencies: Finn Kendall, Tre Fotu.