Live stream: Watch the FNQRL finals week two qualifying and elimination finals
With their inspirational leader rubbed out of the finals, Brothers turned to the next generation to lead them into battle. Relive six FNQRL U19, Reserves and A Grade finals here.
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Brothers’ are just 80 minutes away from completing their quest to win a third consecutive FNQ Rugby League A-grade premiership after a heart-stopping win against rivals Ivanhoes.
The bruising encounter lived up to the billing as the top two teams through the 2024 season faced off for the right to feature in the grand final, trading blows and big hits throughout the major semi final.
Brothers led 16-10 at half time, but after tries to Scott Cobb and Dallas Skardoon – the latter of which was converted by Josh Dugan – it gave Ivanhoes fans a moment to believe their time was finally coming.
Ivanhoes haven’t won an A-grade premiership since 2016, and they have thrown everything bar the kitchen sink at these past few seasons to break through.
Their dream of earning direct qualification was dashed with four minutes left.
Elekana Suavai crossed to lock up the scoreboard at 20-20, which handed Falcon Peni the chance to seal a late and potentially match-winning lead.
And Peni, potentially the most clutch goalkicker in the league, nailed it from the tough position to put his side up two points – and put Brothers on course for a shot at another premiership.
Jordan Biondi-Odo, who missed the final through suspension, is expected to return for the decider, where they will face the winner of Ivanhoes’ clash with Innisfail on Saturday night.
Earlier, a first-half double to Jaymon Moore laid the platform for Innisfail to romp to a monstrous 52-4 minor semi final win and end rivals Atherton’s season at Barlow Park.
In all, the Leprechauns ran in a staggering nine tries to just one by Roosters winger Ryan Madua to crush their opposition and keep their premiership hopes alive for another week.
Innisfail dominated the first five minutes, with Moore crashing over from short range to open the Leprechauns’ account, before doubling it by the 10-minute mark.
The minor semi-final hung in balance at 16-4 at halftime, but the Leprechauns blew their rivals out of the water with a brilliant second half which will undoubtedly put their preliminary final opponents on notice.
Fullback Ashton Galea also jagged a double in the Barlow Park beatdown.
It brings to an end a season of promise at the Tablelands.
The Roosters rebuilt and reloaded for 2024 with a deep, and strong roster on the back of top-notch recruiting, but they ran into a well-oiled Innisfail side which refused to lose.
REPLAYS
Cairns Brothers v Ivanhoes Knights (A-grade)
Innisfail Leprechauns v Atherton Roosters (A-grade)
Tully Tigers v Brothers (Reserves)
Kangaroos v Ivanhoes Knights (Reserves)
Kangaroos v Ivanhoes Knights (U19)
Mareeba Gladiators v Innisfail Leprechauns (U19) - FNQRL men's major semi finals
MATCH PREVIEWS
BROTHERS BACK YOUNG GUN
Two-time defending premiership captain-coach Jordan Biondi-Odo has endorsed young gun halfback Kaleb Eaton to steer his team into the FNQ Rugby League grand final.
Eaton, who has spent time in the Bulldogs NRL system in recent years, will take the reins of the Brothers side with Biondi-Odo rubbed out of the qualifying final showdown against Ivanhoe Knights.
The clash between the top two A Grade sides will headline a huge day of semi-finals action at Barlow Park. All six games will be exclusively live streamed on KommunityTV and the Cairns Post from 11am, Saturday. Check out the full live stream schedule below.
Biondi-Odo and prop Henry Williams will both miss the second-chance final after copping one-week suspensions for dangerous contact charges.
While the mercurial halfback and leader will be out of action, he has backed Eaton to take the reins without any fuss.
“He has played a lot of Mal Meninga (for the Northern Pride) this season, and has spent time in all three grades for us,” Biondi-Odo said.
“He knows how we play, he knows our systems and this is where our boys have got to be good by getting on with their jobs.
“I have just let him go this week. I want him to be Kaleb Eaton, I don’t want him to be me.
“We are very similar, so not much changes. He probably just has a better running game than I do. I am confident in him, and if I can be confident in him, he should be confident in himself.”
Brothers will clash with an Ivanhoe side full of confidence after handing the blue and whites their only loss of the regular season in the final round.
Experienced outside back Kelly Valmadre crossed for a double, while former NRL veteran Josh Dugan stood tall in the absence of captain Rhylee Herd in the halves.
Biondi-Odo said his side had barely given a second thought to the last-round loss, instead opting to focus on themselves in the lead into finals.
“It hasn’t weighed on us, we know we are the same team we were two weeks ago before that loss,” Biondi-Odo said.
“We have been in this position before. It doesn’t necessarily faze us. We know what happened in the regular season doesn’t matter anymore. The finals is a different game entirely where we all start from the same position.
“We have experienced the highs and lows that finals football can deliver. We are prepared for everything.”
ATHERTON KEEP FIGHTING IN FINALS FLIGHT
Atherton leader Aidan Day has vowed to take the fight to Innisfail this weekend as they aim to keep their dream run in the FNQ Rugby League finals alive.
The Roosters and Leprechauns will clash in the elimination final on Saturday as part of a massive six-game FNQRL extravaganza capped off by the grand final qualifier between Brothers and Ivanhoes.
While the Roosters are still licking the wounds and patching over the bruises from a physical semi-final win over Kangaroos, the side has vowed to be ready for an experienced Innisfail side.
Day said there would be few surprises in store for the Atherton side, but that did not make their mission any easier.
“We know what they bring, they’re a big and experienced forward pack,” he said.
“We’ll be up for the fight there’s no question about that.
“The focus for us will be on slowing their big boys down, they get a good roll on from their forwards.
“The forwards battle is going to be key for us to win.”
With a win to Innisfail and a draw making up these two side’s clashes so far this season, expect a tight tussle between two sides fighting for a shot at the premiership.
Day said his side’s resiliency, which came to the fore in the big win over his former club Kangaroos last weekend, would be key in their clash with the Leps.
The day will be a big one for the Ivanhoes club with all three grades in action at Barlow Park.
The Knights Under-19s and A Grade sides will be playing for a spot in their respective grand finals in a fortnight, while the club’s reserve grade side will be determined to keep its finals campaign going when it clashes with Kangaroos.
Originally published as Live stream: Watch the FNQRL finals week two qualifying and elimination finals
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