Meninga Cup grand final 2025: Burleigh Bears 18 defeat Redcliffe Dolphins 14
Meninga Cup grand final 2025: Broncos-signing Tupou Francis was an extra-time hero as the Burleigh Bears snatched victory against a crestfallen Redcliffe Dolphins. More here.
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Broncos-signed schoolboy sensation Tupou Francis was a grand final extra-time hero for Burleigh when he created the premiership-winning try in a Meninga Cup decider for the ages against Redcliffe at Kayo Stadium.
Burleigh won the under-19 final 18-14, with prop Francis stepping and weaving his way through the ruck and into the clear, sprinting 40m before sending his lock Anton Whaiapu over for the winning try.
Oustanding Burleigh second rower Kilarney Lavender was named player of the match for his deeds bending Redcliffe’s defensive line at regular intervals leading up to Francis’ fantastic intervention.
Bears players raced to congratulate Francis and then Whaiapu as crestfallen Redcliffe players crashed to the ground after an extra time pressure cooker.
Burleigh’s last-gasp victory makes up for last year’s grand final loss to Coast rivals Tweed, who they defeated 30-14 in last weekend’s semi-final.
Saturday’s spectacle had more twists and turns than a Days of our Lives Christmas classic, the match plunging into extra time after electric Redcliffe Braelan Marsh scored a quick thinking hooker’s try late in the second half.
Fullback Reeco Kirk added the extras to make it 14-all.
It then took Francis’ dramatic run to break the deadlock in what was an epic performance by a rookie forward who was playing up in his age group after earlier in the year starring for Burleigh’s title-winning Connell Cup outfit.
Francis, a Marsden SHS Year 12 student, normally plays No.13, but his work as a prop in this match was a revelation.
It is little wonder the Brisbane Broncos have him under lock and key.
Seth Carpenter, Callum Bowles and Marsh scored for Redcliffe and Tonihi (two tries) and Hayden Watson scored for Burleigh in regulation.
Indeed both teams had their chances to claim glory in a dramatic final four minutes of regulation.
It was edge of your seat stuff as:
+ Redcliffe’s Noah Fien’s field goal attempt four minutes from fulltime fails;
+ Burleigh’s Hayden Watson has his field goal attempt charged down;
+ Dolphins’ second row weapon Brian Pouniu produces a great covering tackle on Hayden Watson which snuffs out a dangerous movement;
+ A 60m run from Burleigh winger Bailey Trew is ended by gallant Redcliffe prop Cody Starr and centre Seth Carpenter, but a ruck penalty is conceeded. From the penalty goal attempt from 30m out, Burleigh’s Hayden Watson watched his shot into the wind and rain curl into the right upright and bounce away.
Every player involved in the game should take a bow.
So what were the origins of the 34 players involved in this decider for the ages? Read on.
Redcliffe Dolphins
1. Reeco Kirk
A Goodna and Districts rugby league junior, Kirk was always a notable junior player in the Ipswich leagues.
He rose to proudly represent Ipswich SHS in schoolboys competitions.
A noted halve, he played with distinction at fullback for Redcliffe where his vision and ability to inject himself and organise the defence played its part in the Dolphins side into the grand final.
2. Xavier Kirk
An Ipswich kid, Kirk is an x-factor player because of his speed, and was a wonderful spark plug player for Ipswich SHS during his time at the school.
He had a season in the junior representative league system with St George and the mighty mite backline utility was impressive in the back end of Redcliffe’s campaign.
3. Seth Carpenter
A Dolphins academy signing from central Queensland, Carpenter is a Rocky Tigers junior who attended St Joseph’s Park Avenue primary school in Rockhampton.
He was a star schoolboy fullback at Emmaus College when signed by the Dolphins.
4. Callum Bowles
The Palm Beach Currumbin SHS premiership winning player is a northern NSW boy who came to the school from the Grafton Ghosts in Year 10.
Was as consistent as any in the Meninga Cup.
5. Jeremiah Patea
Patea has skill at his disposal.
From a rugby union background, Patea was a gun junior for Brothers rugby club.
He attended Brisbane SHS.
6. Lachlan Buchbach
Buchbach arrived at the Dolphins all the way from the Ormeau Shearers and then Logan Brothers, one of Queensland’s most productive league nurseries.
He was a Marsden SHS student but moved to Mabel SHS seeking an opportunity in the Langer Trophy and was identified by Redcliffe after a tremendous 2023 campaign.
Has been impressive since with his dogged defence and attacking prowess.
7. Noah Fien
Fien is an Illawarra boy who originally grew up in the district when his father played for St George Illawarra (2009-2013).
His father is now on the Dolphins NRL coaching staff.
8. Cody Starr
Starr is a Redcliffe boy from the tip of his toe to the top of his head - all two metres of him.
He originally attended Southern Cross Catholic College but later moved to Redcliffe SHS.
9. Braelan Marsh
A Rockhampton boy, this outstanding hooker grew up in CQ where he was an elite junior for both Capricornia representative sides, and also for the Queensland schoolboys.
He did his secondary schooling at St Brendan’s Yeppoon.
10. Carter Ford
A tremendous prop talent who is as tough as nails, Ford went to rugby league finishing schoolSt Brendan’s College, Yeppoon.
He shone for both his school and the Capras and was signed by the Dolphins academy scouts.
11. Patrick Kailahi
Signed to the Dolphins academy, Patrick Kailahi overcame a serious broken leg while playing schoolboys for Marsden SHS to be one of Redcliffe’s best players last season, and again in 2025.
He hails from Hamilton in New Zealand.
12. Brian Pouniu
A North Lakes Kangaroos junior, Pouniu is a cherished junior talent who was one of the first juniors signed when the NRL arm of the Dolphins came into existence.
Has NRL written all over him.
13. Jac Finigan
Ironically the Palm Beach Currumbin SHS premiership winner is, of all things, a Burleigh Bears junior.
He added so much to the Redcliffe pack this season.
14. Amare Wynyard
Another Redcliffe boy to the core, the elite hooker or running No.13 has grown up playing, and supporting, the Redcliffe Dolphins.
He helped Redcliffe win the 2024 Connell Cup grand final and will be a returning player in 2025.
15. Kaleb Teu
A Redcliffe Peninsula junior who was originally at Redcliffe SHS in Year 7, he arrived back at Redcliffe SHS at the start of Year 11 after returning to his native New Zealand for Year 8, 9 and 10.
16. Taufa Taulani
Is there a more Redcliffe player than Taulani, the outstanding interchange forward who first donned the Dolphins’ colours at aged six?
17. Nate Berrigan
Another elite interchange forward, the Dolphins academy ace is a Redcliffe junior who made a comeback from injury in the grand final.
He is a Redcliffe SHS student with power and pace.
18th. Mathias Santo-Hero
An outstanding hooker.
Santo-Hero has made a great contribution to the club since arriving at Redcliffe from Charters Towers in North Queensland.
Burleigh Bears
1. Saxon Innes
Signed by the Broncos and one of the competition’s best players, Innes was originally from Helensvale Hornets juniors.
His schoolboy rugby league career went up a gear when he attended Marsden SHS and he was at the peak of his powers this club season.
2. Bailey Trew
From the sporting-rich Redlands area, Trew was an outstanding junior who the Broncos’ swooped to sign as a junior fullback.
He played large chunks of his career at Logan, attending BSHS, Marsden SHS and then BSHS again when he played First XV rugby in the GPS competition.
3. Phillip Coates
The brother of Storm and Queensland star Xavier, Coates is a Marymount College product from just down the road near Burleigh Leagues’ club.
His school footy mates were Cooper Bai (Tweed) and Oscar Laffranchi (Burleigh).
4. Antonio Verhoeven
From New Zealand’s stunning West Coast, the former St Bede’s College schoolboy is a white hot talent who the Broncos have done very well to find and snap up.
5. Disharne Tonihi
Another Helensvale Hornets junior, the towering Tonihi has been a prolific try scorer and a thumping kick return outside back for the Bears, Marsden SHS.
A Mr Reliable with a knack for popping up when it matters.
6. Cooper Humphreys
From the Gold Coast, Humphreys rose to provide sublime service to his backs.
A fine utility who can also play dummyhalf with his eyes closed, Humphreys is easy to see with his bright pink headgear.
But it was his work rate which really makes you stand up and take note.
7. Marley McLaren
Originally a South Coast of New South Wales kid from glorious Gerringong, the Dragons-signed halfback from PBC SHS moved with his family to the Gold Coast in 2019 where he attended Currumbin primary school.
Has been sensational in the past 18 months in both club and school football.
8. Tupou Francis
Originally from Sydney, the Broncos-signing came to note as a schoolboy at Marsden SHS where he became hot property.
The utility forward is playing up in his age group after starring for the Marsden SHS Makos (2024) and Bears under-17s (2025).
9. Hayden Watson
The Melbourne Storm recruit hails from another region rich in rugby league history, the
Coomera Cutters, where he played plenty of footy.
He then played in Beaudesert for the U15-16 season while attending Marsden SHS.
10. Marley Igasan
An unsung hero of Burleigh’s grand final campaign, Igasan comes from one of the most beautiful places in the southern hemisphere, Tauranga, Bay of Plenty in New Zealand.
Igasan, who was fortified by headgear, arrived at Burleigh in 2023.
11. Jett Bryce
One of the many Helensvale Hornets’ juniors who played in the grand final, the former U15 Queensland Merit team selection is an elite second rower signed by the Broncos.
He attended Keebra Park SHS.
12. Kilarney Lavender
From The Southport School where he has been a schoolboy rugby sensation, Lavender is signed by the Dolphins NRL academy where his power running and pace has impressed.
Was named player of the match in Saturday’s grand final — and he has another season of Meninga Cup footy in 2026.
13. Anton Whaiapu
Anton Whaiapu has been a tremendous glue player for both the Bears and Keebra Park SHS where he was the Langer Trophy captain.
14. Ryder Abell
At once stage a Tweed Seagull, Abell played for Burleigh’s Connell Cup side last season and was an excellent member of its 2025 Meninga Cup squad as a utility back or dummyhalf.
15. Cruz Tauaifaiga
An outstanding player for Burleigh this season, Cruz Tauaifaiga was awarded the 2025 Mal Meninga Cup Coaches Award recipient.
He attended Keebra Park SHS.
16. Braydan Wong
You guessed it. This underrated interchange forward is another Helensvale Hornets who was man of the match in the club’s U16 premiership win.
The explosive Wong, who was also the Coast’s 2022 player of the season, attended Coombabah State High School.
17. Tavake Tau’a’alo
The 2021 U14 player of the tournament for Tonga at the Queensland Pacific Islander Cultural Carnival, Tavake Tau’a’alo gave Burleigh plenty of thrust and aggression off the bench this season.
18. Oscar Laffranchi
Another local junior from Marymount College, son of a gun Laffranchi gave his all when called upon by the club this season.
GRAND FINAL PHOTOS
Originally published as Meninga Cup grand final 2025: Burleigh Bears 18 defeat Redcliffe Dolphins 14
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