In pictures: How the Griffith University Knights claimed a fourth straight GCDRU first grade premiership

Go inside Griffith Uni Colleges Knights’ journey towards a fourth straight first grade rugby premiership with our gallery of images.

The Griffith Uni Colleges Knights have silenced the Surfers Paradise Dolphins, winning their fourth-straight GCDRU first grade grand final 35-30.

Fulltime failed to separate the sides, Knights’ vice-captain Connor Kennedy scoring the match-winner in overtime.

“We got the job done, which is what we wanted to do,” said Kennedy.

“We made this one really bloody hard all year, it’s unreal, I’m lost for words.”

Elated by the hard-fought victory, head coach Shaun Cole said he knew his side would pull through.

“I wasn’t confident the whole way through but I knew that we were always going to dig deep,” he said.

“It is a very sweet victory.”

Once again, Cole gave his Man of the Match to captain Jaye Paton.

“He’s always my man of the match, he’s just such a special person at this club.”

No doubt a key to the Knights’ cog, Paton said he’ll be thinking about what happens next and whether he returns to the field in 2024.

“There’s a few of us who will have a think about what we want to do, talk with Cole, and if the club is in the right place we’ll make that decision,” he said.

For now the star will focus on celebrating what he describes as a rightly won flag.

“We’ve gone through so much this year, so many injuries, so many things gone wrong.

“The boys have rallied our crowds the last few weeks and we’re proud to have the win.”

Opposition coach Johnny Ngauamo said he was very proud of the effort his team put onto the field despite the result.

It was just a matter of where the ball moved that made all the difference.

“We had enough ball to win that game,” he said.

Star wingman Milan Cookson was no doubt a standout for the Dolphins, scoring the first try in overtime which put them in front early on.

“It was a shame he didn’t get more ball on the weekend,” Ngauamo said.

“I’d say he’s one of the top wingers Gold Coast rugby has.

“He can do some damage, is a quiet achiever but can rip backlines apart.”

Ngauamo left the Knights after leading them to the grand final in 2019, his first year at the knights, followed by back to back unbeaten premierships in 2020 and 2021,

“In the three years I was there we lost only two games.”

He remains proud of the side, which is led by captain Jaye Paton.

“They haven’t changed a great deal and still play with the mental toughness we instilled as a club.

“I’m really happy for them and I’m still good friends with a lot of the players,” he said.

“And Coley (Shaun Cole) is a great coach, he’s been able to build on what was set in 2019.”

In the years since leaving Knights, Ngauamo has taken the Surfers Paradise Dolphins from bottom-of-ladder to minor premiers in 2022 and 2023.

“It was a good challenge for me to move to Surfers and help another team... To start from scratch basically.”

Although the super coach is yet to claim a grand final victory in the yellow and green, he is happy with the club’s progress in such a short time.

“We have worked hard as a group and so have the players individually.

“It’s still a fairly new team,” he said.

“There’s a lot of young players, some only 18 and 19 years old.”

Ngauamo confirmed he will return in 2024.

“We have a lot of promising young and exciting players and the club has a good future,” he said.

GRAND FINAL PREVIEW

The Griffith Uni Colleges Knights are back in the spotlight for this season’s GCDRU grand final, and they have a premiership to defend.

They’re no strangers to the big dance having played in eight straight, but a win in the ninth would certainly go down a treat.

Knights first grade head coach Shaun Cole is well aware of the stars in his line-up and is expecting a stella performance from them this weekend.

From X-factors to game-breakers and the rookies making milestones, Coles reveals who will be the change-makers in red.

Cole’s prediction: Knights

X-factor

Jason Beeton

Beeton can make something out of nothing and is electric with the ball in hand.

In the preliminary final against Nerang, he scored the winning try and was awarded Man of the Match for his performance.

Will Beeton pull a similar trick from the hat in this week’s big dance?

On another note, Knights head coach Shaun Cole knows his team’s Scrum is another huge weapon, and has been for a very long time.

GCDRU Preliminary Final between the Nerang Bulls and the Griffith Uni Colleges Knights. Bulls player Logan Watene and Knights Player Jason Beeton Picture: Mike Batterham

Players to watch

Tereina McLean, Henry Morris, Lesi Tawake, Kerrod Martorella & Seb Gallagher

These five stars make up the Knights dreamy tight five.

“They set us a great platform to play off,” Cole said.

Game-Maker and Game-Breaker

Jaye Paton and Ed Bernstein

Skipper Jaye Paton was nominated by his coach as a highly anticipated ‘game-breaker,’ sighting him as a true leader who never lets anyone down on the field.

“His relentless work ethic always keeps us going when times get tough,” Cole said.

Meanwhile, the Knights ‘game-breaker’ title landed on Ed Bernstein.

The Fly Half has battled injury throughout 2023, but it hasn’t stopped him from helping his teammates reach yet another grand final.

Once the game is done and dusted, we expect Bernstein to begin some serious rest and recovery.

Gold Coast District Rugby Union clash between Coomera Crushers and Griffith Uni Colleges Knights. Played at Coomera. Coomera Player No1 Isaac Makelainen Griffith uni Player No8 Jaye Paton Pic Mike Batterham

Rookies in their first finals

Lochie O’Keefe and Harry Ole

Lochie O’Keefe will play his first GF with the Knights after a tremendous performance all year in the No. 7 jersey.

He’s tough as nails and goes about his business with little fuss.

Fellow young gun Harry Ole will come off the bench for his first grand final, covering second row and backrow.

At just 18, he played 75 minutes of the prelim last week and held more than his own.

Ole is another of Cole’s up-and-comers making him proud.

“He’s stood up to everything I’ve asked,” he said.

GRAND FINAL line-up

1. Lesi Tawake

2. Henry Morris

3. Tereina McLean

4. Kerrod Martorella

5. Seb Gallagher

6. Devontay Toa

7. Lochie O’Keefe

8. Jaye Paton (c)

9. Max Dempsey

10. Ed Bernstein

11. Blake Griffin

12. Rob Ulaula

13. Geordie Dalton

14. Connor Kennedy (vc)

15. Jason Beeton

16. Chris French

17. Jamie Culligan

18. Harry Ole

19. Harrison Cumming

20. Bryson Rukuwai

21. Rylee Stewart

22. Tommy Osborne

23. Taniela Tuivanuavou

24. Haydn Carter

25. Olly Howarth

Lesi Tawake. Picture: Mike Batterham

Preliminary final recap: Saturday August 12th v Nerang Bulls

The Knights hosted all three GCDRU preliminary finals on Saturday August 12, with a chance to progress to the grand final in each.

While it was a 40-24 whitewash in the third grade which saw Surfers Paradise leave with a win, the second and first grade Knights were victorious 22-20 and 36-31 respectively.

It was the magic footwork of fullback Jason Beeton, who scored the game-winning in the Knights Phil Temperton first grade clash to get them over the line.

With the clock ticking Jamie Culligan scored on the left wing, but the much-needed conversion was unsuccessful and left the Knights trailing by 29-31.

It was 10 minutes later when the Knights were awarded a scrum feed 50 metres out.

As the final play, Beeton received the ball from Edward Bernstein and charged downfield with co-captain Connor ‘CK’ Kennedy on his outside, pushing through the Bulls’ forward pack to score in the right hand corner.

The conversion was made amidst celebrations as the final score read 36-31 in the Knights favour.

Lesi Tawake was stretchered off after receiving a head knock that left him immobile for several minutes.

“We’re just taking precautionary measures,” Gold Coast District Rugby Union Operations Manager Trent MaChong said.

“There is some pain there but it is minor.”

Tawake soon returned from hospital checks to watch the second half.

Beeton was awarded man of the match for his performance, the second time in as many weeks.