Meet the University Barbarians’ grand final hero

‘Excitement machine’: He’s the University Barbarians’ mid-season recruit turned grand final hero who scored the match winning try in the Sunshine Coast Rugby Union decider.

He’s the University Barbarians’ mid-season recruit turned grand final hero who scored the match winning try in the Sunshine Coast Rugby Union decider.

The Barbarians defeated reigning premiers Noosa Dolphins 10-6 in a thrilling grand final at the University of the Sunshine Coast with the only try of the game going to Jona Conradii.

Fijian born Conradii, 23, joined Barbarians mid-season from Hervey Bay after Uni coach Brad Tronc sent him a text.

The rest was history.

USC scrum half Jona Conradii proved the match winner with the game's sole try. Picture: Matty Holdsworth

With the game locked at 3-3 and the teams trading punishment and field position without inflicting scoreboard damage, Conradii broke the it wide open.

It was a 20-metre dash down the short side from Conradii, following by a sharp left foot-step and a furious pumping of the legs and the playmaker crashed over.

From there, University were able to hang on despite an almighty scare from Noosa.

“I didn’t know if I could get there or go through, so as soon as I got hit I just kept pumping the legs, I felt the boys on my back come right through. It was a team try in the end,” a humble Conradii said post-game.

“I just want to thank the lord for giving me the strength to do it and to play my best game of the season.”

Conradii was rightly swamped by the University faithful after his try and at full-time.

Tronc said Conradii was an “excitement machine”.

“He scored from nowhere and that’s just pressure,” Tronc said.

The victory was Tronc’s first as a coach and University’s first since 2015.

Originally published as Meet the University Barbarians’ grand final hero