Crystal ball look at the Redcliffe Dolphins’ elite junior talent
Phins up: A schoolboy ace signing from arch rivals the Broncos has added to the Dolphins arsenal of junior talent. Here is our insight into the club’s future’s rookies’ list.
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The Dolphins have snared a schoolboy ace from arch rivals the Broncos as the Redcliffe-based club continues amass an arsenal of junior talent.
Marsden SHS No.13 Lewis Symonds was unveiled as the Phins latest signing yesterday.
A remarkable athlete, the 17-year-old Helensvale Hornets junior claimed silver medals in three field events at last year’s national track and field championships in shot put, discus and hammer (under 18s).
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Symonds has also represented Australia in power lifting at the Youth Oceania Championships.
On the field he was the best back rower not to make the Queensland schoolboys side this season.
Symonds’ signing caps another productive season of junior signings by the Dolphins’ recruitment team as the club looks to top and tail its player signings following the addition to the senior squad of Queensland State of Origin forward Tom Flegler, Jake Averillo (Canterbury) and English Test centre Herbie Farnworth.
So what does the Dolphins’ future look like beyond the Bromwich brothers, Felise Kaufusi, Mark Nicholls, Jarrod Wallace, Anthony Milford and co?
We give you a snapshot into the Dolphins future right now.
PROPS
Fearless forecast
Michael Waqa
Waqa was outstanding for the Redcliffe Dolphins in a successful bid for the 2023 Meninga Cup under 18 premiership. A long time prodigy from Wavell SHS v Albany Creek Crushers, once Waqa got match fit, we saw the best of him and the Dolphins could not move quickly enough to sign him.
Blackbook talents players
Nixon Pasese
A Nudgee student and Dolphins Connell Challenge registered player, the powerful prop also played for the Queensland under 16s last season. He is a great junior signing by the club.
Jairus Halahala
You can’t get any more Redcliffe than going to school at Redcliffe SHS. Like Pasese, Jairus has had a few injuries, but is a highly rated representative forward well worth the investment.
Solid selections
Cody Starr
The son of a former NRL (NSWRL) prop Adam, Starr is a Redcliffe Meninga Cup middle from Redcliffe SHS.
Carter Ford
The Dolphins junior ranks were littered with links to past champions - Starr, Fien, Berrigan, Marsh - and Carter Ford (St Brendan’s College, Yeppoon), is another case in point. His father is Queensland State of Origin hero Carl Webb, the Test forward from the Broncos and Cowboys.
Solid selection
Hayden Polson
The Wavell SHS back rower had a big Walters Cup season after playing for the Norths in the under 16 Connell Challenge where he laid the foundations for his selection in the Queensland under 15s.
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HOOKERS
Fearless forecast
Braelan Marsh
The son of former Queensland State of Origin series winning hooker PJ Marsh is a No. 9 from the CQ Capras system. He attends St Brendan’s Yeppoon.
Solid selection
Noah Fien
Fien is the sun of a gun - his dad Nathan is a New Zealand Test champion, Dragons premiership winner and Queensland State of Origin representative. But Fien, also a Nudgee College student, has earned an Academy position off his own bat, impressing in the Dolphins junior system.
BACK ROWERS
Fearless forecast players
Lewis Symonds
He is exactly the type of kid who will make it into the NRL. The Marsden SHS school leave is a young man with the attitude, ability, and work ethic to give himself every chance of success. He is also a high achiever, having medalled at most national track and field championships across the last six years as a field athlete.
John Fineanganofo
Fineanganofo is a terrific ballplayer, the best at his craft in his age group. He earned Queensland and Australian schoolboy selection, and has already played first grade at Redcliffe. Fineanganofo can play No.13 or five-eight, but also impact off the bench as a No.14. This kid has so much skill, it is not funny.
Zac Garton
Garton is one of the picks of the bunch who has tremendous promise. A Queensland schoolboys edge forward from Caloundra SHS, he is built low to the ground but is Powerful with a capital P. Money can’t buy what he will learn this off-season training around the Dolphins senior NRL forwards.
Blackbook talent players
Duquan Talaepa
The 2022 Queensland under 15 back rower is a Mabel Park SHS marvel, a leader of the pack who has that hard edge to him. He runs hard, can hit a hole and finds the bullseye in defence.
Brian Pouniu
A 2022 Queensland under 15s player, Pouniu is another young one who was outstanding playing for the Dolphins Connell Challenge side again this season. From the North Lakes Kangaroos, the edge forward led by example with his dynamic right edge charges.
Nate Berrigan
Berrigan is another familiar name to rugby league supporters. His dad is former NRL player Barry and his uncle ex-Queensland State of Origin utility Shaun. He is a robust kid who gets down and dirty. We like his style a lot.
Taoso Taoso
Taoso is one of the younger members of the Dolphins, a fabulous athlete who is in the Australian 16s water polo squad which is training for the 2024 World Championships. He also plays under 16s and under 18s with the powerful, podium finishing UQ Barras club. As a league player, the edge forward helped Norths win the under 15 grand final and has earned a position in the Devils under 17 Cyril Connell Challenge squad.
Linc Dalton
Another from the Dolphins’ northside catchment, Dalton is a young Norths Devils No.13 who also plays 15As at Brisbane Grammar School. Dalton’s point of difference is his work ethic, a trait every coach loves in a player. He is a genuine blackbook talent.
Solid selections players
Patrick Kailahi
Kailahi is one of the feel good stories at the club, a boy from Marsden SHS who has overcome a serious injury to earn the chance to train at the Dolphins.
Charlie Dickson (Wavell SHS) and Zac Bateman (The Cathedral College)
We love the work of these two true-blue back rowers. They are both grand workers who leave nothing in the tanks. The Dolphins also have Connor Hinds, a St Brendan’s back rower, on their list.
Amare Wynyard
Here we go again. Another Wynyard in the Dolphins’ ranks. His dad Andrew is a real trooper around the Peninsula who won premierships at the club in 2002 and 2003. He would have played a lot more than 67 matches had injury not intervened. His son Amare is making his own way in the code, earning a Dolphins academy position.
HALVES
Fearless forecast
Harrison Braithwaite
A Wide Bay product from the Kingaroy Ants Braithwaite was among the Dolphins’ original inductees into the club’s academy system. He is a fine young half who has impressed despite having a spirited and willing, but only moderately successful team around him in the Meninga Cup. The fact he travels from Kingaroy to Redcliffe for training - and is always early - says plenty about his priorities.
Solid selection
Lachlan Buchbach
Buchbach was one of the discovery players of the Langer Trophy who starred for a giant-killing Mabel Park SHS outside. He was a fabulous running half with a great pedigree - he hails from Logan City and is all heart, a gutsy No.6 who can tackle as well. He richly deserves this chance. If he can improve again in 2024 like he did in 2023, then he will be cooking with gas.
Blackbook talents
Carter Welfare
From Harry Grant country, the Emu Park junior catchment east of Rockhampton, Welfare played for the Queensland under 15 schoolboys last season as a halfback and attends Nudgee College.
OUTSIDE BACKS
Fearless forecast players
LJ Nonu
The Ipswich SHS centre enhanced his reputation with an inspiring grand final performance opposing PBC SHS’s representative centre Sam Stephenson. After that gallant performance, Nonu also sparked a late raid which almost netted Ipswich a come-from-behind win.
Kingston Seve
The Keebra Park SHS fullback has tons and tons of ability. A tall, long striding player with great athletic ability, he has to continue to work hard, but in his age group he has the ability to dominate.
Benson Tau
A tall, long striding winger, the Logan Brothers junior is an athletic marvel with plenty of upside. He represented the Queensland under 15s last season and is one of the best players in his age group.
Blackbook talents
Ethan Grimshaw and James Grey
When you have the pace like this pair, you are a chance of playing NRL, that’s for sure.
Nudgee College student Grimshaw is a genuine speed merchant. At the both the state and national 100m sprint championships, in first for his age group. He plays with the Norths Devils.
Grey, from Ipswich Grammar School, shadowed Grimshaw to the finish line in the 100m state and national championship sprint finals. An Ipswich Grammar student, he has had a few injuries but watch for him to be back to full fitness for 2024.
Tyrese Tovao
Tovao played his way into the Dolphins; ranks after starring for the Brisbane Tigers under 16 Connell Challenge side in 2022. From Mabel Park SHS, the centre will be a senior player in his school’s Langer Trophy side next season.
Solid selection
Jeremiah Havea
A winger from Keebra Park SHS, Havea is an athletic speicman, tall and powerful - the perfect build for the modern game.
FULLBACK
Fearless forecast players
Kevin Weribone
This young man has been born to run. From Maryborough - a traditional rugby league heart land - Weribone’s pace is well known across the Wide Bay. He can also play wing, but we think fullback is his go. Watch this space.
Mereki Warradoo
From the sporting rich North Lakes region, Warradoo is a local junior who oozes with skill. He played Queensland under 15s last year and had a strong season for Wavell SHS in the Walters Cup this year.
Blackbook talents
Adaquix Luke
Injury prevented us from seeing much of Luke this season, although he did finish the year playing juniors at Logan Brothers. The son of New Zealand and South Sydney champion
ISSAC LUKE, Adaquix is a fleet-a-foot fullback with rugby league IQ.
Seth Carpenter
An Emmaus College fullback, Carpenter hails from rugby league mad Rockhampton where the Dolphins would like to establish as its northern recruitment border. He is quick, but also a nice ballplayer who has been one of the most prominent players in the Capras Connell and Meninga Cup campaigns in recent seasons.
Originally published as Crystal ball look at the Redcliffe Dolphins’ elite junior talent
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