The X-factor stars and danger players to watch in TRL finals
FINALS PREVIEW: Your complete guide to where this weekend’s TRL premierships will be won and lost. Check out our bold predictions.
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The biggest weekend in Toowoomba Rugby League is here with the 2024 TRL grand finals set to take place this weekend at Clive Berghofer Stadium.
From under-19s, to open women’s, reserve-grade and A-grade men, the day will be one which will go down in history for the four successful teams.
We have run the rule across the entire day’s action, revealing the key players, opposing danger players and where the games will be won and lost.
Check out our grand final preview below.
Souths vs Dalby Under-19s
Dalby were a force to be reckoned with this season.
The Diehards finished as minor premiers, two points clear of Valleys and Brothers, and were the best attacking and defensive team.
After finishing the regular season in fourth and as the second best attacking team Souths won elimination finals against Wattles, Brothers and Valleys to book their place in the grand final.
Souths
Coach: Darren Wilson
Comment: “We’re really looking forward to the final and the boys are calm – we have nothing to lose. Dalby are a very well coached team with a lot of talent and are the best team in the under-19s competition for good reason. At the same time we’re a very resilient team and our defence and work hard for each other.
Where the game will be won/lost: “We need to take Dalby to a place they haven’t been this season – get down and dirty and work really hard. We have to be resilient, fix up any mistakes we make quickly and defend well.”
Key players: “Ronan Delaney has been fantastic for us in his first season of league. He gets a lot credit for his try scoring, he finished as the second highest try scorer, but in the last few weeks he’s stopped a bunch as well. Tait Cameron has been great for us as usual and Jake Durie has comeback really strong after being out with an ACL injury.
Dalby danger players: “Joey Sankey is a great player he finished as the under-19 player of the year, Matthew Drews has plenty of speed and is a danger and Bailey Rathmell is a big player for them.”
Dalby
Coaches: Ben O’Callaghan and Jim Sankey
Comment: “Its been a really good season and I suppose it was always going to be a tough season from the point of view with four players in Clydesdales,” Sankey said.
“But we knew they were going to add quality to the side when we got them back.
“They ended up playing a lot of A-grade and because we’ve had the depth its worked really well it’s allowed the other boys to play footy and work on their development.
Where the game will be won/lost: “I think the side that stays patient the longest, they’re still learning as young players not to take short cuts.”
Key players: “Our forwards in Joey Gillett and Harry Cooper and then when you throw in Bailey Rathmell, Matthew Drews, Toby Harms, Fletcher Prendergast and Lyucian King-Togia who were playing A-grade and come back and Joey Sankey who won the under-19 player of the year.”
Souths danger players: “Jake Durie is coming back from an ACL he is a certainly a quality half and is in the Bulldogs system. A lot of their game is going to revolve around him, since his return I don’t think they’ve lost a game. And probably Matty Simpkin, he was tied up with the Clydesdales and I think he benefited from that and playing big footy in the middle.”
Our predictions
Jason Gibbs: Dalby by 12. Bailey Rathmell best on ground.
Lachlan Onions: Dalby by 16. Matthew Drews best on ground.
Warwick vs Valleys Reserve Grade
Warwick go into the decider as clear favourites – finishing the regular season with best attacking and defensive records and just the one loss.
They will need to wary however of a Valleys side who put plenty of teams to the sword this season and finished second on the ladder.
Warwick
Coach: Sam Wilson
Comment: “We’re absolutley wrapped to be playing in the final – a lot of hard work has gone into this season. We’ve got a great bunch of lads that makes my job a lot easier – we bought in some past players for another season and they bring great experience and have gelled really well with our younger players.”
Where the game will be won/lost: “The game will be won through the middle. We have to work hard there to give our halves the space to operate in the space behind our big men. In terms of where it (the game) will be lost, we have to watch our energy not let our nerves get to us, they (Valleys) have a few speedy players who can take the game away from us very quickly and Valleys are grand final specialists.”
Key players: “(Captain) Eamon Brownlie is a gun leader for us often taking the boys aside for one-on-one chats to help them improve their game and our vice-captain Mitchell McMahon is a great old school player with plenty of knowledge and experience.”
Valleys danger players: “Valleys are a good team right across the park, their centre pairing and fullback have been particularly impressive and have plenty of speed.
Valleys
Members of the Valleys coaching team were not available at the time this article was published.
Our predictions
Jason Gibbs: Warwick by seven in a thriller. Lance McGrady Dennison will be the difference.
Lachlan Onions: Warwick by 10. Matthew Henry best on ground.
Gatton vs Highfields Women
Gatton only affirmed their status as the competition benchmark this season.
Chasing a fourth straight premiership the Hawks will face a Highfields Eagles side full of confidence.
The Eagles beat the Hawks twice this season and were the competition’s best attacking and defensive team conceding just 96 points across 18 regular season games.
Gatton
Coaches: Jasin Buhse and Kim Dore
Comment: “I am very proud,” Dore said.
“I think it’s been a very different season compared to last because there’s been so much other football levels going on all at once. Clydesdales at same time as pre-season and even having 47th Battalion you’ve got a lot more things to navigate but to be able to pull it all together has been really impressive to see the girls adapt.”
Where the game will be won/lost: “I think it will be heart, it will come down to heart, who we’re playing for and why were playing for it.”
Key players: “Courtney Robinson, she stepped it up a notch this year, not only in her football but her on and off field leadership. Libby Dunn, she played the last game in 36 degree heat as a front rower. And Mia Davies and Karla Cameron I am excited at being able to see what they can do on the big stage”
Highfields danger players: “Morgan Prentice, Lucy Davis and Reagan McMillan. They can just turn it on when needed, Morgan is good at broken play and then you give Lucy and Reagan a little space and they have very good skills at finishing when you give them a small chance.”
Highfields
Coach: Wayne Collie
Comment: “I’m absolutely proud of the girls, we got here (the final) the hard way but they’ve worked hard all season and deserve to be here. We have a great group of girls, really committed. We have the confidence and ability to score from anywhere but that doesn’t mean a lot if you don’t back it up in defence and we have done that this season.”
Where the game will be won/lost: “We will need to be switched on in defence from the very start. They (Gatton) have great halves who steer them around the park and they can switch the play quite quickly. We’ve got to shut down their halves, be aware of their second phase play and limit the offloads.”
Key players: “Eliza Morcom is a tackling machine for us, she’s been super consistent for us all season and will always make the tough runs the team needs. Katelyn Collie is a fantastic all around player she’ll make the big runs, can kick, offload and will do whatever the team needs. Our centres Lucy Davis and Reagan McMillan are very versatile as well. Morgan Prentice’s speed is amazing – she has a fantastic ability to change gears whenever she likes.”
Gatton danger players: “Caitlin Nolan is a great player for them – she caused us a lot of trouble last time we played them. And I think their halves pairing might be different for the final but whoever they have in there will be dangerous.”
Our predictions
Jason Gibbs: Highfields to break Gatton’s title reign in a high-scoring affair. Eagles skipper Katelyn Collie to lead the charge.
Lachlan Onions: Gatton by four points. Courtney Robinson best on ground.
Valleys vs Gatton A-grade
Gatton dropped just one game, a round 8 loss to Warwick Cowboys, on their way to the minor premiership.
The Hawks were impressive in their 38-24 preliminary final win over Warwick but will need to be at the top of their game if they hope to beat a Valleys side that handed them a 42-16 defeat in round 2 of the finals.
Valleys
Coaches: Matthew Schulze and Josh Barrett
Comment: “I am obviously really proud,” Schulze said.
“We had a slow start but really happy with the improvement they’ve shown and way we’ve worked together to get to this point. I think in a way it was almost good for us, we had to go away and focus on ourselves and work on a few things and that was the biggest thing we worked on a few things early that we needed to work on.”
Where the game will be won/lost: “For us to win, we have got to complete high and we really want to to starve Gatton and on the back of the completions defend strongly.”
Key players: “Our halves (Dwayne Duncan and Cory McGrady) can do a good job and Toddy White and Hugh Sedger – they are really important.”
Gatton danger players: “They’re a really good side, Luke Self – he is a terrific player and a very strong ball runner. I was very impressed with their starting middle in the two front rowers and lock and their hooker obviously as well.”
Gatton
Coach: John Flint
Comment: “It has been excellent, the whole season has been a bit of a battle. Round 1 we didn’t play because of the rain so we were chasing that one point all year and to come out minor premiers first and foremost was awesome. Then to make the grand final, the boys should be very very proud of themselves.”
Where the game will be won/lost: “We learnt a lesson the first time we played (against Valleys), we focused on the wrong things and over complicated it. This time we are keeping it simple, doing what we do best and enjoying it and having fun.”
Key players: “Luke Self at fullback is huge, Ben Haviland our front rower is huge, then Tom Luhrman does his job at number nine. Our x-factors Cameron Bundock and Tye Gray can score tries where no one can score tries, they are freaks at it.”
Valleys danger players: “Cory McGrady and Dwayne Duncan, they’re the go-to players and all the attack goes through them. If they play with no pressure it will be hard for us.”
Our predictions
Jason Gibbs: Valleys by four. Dwayne Duncan and Cory McGrady pulling the strings in the middle of the park.
Lachlan Onions: Gatton by two. Luke Self to dominate.
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