Celebrating club’s rising stars

In a fitting ending to a massive week for the Dolphins, the club celebrated the achievements of its rising stars and senior players on Friday night.

The NRL bid win may have dominated conversation at the Dolphins Senior Awards Night at Redcliffe Leagues Club, but it did not detract from the buzz around the club’s current crop of players.

Dolphins Chairman Bob Jones thanked everyone in the room for their part in making the club’s NRL dream a reality including players who had upheld high standards of behaviour and performance.

Mr Jones said Intrust Super Cup side coach Adam Mogg and his coaching team strived for excellence and had done the club proud. He also paid tribute to Colts coach Scott Murray, the Red and White supporters group and long-time sponsor Marlene Newcombe who will be joining the club’s NRL board.

He also thanked the club’s other sponsors who had stuck with them during a trying couple of years, and the Federal Member for Petrie Luke Howarth and State Member for Redcliffe Yvette D’Ath for helping the club achieve its goals.

Hastings Deering Colts coach Scott Murray said it had been a big season, but there had been disruption with COVID-19 restrictions and injury.

“I’m disappointed with the way it ended. I thought we had the team, if we made the Grand Final, we could have come away with the premiership,” he said.

Generation next step up

Murray said he was proud to see five players make the Intrust Super Cup side throughout the season and there were a number who could easily play at a higher level in the future.

“The club is in good hands. There’s some talented kids (coming through),” he said.

It’s a sentiment echoed by Intrust Super Cup team coach Adam Mogg who said watching younger players step up had been a highlight.

Mogg thanked the Vodafone Warriors for their assistance throughout the season and their players who “bought into the cause”.

He is looking forward to working with them next season and can see more “kids going into the NRL as a result”.

“We will benefit from the Warriors’ strong roster next year,” he said.

The Des Webb Memorial Award for Club Person of the Year went to Bernie ‘Killer’ Smith for his dedication to the players and club. It was the second time he has won the award, also collecting it in 2014.

The players also presented him with a gift to thank him for his assistance this season.

The club’s highest playing honour, the Peter Leis Medal – Player of the Year went to Lachlan Timm who accrued 40 points in the season to pip Trai Fuller (37 points) at the post, earning five points in the final season game against Souths Logan Magpies.

The popular Fuller did not walk away empty-handed, winning the Tony Obst Award Players’ Player award.

AWARD WINNERS

Peter Leis Medal – Player of the Year: Lachlan Timm (40 points)

Tony Obst Award – Players’ player: Trai Fuller

Des Webb Memorial Award - Club Person of the Year: Bernie ‘Killer’ Smith

Ian Pearce Memorial Award – Highest Points Scorer of the Year: Samual Thompson (88 points)

Hit of the Year: Daeon Amituani

Try of the Year: Tahj Wood

Hastings Deering Colts Awards

Dick ‘Tosser’ Turner Memorial Trophy – Colt of the Year: Kyle Barnwell

Best Back: Samuel Elara

Best and Fairest: Lingi Kepu