Dolphins may have missed some NRL talent in recent times the club is working hard to ensure the junior, academy and pathways systems at Redcliffe Dolphins, Norths Devils, Central Queensland Capras and Wide Bay Bulls provides the future nucleus of the Dolphins NRL team.
NRL supporter special: Meet Qld’s top teens at your club set for take-off this decade
Quest News
Nick Tucker, Andrew Dawson, Patrick Woods and Pam McKay
REDCLIFFE DOLPHINS
Ready for take off in 2025
LJ Nonu (Ipswich SHS)
A centre who can cover wing or fullback, Nonu was originally signed on speculation, but has gone from strength to strength playing for Redcliffe. He zoomed past 2022 Australian schoolboy Michael Roberts in the pecking order and will be extremely close to an NRL debut season in 2025.
Elijah Rasmussen (Redcliffe Dolphins)
The No. 1 prop in the Meninga Cup for two successive seasons, the Point Chevalier Pirates junior from New Zealand is just made for the big league. Playing NRL this season could be one too early for Rasmussen, but Dolphins’ supporters should lock his name in.
Ryan Jackson (St Laurence’s College)
Middle forward Jackson has done his apprenticeship around the Bromich brothers, Wallace, Gilbert and co, and now it is his time. He has got the miles in his legs and after finishing the season playing for Capras against the men in the Q-Cup, he is ready for business.
Just around the corner
Zac Garton (Caloundra SHS)
Garton was a man playing among the boys in the Langer Trophy this season after another bumper Meninga Cup campaign for Redcliffe. A left second rower who challenges defences from start to go, Garton made the 2024 Australian schoolboys. Originally from the Bambour and Gympie regions, Garton will play NRL.
Lewis Symonds (Marsden SHS)
Symonds is an outstanding youth player with the temperament and game to make it in the NRL. A No. 13, Symonds knows how to win, having been a regular medallist at either the Queensland or Australian track and field championships as a thrower. Also a success powerlifter, the athletic Symonds has the agility of an edge forward. He is a fine personality and as a package, has what it takes to play in the NRL.
Michael Waqa (Wavell SHS)
From the Albany Creek Crushers, Waqa is still a work in progress but the young prop remains a middle forward of considerable potential. Athletic and tough, he is powerful with his post contact energy. He plays the toughest position and has plenty of time to blossom.
Later this decade
Brian Pouniu (Australian Christian College)
A Dolphins junior, Pounia is arguably the class forward of his age group in the country. A right edge forward, he has boundless energy both in defence and with the ball, and has an ability to unload the ball the in traffic. He is agile and fast and can also play centre at a pinch.
Charlie Dickson (Wavell SHS)
A Moreton Raiders junior, No. 13 Dickson would be No. 2 to Brian Pounia (mentioned above) as the best young forward in the Dolphins’ pathway system. Dickson jointly won the Justin Hodges Medal (alongside Titans’ Zane Harrison) for best Langer Trophy player this year. The Queensland schoolboys No. 13 was also elite in the Connell Cup and was named Player of the Match in Redcliffe’s under-17 grand final win.
Sangstar Figota (Wavell SHS)
Another boom boy youth player at the Dolphins, fullback Figota has that natural flow to his game that you can’t coach. Having experienced the rigours of Langer Trophy this season, will be wiser in 2025. He will also enjoy basing himself around the Peninsula after having to travel too and from Sydney to meet Roosters commitments in 2024.
Kilarney Lavender (The Southport School)
The Dolphins have half a dozen special youth talents, and this bloke is among the very, very best prospects. An athletic second rower or centre, the big fella was elite for both Burleigh in the Meninga Cup and then for The Southport School in the GPS First XV competition. He is a very exciting prospect.
Jairus Halahala (Redcliffe SHS)
For a middle forward, Halahala’s footwork and explosive leg drive is something to behold in junior and school football. He is one of these x-factor talents Dolphins’ supporters need to know is on the club’s books.
Cody Starr (Redcliffe SHS)
We have only seen prop forward Starr in fits and starts due to injury, but when he plays you can see why the Dolphins hurried to sign him. For a big, tall bloke he is a dream play for a hooker or half because he plays the ball so quickly.
Dyer Akauola (Brisbane Grammar School)
Akauola is a middle forward prime mover in rugby league who also developed his running game playing at No. 8 for BGS in First XV GPS rugby this season. He is a high class young talent.
Lincoln Dalton (Brisbane Grammar School)
Like Akauola, Dalton is a Norths Devils junior from BGS who plays No. 13 in league. He has a high work rate and is a player who gets better as each season passes.
Adaquix-Jeramiah Watts-Luke (Marsden SHS)
Watts-Luke is a free wheeling fullback with explosive pace who has uncanny timing when joining attacking forays. He is great under the high ball, quick on his feet and you sense he is on the up.
Nixon Pasese (Wavell SHS)
A Moreton Bay Raiders junior, Pasese is a broad shouldered middle forward, a really big boy who was disrupted by injury last year, but who made up for lost time in 2024.
Duquan Talaepa (Mabel Park SHS)
Another junior from Moreton Bay Raiders, Talaepa had an outstanding school season as captain and second rower for Mabel Park SHS, he also helped Redcliffe’s Connell Cup side win the under-17 club premiership.
Elijah McKay (The Cathedral College)
McKay, Jay Marsh, Carter Ford and Seth Carpenter, whom we all mention below, have just moved from Rockhampton to house share at Redcliffe so they are closer to Dolphins training. A 2024 Queensland schoolboy, McKay was a tough defending, raw-boned centre who, when he carries the ball, can bump his way clear. With that country toughness he has, McKay is the type of kid who will get an NRL start one day.
Jay Marsh (St Brendan’s)
Central Queensland has been a happy hunting ground for Dolphins scouts, and another good player picked up in their sweep of the area was this hooker, Marsh. The son of former Origin series winner PJ Marsh, Jay has natural footy smarts with the ball but was also a very strong defender.
Carter Ford (St Brendan’s)
The son of the late Carl Webb, Ford is a boom middle forward prospect who will lap up being in the big smoke and training full-time in the Dolphins academy after finishing school at the famous St Brendan’s College.
Seth Carpenter (Emmaus College)
Carpenter was one of the Dolphins’ original CQ signings as the club looked to stretch its footprint north of Bribie Island into beef capital country. Carpenter is a tremendous running fullback or scheming five-eight who is in the Queensland under-18 emerging squad.
Nate Berrigan (Redcliffe SHS)
A quick moving No. 13 who can handle hooker, there is a smattering of Reuben Cotter (Cowboys) about his quick legs around the ruck and ability to play the ball quickly. He is also a strong defender.
Josiah Fa’aoso (Tweed Seagulls)
Originally from the Junior club: Edmonton JRLC, Fa’aoso is a rising young prop who, in his junior age groups in FNQ, was an out of the box talent. He is a shrewd addition to the Dolphins academy.
Taoso Taoso (BSHS)
An Australian youth water polo representative who will be looking for a big club season in the Connell Cup next season. He only started playing league three years ago and is a raw talent.
Timahna Tandy (Wavell SHS)
Originally from the Darling Downs, Tandy is an exciting, goal kicking five-eight talent who you sense has a running game just waiting to be unlocked. He will be even better in 2025 having played Langer Trophy as a Year 11 student this season.
Kingston Seve (The Southport School)
Tall, powerfully built and athletic, Kingston has a long way to go to turn potential into performance, but he has that x-factor about him.
Amare Wynyard (Redcliffe SHS)
Red and white to the core, Wynyard’s effort play gives him a chance of making it all the way. He is a tremendous competitor who goes that extra yard. Importantly he has a passion for the jersey, having been raised around Dolphin Oval.
Black book talents
John Fineanganofo (Redcliffe SHS)
Carter Welfare (Nudgee College, Redcliffe Dolphins)
Noah Fien (Redcliffe Dolphins)
James Grey (Ipswich Grammar School)
Jahrel Iselin-Jansen (Wavell SHS, halfback)
Lachlan Buchbach (Mabel Park SHS, five-eight)
