2018 Queensland Cup

In 2018, the lineup of teams remained unchanged for the fourth consecutive year.

{{5McIntyre | RD1= Elimination Finals

| RD2= Major / Minor Semi-finals

| RD3= Preliminary final

| RD4= Grand Final

| RD1-seed1= 4

| RD1-team1= {{leagueicon|Northern Pride|16}} Northern Pride

| RD1-score1= 0

| RD1-seed2= 5

| RD1-team2= {{leagueicon|Easts Tigers|16}} Easts

| RD1-score2= 32

| RD1-seed3= 3

| RD1-team3= {{leagueicon|Townsville Blackhawks|16}} Townsville

| RD1-score3= 12

| RD1-seed4= 6

| RD1-team4= {{leagueicon|Ipswich Jets|16}} Ipswich

| RD1-score4= 32

| RD2-seed1= 1

| RD2-team1= {{leagueicon|Redcliffe Dolphins|16}} Redcliffe

| RD2-score1= 13

| RD2-seed2= 2

| RD2-team2= {{leagueicon|Burleigh Bears|16}} Burleigh

| RD2-score2= 6

| RD2-seed3= 5

| RD2-team3= {{leagueicon|Easts Tigers|16}} Easts

| RD2-score3= 50

| RD2-seed4= 6

| RD2-team4= {{leagueicon|Ipswich Jets|16}} Ipswich

| RD2-score4= 20

| RD3-seed1= 2

| RD3-team1= {{leagueicon|Burleigh Bears|16}} Burleigh

| RD3-score1= 26

| RD3-seed2= 5

| RD3-team2= {{leagueicon|Easts Tigers|16}} Easts

| RD3-score2= 36

| RD4-seed1= 1

| RD4-team1= {{leagueicon|Redcliffe Dolphins|16}} Redcliffe

| RD4-score1= 36

| RD4-seed2= 5

| RD4-team2= {{leagueicon|Easts Tigers|16}} Easts

| RD4-score2= 22

}}

{{rugbyleaguebox

|bg = #f1f5fc

|event = 2018 Intrust Super Cup Grand Final

|date = Sunday, September 23

|time = 3:00pm AEST (UTC+10)

|team1 = Redcliffe Dolphins {{leagueicon|Redcliffe|16}}

|score = 36–22

|report = 1st: 14–10
2nd: 22–12
[https://www.qrl.com.au/news/20182/09/23/injured-tigers-dazzled-by-dolphins-dangerman/ Report]

|team2 = {{leagueicon|Easts Tigers|16}} Easts Tigers

|try1 = 6
Fuller {{try|17|42}}
Hawkins {{try|27}}
Staggs {{try|46}}
Watts {{try|62}}
Opacic {{try|78}}

|goal1 = 6
Staggs {{kick|pen 10|28|pen 33|43|48|63}} {{small|(6/9)}}

|try2 = 4
Carey {{try|12}}
Seve {{try|37}}
Foster {{try|56}}
Drinkwater {{try|64}}

|goal2 = 3
Torpy {{kick|13|57|65}} {{small|(3/4)}}

|stadium = Suncorp Stadium

|referees = Chris Anderson, Liam Kennedy

|attendance = 7,504{{cite news |last1=Arnold |first1=Rikki-Lee |title=Redcliffe Dolphins down Easts Tigers 36-22 to win Intrust Super Cup grand final |url=https://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/nrl/qrl/redcliffe-dolphins-down-easts-tigers-3622-to-win-intrust-super-cup-grand-final/news-story/372adbf84e08f01ec0846571fd0db9da |access-date=28 June 2019 |work=The Courier Mail |date=23 September 2018}}

|manofmatch = Toby Rudolf (Redcliffe)

}}

{{Rugby league match squad

| collapsed = y

| align = center

| hometeam = Redcliffe Dolphins

| homeBorder = red

| homeBGcolour = white

| homeFGcolour = red

| awayteam = Easts Tigers

| awayBorder = black

| awayBGcolour = darkorange

| awayFGcolour = black

| squadsize = 17

| location = s

| abbr = n

| homeCoach = Adam Mogg

| homeFB = Trai Fuller

| homeFBnum = 1

| homeWG1 = Josh Beehag

| homeWG1num = 2

| homeCE1 = Kotoni Staggs

| homeCE1num = 3

| homeCE2 = Tom Opacic

| homeCE2num = 4

| homeWG2 = Jeremy Hawkins

| homeWG2num = 5

| homeSO = Bryce Donovan

| homeSOnum = 6

| homeSH = Cameron Cullen (c)

| homeSHnum = 7

| homePR1 = Sam Anderson

| homePR1num = 10

| homeHK = Jake Turpin

| homeHKnum = 9

| homePR2 = Nathan Watts

| homePR2num = 16

| homeSR1 = Toby Rudolf

| homeSR1num = 11

| homeSR2 = Myles Taueli

| homeSR2num = 14

| homeLF = Jamil Hopoate

| homeLFnum = 13

| homeIN1 = Nick Slyney

| homeIN1num = 8

| homeIN2 = Aaron Whitchurch

| homeIN2num = 12

| homeIN3 = James Taylor

| homeIN3num = 15

| homeIN4 = Hugh Pratt

| homeIN4num = 17

| awayCoach = Scott Sipple

| awayFB = Scott Drinkwater

| awayFBnum = 1

| awayWG1 = Linc Port

| awayWG1num = 2

| awayCE1 = Shane Neumann

| awayCE1num = 3

| awayCE2 = Marion Seve

| awayCE2num = 4

| awayWG2 = Conor Carey

| awayWG2num = 5

| awaySO = Billy Walters

| awaySOnum = 6

| awaySH = Brayden Torpy

| awaySHnum = 7

| awayPR1 = Albert Vete

| awayPR1num = 8

| awayHK = Tom Butterfield

| awayHKnum = 9

| awayPR2 = David Tyrell

| awayPR2num = 10

| awaySR1 = Jake Foster (c)

| awaySR1num = 11

| awaySR2 = Patrick Kaufusi

| awaySR2num = 12

| awayLF = Jack Svendsen

| awayLFnum = 13

| awayIN1 = Chris Ostwald

| awayIN1num = 14

| awayIN2 = Tino Fa'asuamaleaui

| awayIN2num = 16

| awayIN3 = Kelma Tuilagi

| awayIN3num = 17

| awayIN4 = Sam Kasiano

| awayIN4num = 20

| source = [https://www.qrl.com.au/draw/qrl-premiership/2018/grand-final/dolphins-v-tigers/ QRL match centre]

}}

Redcliffe finished the regular season as minor premiers for the sixth time and earned a bye in the first week of the finals. In the major semi final, they defeated Burleigh 13–6 and qualified for their 11th Grand Final. Easts finished fifth on the ladder and defeated the fourth-placed Northern Pride 32–0 in the first week of the finals. In the minor semi final, they eliminated Ipswich 50–20 before upsetting Burleigh in the preliminary final to qualify for their fifth Grand Final. Redcliffe and Easts last met in a Grand Final in 1997, with the Dolphins winning 18–16.

Redcliffe were the first to score in the Grand Final thanks to a Kotoni Staggs penalty goal from 20 metres out. The first try of the contest went to Easts, with Conor Carey stretching out to score in the corner. Redcliffe recorded their first four-pointer in the 16th minute when a late Cameron Cullen offload found fullback Trai Fuller who muscled his way over. They scored their second when Jeremy Hawkins leapt high to catch a Bryce Donovan kick and planted it down for a try. Another penalty goal in the 33rd minute gave the Dolphins a 14–6 lead. Easts hit back in the shadow of half time when Marion Seve scored out wide to cut the margin to four points.

The Dolphins opened the second half with an early try when Fuller ducked through the Tigers' defence to score his second try. They extended their lead in the 46th minute when a Donovan grubber was kept alive by Aaron Whitchurch, who batted infield for Staggs to score. Easts got back into the game in the 56th minute when captain Jake Foster barged over from close range to score. In the 62nd minute, Redcliffe all but sealed the win when Donovan set up another try with his boot, this time finding Nathan Watt who dived on his grubber. The Tigers got one back two minutes later through fullback Scott Drinkwater but it proved to be a consolation try in the end, as Redcliffe ended the game with a try to Tom Opacic in the 78th minute. Dolphins' second rower Toby Rudolf was awarded the Duncan Hall Medal for man of the match.{{cite web| url-status = live| archive-url = https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211205/cmP7QouReqY| archive-date = 2021-12-05| url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmP7QouReqY| title = 2018 QLD Cup Grand Final - Redcliffe 36 v Easts 22 | website=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.nrl.com/news/2018/09/23/cronulla-sharks-recruit-toby-rudolf-red-hot-as-redcliffe-dolphins-down-easts-tigers-in-intrust-super-cup-grand-final/|title=Sharks recruit Rudolf red-hot as Dolphins sink Tigers|date=23 September 2018}}

{{see also|2018 NRL Grand Final#NRL State Championship}}

After winning the Grand Final, the Redcliffe Dolphins qualified for the NRL State Championship on NRL Grand Final day. They were defeated by the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, the New South Wales Cup premiers, 18–42.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bulldogs.com.au/news/2018/09/25/nrl-state-championships-team-list/|title=NRL State Championships Team List v Redcliffe Dolphins|date=25 September 2018}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-premiership/finals/live-intrust-super-state-championship-redcliffe-v-canterbury-live-scores-updates-news-blog/news-story/6aeddb91384264174224fbcb2b9b81fc|title = Bulldogs add to NSW dominance over Queensland with a big win in the Intrust Super State Championship over the Dolphins|date = 30 September 2018}}{{Rugbyleaguebox|time=3:40pm (AEDT)|date=Sunday, 1 October|bg=#eeeeee|team1=Penrith Panthers {{leagueicon|Penrith|16}}|team2={{leagueicon|PNG Hunters|16}} Papua New Guinea Hunters|score=42 – 18|attendance=|stadium=ANZ Stadium, Sydney|points1=Tries:
Tony Satini (9', 11', 16', 40') 4
Darren Nicholls (20') 1
Viliame Kikau (31') 1
Christian Crichton (38') 1
Maika Sivo (47') 1
Goals:
Darren Nicholls 5/8
(13', 17', 22', 34', 39')
Sin Bin:
Jarome Luai (68')|report=1st: 38 – 2
2nd: 4 – 16|points2=Tries:
1 (69') Adex Wera
1 (72') Bland Abavu
1 (77') Ase Boas
Goals:
3/4 Ase Boas
(3' pen, 70', 77')|manofmatch=|referee=Jarrod Cole, Chris Treneman
Man-of-the-Match medal: {{leagueicon|Penrith|16}} Kaide Ellis}}

{{Col-start}}

{{Col-2}}

{{Col-2}}

{{Col-end}}

• Petero Civoniceva Medal (Best and Fairest): Nathaniel Neale ({{leagueicon|Ipswich|16}} Ipswich Jets)
• Coach of the Year: Ty Williams ({{leagueicon|Northern Pride|16}} Northern Pride)
• Rookie of the Year: Jake Clifford ({{leagueicon|Northern Pride|16}} Northern Pride)
• Representative Player of the Year: David Fifita ({{flagicon|Queensland|16}} Queensland under-18, {{leagueicon|Souths Logan Magpies|16}} Souths Logan Magpies)

{{Portal|Queensland|Sports}}

• Queensland Cup
• Queensland Rugby League

{{Reflist}}

{{reflist|group=note}}

{{Queensland Cup}}

{{Rugby League in Queensland}}

{{Redcliffe Dolphins squad – 2018 Queensland Cup premiers}}

{{2018 in rugby league}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Queensland Cup season 2018}}

Category:2018 in Australian rugby league

Category:Queensland Cup