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Redcliffe did the damage early — and then closed it out when it mattered.
In Round 7 of the 2026 QRL Hostplus Cup at Premiers’ Park, the Dolphins rode a sharp opening burst and composed finish to defeat the Norths Devils 22–10 in a contest that stayed alive far longer than the scoreline suggests.
This quickly became an arm-wrestle after the opening exchanges — shaped by momentum swings, discipline, and a handful of key moments.
Early blitz sets the tone
The Dolphins came out of the blocks with intent, dominating the engine room and cashing in quickly.
Jack Bostock opened the scoring in the 6th minute, with Joshua James converting to make it 6–0. Bostock struck again at the 18-minute mark, and although the conversion was missed, Redcliffe had early control.
Moments later, Mason Lome-Hindle crossed to extend the lead to 14–0, capping a three-try opening that forced Norths out of their structure and into chase mode.
This early blitz forced the Devils into a desperate search for a response before the oranges, as the Dolphins’ clinical execution in the red zone threatened to turn the match into a first-half blowout.
Devils hit back before the break
To their credit, the Devils steadied.
Zakaria Taibi’s try in the 33rd minute broke the Dolphins’ momentum, and Brandon Finnegan’s conversion cut the margin to 14–6 heading into halftime — a crucial shift that kept the contest alive.
By hitting the chalk just minutes before the break, he broke the Dolphins’ scoring momentum and proved the Redcliffe line could be breached, shifting the energy from a potential rout to a genuine contest.
Sin bins spark the turning point
The game’s most volatile stretch came early in the second half, when discipline faltered on both sides.
Jordan Plath (48’) and James Flack (50’) were both sent to the sin bin, opening the field and injecting chaos into the contest.
The Devils took advantage.
Brody Tamarua crashed over in the 58th minute to bring it back to 14–10, putting genuine pressure on Redcliffe and shifting momentum squarely toward the home side.
But the moment that lingered came seconds later, when a missed conversion by Finnegan left the Devils four points adrift.
Dolphins close the gate
That miss proved costly.
Domenico De Stradis crossed in the 65th minute, and with Joshua James converting, the Dolphins pushed the margin back out to 20–10 — a decisive swing just as the Devils had threatened to take control.
James then iced the result with a penalty goal in the 72nd minute, stretching the lead to 22–10 and effectively shutting the door.
His successful kick pushed the margin to 10-22, effectively “closing the gate” by making it a two-converted-try game with only eight minutes to play.
From there, Redcliffe’s defensive structure held firm through the final exchanges.
The cost of small moments
For the Devils, the fight was undeniable — but so was the cost of small moments.
The Devils’ missed conversion at the 59th minute was the match’s tactical sliding-doors moment; it kept the margin at four points instead of two, stripping the Devils of the option to play for a draw and forcing them into high-risk errors late in the piece.
For the Dolphins, it was a performance built on timing and control — strike early, absorb pressure, then finish with authority.
Published 25-April-2026
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