‘A stalwart of the club’: Pitama to hit 150 in finals showdown
Tommy Butterfield clearly remembers the first time he saw Sheldon Pitama in Redcliffe colours in early 2017.
It would be hard to forget after all, when you’re on the coming up against each other on the rugby league field.
The now-Redcliffe Dolphins CEO was playing for Easts Tigers at the time while Pitama was in his first season of Queensland Cup.
“We were opposing hookers and I remember he was a tough and uncompromising young hooker,” Butterfield says of Pitama.
“We sent a lot of traffic his way given it was his third game of Cup but he didn’t take a backwards step.”
Nearly 10 years on, Butterfield is leading the Dolphins as 29-year-old Pitama prepares for his 150th game in Cup.
And that attitude, dedication, and fearless, unrelenting approach to his footy is what has made the former Maori representative a true great of the club.
All of his 150 games have been played in the red and white and coach Dave Elliott says the type of player and person that Pitama is was reflected in the decision to make him captain this year.
“He’s been here, part of the club, for 10 years now,” Elliott says.
“He’s a stalwart of the club. His reputation is around hard work, around being a good person, which is what the club stands for.
“The best part of Shel getting to do this on the weekend is (at the start of the year) we sat down and asked the playing group to pick a captain… 90 per cent of those players wanted Sheldon as captain.
“To see him run out as captain for the 2026 season and play his 150th in the first week of finals, it’s something he’ll never forget and most players won’t forget. It’s something I’ll never forget. It’s special.”
Pitama will play his 150th Cup game against the Central Queensland Capras on Sunday at 12.05pm at Kayo Stadium, in what is the first round of finals.
He has overcome a lot in his career, from injuries to grand final heartbreak. It’s been a long journey to this point.
For long-serving team manager Jon Sloan, it is the most defining aspect of Pitama’s career – his ability to get back up when he has been knocked down.
“I respect him so much for his ability to strike back from every adversity that has come his way,” Sloan says.
“Whether it be injury or being dropped, each and every time he has comeback better than he was before. He is a real team and club-first man.
“It’s been a pleasure to see him grow into a great leader, both on and off the field.
“I know there were questions asked if he could handle running a successful real estate business – given the hours aren’t exactly nine to five – and still give the time and effort to lead the club, but he hasn’t missed a beat with either.”
Pitama will join an illustrious list of others who have hit the 150-game milestone for Redcliffe, including Troy Lindsay, Peter Leis, Tony Obst and Ian Thinee.
It’s a rare achievement in today’s game, particularly for one club.
Chairman Bob Jones says it represents a lot about who Pitama is but also what it means to be a Redcliffe Dolphin.
“It’s really significant and it shows in the number of fellas that have done that 150 games. It’s a very select band,” he says.
“They’re all great players in their own right, just as Sheldon is.
“For the club, it’s testimony to the sort of club that we are, that someone wants to stay here and play that many games. It’s a great show all around.”
Whether anyone will follow in Pitama’s footsteps is yet to be seen.
But Butterfield hopes that Pitama can continue to inspire the next generation, as he has done for many years.
“I hope Sheldon in his 150th Redcliffe Dolphins game – and our team – can continue to inspire our Redcliffe Juniors to want to play for Redcliffe in the future,” Butterfield says.
“If it’s not amongst our current group, the next 100 or 150+ Redcliffe Dolphins player could come from a Junior who had the chance to play at Kayo Stadium this year, before Cup.
“The junior who lined up at the tunnel and cheered their hearts out when Sheldon led the boys out the tunnel, the junior who got a photo or an autograph after the game, or the junior who watched us play this year whilst sitting with his mum and dad.”
Get out to Kayo Stadium today to watch Pitama and the Dolphins take on the Capras for week one of finals, on home turf at Kayo Stadium. The match will also be shown on Qplus.tv.