Redcliffe claim Ian Thinee Shield in dominant display
The Redcliffe Dolphins have claimed a statement 56-12 victory over the Central Queensland Capras, with centre Will Partridge bagging a stunning four tries in the Ian Thinee Shield.
Following on from last week’s dominant performance over the PNG Hunters, the Dolphins strung together back-to-back wins for the first time since Round 5, running in 10 tries to two at Rugby Park.
After a rollercoaster first half of the season, which saw the Dolphins record five losses and four wins across the opening 11 rounds (plus two byes), the past two weeks have shown plenty of promise.
Redcliffe have now begun to push up the competition ladder to sit on six wins for season 2025, with the Saturday afternoon victory in Rockhampton their biggest of the year so far.
Partridge was outstanding in what was an all-round team effort, with the centre managing to be in all the right places at all the right times.
His first try came through a dart out from dummy-half in the 42nd minute while his second saw him clean up a Dantoray Lui cross-field kick in the 61st.
He found his third try just four minutes later in almost repeat scenes, except this time he scored off the boot of halfback Joshua James.
In his final four-pointer, winger Junior Tupou got away, dancing down the sideline before he put Partridge over.
Fullback Trai Fuller also scored in his return to the red and white, with the NRL Dolphins affiliate originally coming back from an ACL with the Capras, while Tupou also snatched a double and Lui and Brent Woolf crossed.
The finishing touches came in the dying seconds from Ethan Quai-Ward, as the towering centre out-jumped his opponents to extend Redcliffe’s lead to 44 points.
His try came off the back of flashes of brilliance from halves James and Lui, with both running riot on Saturday afternoon.
The attacking display was one of Redcliffe’s best of the season and the perfect continuation to last week’s showing in Port Moresby, where the Dolphins overcame the Hunters 50-16.
Redcliffe will now look to for a third straight win when they take on the Tweed Seagulls at Kayo Stadium on Saturday, June 21, in the third annual Liam Hampson Cup.
Kick-off is at 3.15pm.