NRLQ 21s: The Journey to the Grand Final

After 12 rounds of football, the Dolphins have earned their place on the NRLQ 21s biggest stage.

From bringing together players across different competitions to developing combinations and gaining exposure to the NRL environment, the Dolphins have continued to grow throughout the season on their way to Sunday’s Grand Final against the Cowboys at Kayo Stadium.

The Dolphins entered their second NRLQ campaign with the advantage of retaining a large portion of the squad that featured in the competition last year.

“We were fortunate to keep a large majority of the players we had in the NRLQ last year, so that was a real advantage for us because a lot of them had experienced that level of footy and were able to go into it pretty well prepared,” Dolphins NRLQ Head Coach Scott Murray said.

“The journey has been really enjoyable. The players have really bought into us as a club and the things we stand for.

“They’ve been playing good footy and they keep getting better, so that’s the main thing.”

The Dolphins opened their season with a loss to the Cowboys before going down to the Titans in Round 2.

They bounced back in Round 3 with a 20-12 victory over the Broncos before travelling north to Cairns, where they secured a hard-fought 24-22 win over the Cowboys.

From there, the Dolphins began to find their rhythm, with more time together allowing combinations to develop across the squad.

After playing six rounds in the competition’s inaugural season, the move to a 12-round campaign in 2026 provided the group with greater opportunity to train and play together.

“We’ve progressed and built on some of the combinations. With some of those younger players that have come in, you can see they’re getting more confidence in their ability to play at that level, but also in their combinations together,” Murray said.

The competition has also provided another link in the Dolphins pathway, bringing together players from different clubs and competitions while giving them exposure to the standards of a professional rugby league environment.

“A lot of the players have had a little bit of experience in and around the NRL environment, which is a massive help for them,” Murray said.

“Whether it’s training or watching what the top players do and how they go about their preparation, you can see that’s certainly helping their progression.”

As those combinations strengthened, the results followed.

The Dolphins continued their campaign with a 16-3 victory over the Titans before playing out a 32-all draw against the Broncos.

They followed that with a 34-16 victory over the Cowboys in Townsville, continuing their strong run through the middle of the season.

A loss to the Titans provided another challenge, but the Dolphins responded strongly when it mattered most.

They defeated the Broncos 28-18 at Kayo Stadium before backing it up with an impressive 20-4 victory over the Cowboys at the same venue, strengthening their position at the top of the table.

Victory over the Titans at Cbus Super Stadium then sealed their place in the Grand Final, rewarding a group that had been working towards the opportunity long before the opening round.

“It’s a great achievement. The quality of the games has been really high and I’ve been impressed with the standard of the competition itself,” Murray said.

“For us to be playing in the Grand Final, it’s a great reward. We’ve been training for quite some time and we started in November with a group, so they’ve been going at it for a while.

“When we were finally able to play some footy, they were excited by it and that hasn’t stopped. They’ve been consistent and they’ve really enjoyed their footy.”

Now, that journey has one game remaining.

The Dolphins will meet the Cowboys in the NRLQ 21s Grand Final at Kayo Stadium on Sunday, with the opportunity to turn a season into a premiership.