Far North Queensland rugby crowned its 2026 premiers on Saturday, August 22, with three grand finals showcasing the strength and depth of the game across the region. Here's how the day unfolded.
Grand Final Day kicked off with the women's decider, where Southside were crowned premiers after a strong, composed performance against Barron Trinity. Southside built a 17-5 half-time lead and carried that momentum through to the final whistle, closing out the game 36-5.
It capped a big season for both clubs, with Barron Trinity's run to the grand final itself a reflection of the growth of the women's game across the region this year. Congratulations to Southside on the title, and to both squads that took the field on finals day.
The Reserve Grade final was a genuine arm wrestle for the first 25 minutes before three late tries to Tablelands before the break blew the contest wide open. The two sides brought contrasting game plans all afternoon — Penrhyn leaned on tight, rolling mauls, while Tablelands played an expansive, fast-paced style that eventually proved decisive.
Tablelands led 40-19 at half-time, and while Penrhyn continued to fight in the second half, Tablelands held on through a high-scoring finish to claim the title 57-47.
The headline act of the day lived up to the billing, with JCU eventually getting the job done against a resilient Barron Trinity outfit, led out by captains Liam Duncan (JCU) and Dylan Richards (Barron Trinity).
JCU struck first, as scrumhalf Zac Craig crossed 12 minutes into the first half, with fullback Malachy Magill slotting the conversion from in front of the posts. Barron Trinity responded quickly through fullback Enzo Granjon in the 18th minute, with scrumhalf Rhys Coutts landing a testing sideline conversion to keep the margin at two. JCU hit back again in the 23rd minute when prop Adam Du Bois crashed over next to the posts, Magill adding the extras. JCU took a 14-7 buffer into the break.
The Cairns Cup rivals continued to trade blows after half-time. Ten minutes into the second half, winger Ben Raiwalui extended JCU's lead, although the conversion attempt drifted wide, making it 19-7. Barron Trinity refused to go away, hitting back through number eight Steven Robert 20 minutes into the second stanza to narrow the gap to five, 19-14. JCU responded three minutes later through flanker Thomas Allen, with fly-half Braydn Croft slotting the conversion to push the lead back out to 26-14.
Barron Trinity weren't finished, with Mathew Gardiner crossing off the bench 30 minutes into the second half and Coutts adding the conversion to bring the margin back to five points at 26-21. But time ran out on the comeback, and JCU held firm to claim the Rainforestation Cup A Grade premiership, 26-21.
Saturday's finals capped off the FNQ rugby season with contrasting storylines — a dominant Southside performance in the women's grade, a high-scoring Reserve Grade shootout between two sides with polar-opposite styles, and a tense, back-and-forth A Grade decider that went down to the wire. Congratulations to Southside, Tablelands and JCU on their 2026 premierships.
Full Results — Saturday, August 22
- Women's LJ Hooker Cairns Edge Hill Cup: Southside 36 def. Barron Trinity 5
- Cairns RSL Cup Reserve Grade: Tablelands 57 def. Penrhyn 47
- Rainforestation Cup A Grade: JCU 26 def. Barron Trinity 21
