# 1999 Queensland Cup

The 1999 Queensland Cup season was the 4th season of Queensland's top-level statewide rugby league competition.
The competition was contested by fourteen teams over a 26-week long season (including finals), with the Burleigh defeating the Redcliffe Dolphins 12–10 in the grand final at Suncorp Stadium. Redcliffe halfback Mick Roberts was named the competition's Player of the Year.

## Teams

The number of teams in the competition was reduced from 16 to 12 for the 1999 season. Brisbane Brothers, Bundaberg Grizzlies, Gold Coast Vikings and Townsville Stingers were all withdrawn. Brothers and Bundaberg both competed in the inaugural season of the Queensland Cup, while Townsville and the Vikings both played just one season.
For the 1999 season, the Brisbane Broncos were affiliated with the Toowoomba Clydesdales, the Melbourne Storm with the Norths Devils and the North Queensland Cowboys with the Cairns Cyclones and Wests Panthers. The Auckland Warriors also used Souths Magpies and Wynnum Seagulls as feeder clubs, sending them up to four players each round.
| Club | Home ground(s) |
| Burleigh Bears | Pizzey Park |
| Cairns Cyclones | Barlow Park, Dairy Farmers Stadium |
| Central Capras | Browne Park |
| Easts Tigers | Langlands Park |
| Ipswich Jets | First Provincial Oval |
| Logan Scorpions | Meakin Park |
| Norths Devils | Bishop Park |
| Redcliffe Dolphins | Dolphin Oval |
| Souths Magpies | Davies Park |
| Toowoomba Clydesdales | Athletic Oval, ANZ Stadium |
| Wests Panthers | Purtell Park |
| Wynnum Seagulls | Kougari Oval |

## Ladder

1999 Queensland Cup :
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts |
| 1 | Redcliffe Dolphins | 22 | 17 | 1 | 4 | 660 | 361 | +299 | 35 |
| 2 | Norths Devils | 22 | 17 | 0 | 5 | 791 | 393 | +398 | 34 |
| 3 | Burleigh Bears (P) | 22 | 16 | 0 | 6 | 685 | 396 | +289 | 33 |
| 4 | Toowoomba Clydesdales | 22 | 14 | 0 | 8 | 602 | 530 | +72 | 28 |
| 5 | Easts Tigers | 22 | 13 | 1 | 8 | 611 | 438 | +173 | 27 |
| 6 | Wests Panthers | 22 | 13 | 1 | 8 | 551 | 431 | +120 | 27 |
| 7 | Logan Scorpions | 22 | 10 | 0 | 12 | 478 | 561 | -83 | 20 |
| 8 | Cairns Cyclones | 22 | 9 | 1 | 12 | 494 | 514 | -20 | 19 |
| 9 | Wynnum Seagulls | 22 | 9 | 1 | 12 | 459 | 577 | -118 | 19 |
| 10 | Ipswich Jets | 22 | 6 | 0 | 16 | 443 | 646 | -203 | 12 |
| 11 | Central Capras | 22 | 4 | 0 | 18 | 440 | 626 | -186 | 8 |
| 12 | Souths Magpies | 22 | 1 | 0 | 21 | 217 | 958 | -741 | 2 |

## Finals series

| Home | Score | Away | Match Information | Match Information |
| Home | Score | Away | Date | Venue |
| Minor semi-finals |||||||
| Norths Devils | 30 – 34 | Burleigh Bears | 21 August 1999 | Bishop Park |
| Toowoomba Clydesdales | 22 – 6 | Easts Tigers | 22 August 1999 | Athletic Oval |
| Major semi-finals |||||||
| Redcliffe Dolphins | 18 – 24 | Burleigh Bears | 28 August 1999 | Dolphin Oval |
| Norths Devils | 24 – 18 | Toowoomba Clydesdales | 29 August 1999 | Bishop Park |
| Preliminary final |||||||
| Redcliffe Dolphins | 26 – 22 | Norths Devils | 4 September 1999 | Dolphin Oval |
| Grand final |||||||
| Burleigh Bears | 12 – 10 | Redcliffe Dolphins | 11 September 1999 | Suncorp Stadium |
| Qualifying / Elimination finals | Qualifying / Elimination finals | Qualifying / Elimination finals | Major / Minor semi-finals | Major / Minor semi-finals | Major / Minor semi-finals | Preliminary final | Preliminary final | Preliminary final | Grand final | Grand final | Grand final |
| | | | 1 | Redcliffe | 18 | | | | Burleigh | 12 |
| | | | | Burleigh | 24 | | | | Redcliffe | Redcliffe | 10 |
| 2 | Norths | 30 | | | | Redcliffe | Redcliffe | 26 | | | |
| 3 | Burleigh | 34 | | | | Norths | Norths | 22 | | | |
| | | | Norths | Norths | 24 | | | | | | |
| | | | Toowoomba | Toowoomba | 18 | | | | | | |
| 4 | Toowoomba | 22 | | | | | | | | | |
| 5 | Easts | 6 | | | | | | | | | |

## Grand final

* Saturday, 11 September
| Burleigh Bears | 12 – 10 | Redcliffe Dolphins |
| Tries: Darren Anderson 1 Jamie Mahon 1 Goals: Ben Lythe 2 | 1st: 8 - 4 2nd: 4 - 6 Report | Tries: 1 Rick Hewinson 1 Trent Leis Goals: 1 Trent Leis |
* Suncorp Stadium Referee: Tony Maksoud
| Burleigh Bears | Position | Redcliffe Dolphins |
| Jamie Mahon | FB | Adam Mogg |
| Aaron Douglas | WG | Ricky Hewinson |
| Darren Anderson | CE | Mixie Lui |
| Frank Napoli | CE | Ben Roedder |
| Faron Anderson | WG | Trent Leis |
| Craig Freer | FE | Sam Obst |
| Grant Adamson (c) | HB | Mick Roberts |
| Tony Priddle | PR | Ian Graham |
| Ben Lythe | HK | Craig O'Dwyer |
| Shane O'Flanagan | PR | Troy Lindsay |
| Bill Dunn | SR | Luke Scott |
| Hamish Smith | SR | James Hinchey |
| Dean Allen | LK | Tony Gould (c) |
| Brad Middlebosch | Bench | Michael Crocker |
| Ali Brown | Bench | Chris Essex |
| Justin Bryant | Bench | Shane Sanderson |
| Reggie Cressbrook | Bench | John Paul Cherry |
| Rick Stone | Coach | Alex Corvo |
Burleigh qualified for their first grand final after a comeback win over Norths in the minor semi-finals and with a six-point win over Redcliffe a week later. Redcliffe, who finished as minor premiers for the first time and earned a first week bye, were forced into a preliminary final with Norths after losing to the Bears. The Dolphins held on for a four-point victory to book their third grand final appearance in five years.

### First half

After Burleigh kicked a penalty goal inside the opening minute, it took 20 minutes for the first try of the game to be scored, with Bears' centre Darren Anderson crossing out wide. With six minutes to play in the first half, Dolphins' centre Mixie Lui put his winger Trent Leis into gap to score. Leis missed the ensuing conversion leaving his side trailing by four points at half time.

### Second half

Redcliffe opened the second half with a penalty goal from right in front after Burleigh prop Tony Priddle was penalised. 10 minutes later, the Dolphins nabbed their second try when winger Ricky Hewinson scored in the corner, courtesy of a Tony Gould cutout pass. Leis failed to convert but Redcliffe had their first lead, 10–8, with 18 minutes remaining. Burleigh regained the lead shortly after when fullback Jamie Mahon scored what would be the game-winning try. A tense final 10 minutes followed but Burleigh hung on to claim their first premiership in their third season in the Queensland Cup.
Burleigh winger Aaron Douglas, who was stretchered off during the game, became the first player to win two Queensland Cup grand finals, winning his first with Redcliffe two years earlier.

## End-of-season awards

* Courier Mail Medal: Mick Roberts ( Redcliffe Dolphins)
* Rookie of the Year: David Seage ( Wynnum Seagulls)