Round 18 Set in Minor Premiers and Finals Bound

Brothers’ unbeaten run came to an end in Round 18, with UQ claiming a 45-33 victory at St Lucia in a high-scoring final round clash.

With the minor premiership already secured, Brothers travelled to UQ with history in their sights, chasing a perfect regular season for the first time in more than a century. The Brethren were also boosted by the return of Reds stars Matt Faessler and Josh Flook, while James O’Connor made his long-awaited return to club rugby from the bench.

UQ came out firing and built an early lead, but Brothers refused to let the scoreboard dictate the contest.

A penalty try gave the Brethren their first points of the afternoon before the forwards began to make their presence felt. Brothers continued to attack through strong carries and pressure at the set piece, eventually finding their reward through Faessler.

Returning to the Brothers jersey, Faessler made an immediate impact, powering over from a driving maul to bring the Brethren back into the contest.

UQ continued to hold the advantage heading into the break, but Brothers had plenty of fight left in them.

The second half saw the Brethren come out with renewed intent, continuing to throw everything at the UQ defence. The forwards again provided the platform, with Theo Fourie finishing off another powerful maul to score Brothers’ third try of the afternoon.

With the margin still against them, Brothers kept pushing and refused to take a backward step. The side continued to attack from all areas of the field, looking for a way back into the contest as UQ worked hard to maintain their lead.

The final stages produced a special moment for Brothers fans, with James O’Connor coming off the bench to make his return to club rugby. In the 79th minute, the veteran playmaker capped off his comeback by crossing for a try and bringing Brothers to 33 points.

It was a fitting finish to an afternoon that marked the end of an extraordinary regular season for the Brethren.

Despite UQ claiming the 45-33 victory, Brothers finish the regular season as minor premiers after an incredible campaign that saw them remain undefeated through their opening 17 rounds.

The loss may have ended the perfect-season dream, but it doesn't change what this group has achieved throughout the year.

Now, the slate is wiped clean.
The finals are here, and Brothers turn their attention to Norths in the major semi-final, with a spot in the Hospital Cup Grand Final on the line.

The final round of the regular season delivered a mixed bag of results for the Brethren, with Brothers heading into finals having plenty to celebrate across the club.

Colts 1 also faced a tough afternoon against UQ, falling 38–19, while the remaining grades battled it out across the final round as the club looked to finish the regular season on a high.

With the regular season now wrapped up, attention turns firmly to finals football. The senior grades have put themselves in strong positions throughout the year, while the Colts program continues to showcase the depth and talent coming through the club.

The results may not have all gone the Brethren’s way in Round 18, but the bigger picture remains clear — Brothers are heading into finals with the club in a strong position across the board.

First Grade, Second Grade and Third Grade head into finals at the top of their ladders and scoring the Minor Premiership. Colts 2 following in their footsteps at the top of their ladder and seeking out the Minor Premiership too.

Full Club Results:

Full Results:

1st Grade UQ 45 def 33

2nd Grade 40 def UQ 24

3rd Grade 52 def UQ 26

4th Grade UQ 40 def 24

5th Grade UQ 10 draw 10

Colts 1 UQ 38 def 19

Colts 2 UQ 36 def 17

Colts 3 UQ 26 def 24