The Dolphins’ Academy pathways are bearing fruit with exciting young prop Elijah Rasmussen set to graduate into the NRL system.
And the affiliate club arrangement is also producing players with a Redcliffe Dolphins’ Hostplus Cup player Aublix Tawha also moving up.
Teenager Rasmussen will progress from the Academy system onto the NRL team’s Development List next season after signing a three-year agreement with the Dolphins last week.
Rasmussen, a big athletic front rower, was spotted playing at a Maori tournament in Rotorua in New Zealand by the Dolphins.
He came to Australia and has excelled in the junior ranks, doing a train and trial period with the Dolphins this season before playing for the Redcliffe under-19s team that made the Mal Meninga Cup preliminary final.
He will now join the Dolphins’ NRL squad full time in November.
“Elijah is a great example of exactly how our Academy pathways are designed to work,” said Dolphins’ chief executive Terry Reader.
“He was identified while playing in a junior tournament so we put him under the tutelage of our Academy coaches, who are led by Kurt Richards.
“Now Elijah is at the point where he has progressed to the NRL system, which is underlining that our Pathways system may be young, but is already bearing fruit.”
Hostplus Cup second rower Tawha will also join Rasmussen in the full-time squad this year.
After spending time in the Raiders’ junior system, the 24-year-old found his way to the Redcliffe Dolphins, making his Hostplus Cup debut late last year.
The late bloomer has impressed the club this season under coach Ben Teo and he has been given a shot at the NRL.
“Aublix’s strong performances this year have earned him that spot on the development list and we are excited about what kind of a player he could progress into,” said Reader.
