Gun Kangaroos forward Burke-Phineasa named best of the best

A HUMBLE Tyson BurkePhineasa is more interested in taking his club team to a grand final than he is in any individual plaudit.

The Kangaroos enforcer came out on top of the poll to crown the best forward in Queensland grassroots rugby league, leading the charge as he so often does on the field.

Burke-Phineasa took out top spot with 17 votes, ahead of Kelly Shadlow (Rockhampton Brothers) with 10 votes and Joshua Abbott (Charters Towers Miners) with 10.

But the 21-year-old isn’t rushing to get business cards with that new title.

“I’m not the best forward there is, that’s other people’s opinions, but I’m doing everything I can to improve,” BurkePhineasa said.

Burke-Phineasa had one of the best seasons of his career at Kangaroos, scoring 10 tries and playing a role in plenty of others as the lethal right edge of Theo Majid, Bradley Stephen and Daniel Woodhouse threatened to blow open plenty of CDRL contests.

As good as the combination was, Kangaroos managed only to finish sixth and just miss the finals for the second straight season – and that’s a stat Burke-Phineasa wants to correct. Burke-Phineasa is no mercenary, driven to be part of a finals berth – or even a premiership – which builds over time rather than take the highest offer. It’s why he’s so committed to Kangaroos, who he wants to help take to a title.

“I want to be part of it, to take Roos to a final,” BurkePhineasa said. Burke-Phineasa was part of the Northern Pride’s development system from under-16s, where he was among a forward pack which included current Hostplus Cup regulars Tom McGrath and Ewan Moore.

He came through the grades with the state league side, where he stayed until the Hastings Deering Colts in 2021. That same season, while playing for Kangaroos, he crossed for five tries to stake his claim as one of the best and most damaging young forwards in the Far North.

Burke-Phineasa remains in contact with Pride head coach Ty Williams and knows what he has to do to force himself back into the Hostplus Cup conversation, but the Kangaroos gun isn’t solely focused on ticking off that milestone.

■ See the full results at www.cairnspost.com.au/sport.