Japan-bound Finn Prass was awarded the 2026 Tony Shaw Medal as Queensland Premier Rugby’s Grand Final player as Brothers capped one of the most dominant seasons in Hospital Cup history with a 51-14 win over the Wests Bulldogs.
Prass ran over for a long-range try just before half-time, kicked a monstrous 50/22 and had a hand in some other top plays as the playmaker completed a two-year rise from impact player to integral member of the rushing side.
Wallabies side Harry McLaughlin-Phillips started against Prass and Wests no. 10 managed to make an impact despite the result. But Brothers built the third largest margin of victory in Hospital Cup Grand Final history, winning by 37 points.
Sunnybank holds the record for the biggest triumph in QPR’s history, beating Gold Coast by 66 in 2007. Canberra won 45-3 over Easts five years before that, but the Friars had their biggest margin in nearly two decades.
“It’s quite a thrill (to win a grand final). A few guys from the bench are running through. It was an amazing feeling, it was great,” Prass said RugbyPass the week after the Grand Final.
“I’m pretty grateful, I’m spoiled for choice. I’ve said it a few times throughout the year, it’s so easy to play with that group.
“We have an incredible forward pack and some really exciting, talented backs. It makes my job a lot easier because I have such a quality group around us.
“It’s pretty cool to be part of such a cool group.”
It was a dream end to the season for Prass, with whom he signed a professional contract Japan Rugby League One side Urayasu D-Rocks. Brothers shared a post on social media in mid-July, congratulating Prass on the opportunity abroad.
Springboks left back Jasper Wiese, ex-Maori All black people first five-eighth Otere Black and experienced Wallabies center Samu Kerevi played last season for the D-Rocks, who finished 5-13.
Hurricanes loose forward Devan Flanders, former Canes and Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights center Vince Aso, current member of the Wallabies squad Jordan Petaia and Prass are among the new players to strengthen Urayasu’s squad for the 2026/27 season.
Prass has signed a two-year contract with the club, as the 21-year-old embraces the opportunity to play and live abroad. The Sunshine Coast Grammar School product went to Japan last year for the first time on holiday, and I couldn’t wait to get started with the club.
“I was really interested in the opportunity some of the guys on the team got,” Pras said.
“Samu Kerevi, he’s world class and so is Otere Black. Some great people in that group.
“Being young, I guess it doesn’t hold me back as much.
“Just the opportunity to go there, experience a new culture, a new country, a new language, and then on top of that being able to bond with Samu and learn from him and a few other world-class boys, it was something I couldn’t turn down.
“Their vision for the future is really exciting and I want to be a part of it.”
Prass has spent an impressive amount of time learning from some of the sport’s true superstars, going back to his time as a schoolboy. At Sunshine Coast Grammar, Prassa was coached by former All Blacks winger Hosea Gear at first XV level.
The playmaker was involved in the game Red route, and spent time with the Reds academy in his first year at the school. This led to an opportunity out west with the Force, and Pras made lifelong friends during his two-year stay.
Prass was named in Force team ahead of the inaugural Super Rugby AUS campaign, with a team from the West Australia hosted the Grand Final that season but fell to NSW Waratahs in a thrilling decision.
“The playing group is super tight,” he mused when asked about the Force.
“Most of the guys aren’t from Perth, so all your mates and teammates and I think it creates a pretty close environment.
“I really enjoyed it. I have some lifelong friends from there and there were some really good people to learn and play football from. It was a great experience.”
95-Test Wallaby Kurtley Beale was in the Force squad and Prass would later play alongside James O’Connor, Josh Flook and Matt Faessler during the run to glory in the recent Queensland Premier Rugby season.
Flook scored in the grand final, and Queensland Reds wing Tim ‘The Junkyard Dog’ Ryan also ran in a hat-trick of tries. Prass will now get the chance to train and potentially play alongside the star-studded squad in Japan.
“It’s unreal. As a young game driver, you really rely on those people and that was something great about James O’Connor when he was in the Brothers environment.”
“They’re such smart guys and they know their code. As young players, it’s easy to talk to them and learn from them, just because of their experience.”
“I’m really excited to come over there and learn from Otera. It’s an incredible opportunity.”
