GRAND final success was won by the under-10 Emerald Brothers squads that went to Townsville to play in the Gordon Tallis Cup last weekend.

The players equipped themselves well throughout the weekend, managing to take out Division 3 honours and the Jannita Dunn Trophy, beating Emu Park 16-8 in their grand final.

Coach Tim Connolly was pleased with their win-loss record and improvement from previous carnivals.

"They went really well and only lost the two games out of their pool to make it to the Division 3 finals,” he said. "They won all their finals games leading into the grand final.

"Last year they made the Division 4 quarter-finals.”

Just like the coaches say on TV, for Connolly it was defence that helped his side over the line in their games.

"It was their defensive effort,” he said.

"Except the sides that beat the boys, they kept them to a nil scoreline.”

Connolly was also impressed with how well the young lads handled themselves on and off the field.

"The kids were really humble,” he said.

"They weren't going around saying look at me.

"It was good to see how they held themselves on and off the field.”

The trip was a blast for the young players and their parents who made the trip north to play.

"All the boys enjoyed it,” Connolly said.

"We have a good group of parents who don't mind travelling long distances to take the kids anywhere.

"It's back to club games now with only three or four of those left in the season.”

The Gordon Tallis Cup carnival received 72 team nominations across the state and there were a number of other teams from the Central Highlands competing in separate

pools.

The Emerald Tigers finished third in their pool with seven points, Blackwater Crushers finished sixth with four points, Moranbah Miners finished seventh with two points, Moranbah Miners Red finished seventh with four points, Emerald Brothers White placed eighth with two points, Clermont Bears were fourth with six points and the Dysart Bulls came eighth with one point.