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Queensland Premier Rugby standout on Japan move ‘I couldn’t turn down’
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Japan-bound fly-half Finn Prass was recognised with the 2026 Tony Shaw Medal as Queensland Premier Rugby’s Player of the Grand Final, with Brothers capping off one of the most dominant seasons in Hospital Cup history with a 51-14 win over Wests Bulldogs.
Prass raced away for a long-range try just before half-time, kicked a monstrous 50/22 and had a hand in some other highlight plays, as the game-driver completed a two-year rise from impact player to an integral member of the run-on side.
Wallabies squad member Harry McLaughlin-Phillips had started opposite Prass, and the Wests No. 10 was able to make an impact despite the scoreline. But Brothers claimed the third-biggest winning margin in Hospital Cup Grand Final history, powering to a 37-point victory.
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Sunnybank hold the record for the largest triumph in the history of QPR deciders, beating Gold Coast by 66 in 2007. Canberra prevailed 45-3 over Easts five years before that, but the Brethren had the biggest-margin in almost two decades.
It saw the team from Brisbane’s inner-north go through the entire season with just one loss to their name. Brothers had been 80 minutes away from potentially going unbeaten throughout the round robin, but a 45-33 defeat to UQ ended up being the only blip on their remarkable record.
“It’s a pretty big thrill [to win a Grand Final]. A couple of the bench boys running over. It was an incredible feeling, it was awesome,” Prass told RugbyPass the week after the Grand Final.
“I’m pretty grateful, I’m spoiled for choice. I said it a couple of times throughout the year, it’s so easy to play with that group.
“We’ve got an unbelievable forward pack and some really exciting, talented backs. It makes my job super easy, having such a quality group around us.
“It’s just pretty cool to be part of such a cool group.”
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It was a dream-like end to a breakout season for Prass, who has inked a professional deal with Japan Rugby League One side the Urayasu D-Rocks. Brothers shared a post on social media in mid-July, congratulating Prass on the overseas opportunity.
Springboks backrower Jasper Wiese, former Maori All Blacks first five-eighth Otere Black and experienced Wallabies centre Samu Kerevi all played last season for the D-Rocks, who finished with a 5-13 record.
Hurricanes loose forward Devan Flanders, former Canes and Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights centre Vince Aso, current Wallabies squad member Jordan Petaia, and Prass are among the new signings bolstering Urayasu’s roster for 2026/27.
Prass has signed a two-year deal with the club, as the 21-year-old embraces the opportunity to both play and live overseas. The Sunshine Coast Grammar School product went to Japan for the first time last year on holiday, and couldn’t wait to get started with the club.
“I was really interested in the opportunity given some of the boys they’ve got in that squad,” Prass said.
“Samu Kerevi, he’s world-class and Otere Black as well. Some great people in that group.
“Being young, there’s not as much holding me back I suppose.
“Just the opportunity to go over there, experience a new culture, a new country, a new language, and then on top of that with footy being able to link up with Samu and learn off him and a couple of the 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 part of that.”
Prass has spent an impressive amount of time learning from some genuine superstars of the sport, going back to his day as a school student. At Sunshine Coast Grammar, Prass was coached by former All Blacks winger Hosea Gear at First XV level.
The playmaker was involved in the Reds pathway, and spent time with the Reds Academy in his first year out of school. That led to an opportunity out west with the Force, with Prass making some lifelong friends during a two-year stint.
Prass was named in the Force squad ahead of the inaugural Super Rugby AUS campaign, with the team from Western Australia hosting the Grand Final that season, but falling to the NSW Waratahs in an enthralling decider.
“The playing group’s super tight-knit,” he reflected when asked about the Force.
“A majority of the boys aren’t from Perth so all your mates and your teammates and I think that creates quite a close environment.
“I really enjoyed it. I’ve got some lifelong mates from over there and there were some really good people I got to learn off and play some footy with. It was an awesome experience.”
95-Test Wallaby Kurtley Beale was in that Force squad, and Prass would later get to play alongside the likes of 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 winger 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 a star-studded squad in Japan.
“It’s unreal. As a young game driver, you really lean on those people and that was something awesome about James O’Connor when he’s been around the Brothers environment.
“They’re such wise guys and they know their code. As a young player, it’s easy to chat to them and learn off them, just given their experience.
“I’m really excited to get over there and learn off Otere. It’s an incredible opportunity.”
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