IN another big win for Redlands rugby league, Thornlands will play host to some of the state's best Intrust Super Cup players this season.
Wynnum-Manly Seagulls will play Northern Pride at Pinklands Sporting Complex - home to Redlands Rugby League Club - during round 12 on Saturday, July 3.
The club has hosted a number of top class fixtures in recent times, including a legends clash last year which featured Queensland State of Origin greats like Scott Prince, Matt Bowen and Ben Hannant.
NRL side St George Illawarra also visited the Redlands for a pre-season fixture in 2016.
Wynnum-Manly, who play their home games out of Kougari Oval, have taken matches to North Stradbroke Island's Ron Stark Oval in the past.
Redlands Parrots president Todd Flahey said he hoped the fixture could be shared with the Stradbroke Sharks and played at Thornlands every second year.
"It is a big one," he said. "It is awesome, because it means people on the mainland can get there and watch it.
"It is great because of the exposure and to bring something like that to the community.
"Working with Wynnum-Manly seniors has been amazing. We are one of the biggest feeders for juniors and representative players so they are looking after us really well."
The match - which kicks off at 3pm - will be played during Deadly Choices Round, meaning no alcohol will be sold at the match and healthy food will be available at the canteen.
Flahey said he expected the Queensland Cup match to draw a big crowd, much like the legends game in November last year.
"The Straddie games are always packed out and it will be the same here," he said.
"It is good for our club to get noticed and show that we have a beautiful venue and that we can host big events like this.
"People know because we've had our legends game, and we expect it will be filled like that again."
The Queensland Cup season kicked-off on Saturday, March 20.
Wynnum-Manly have won their first two games of the season against the PNG Hunters and Tweed Heads Seagulls respectively.
Sam Walker shows class in debut
With a stylish skip and a short ball to set up a try, 18-year-old Roosters halfback Sam Walker underlined his NRL arrival in an Easter Sunday victory over the Warriors.
Filling the boots of superstar playmaker Luke Keary after his ACL tear last week, Walker - just 78kg and not long out of high school - belied his boyish looks during an ultra-composed first-grade debut.
The son of Ben Walker who played for the Brisbane Broncos, he nailed his only shot at goal and was defensively sound, making 17 tackles and only missing two. Some of the Ipswich product's family flew from Queensland to watch him.
Veteran winger Brett Morris - who has never lost to the Warriors in 15 matches - defied a calf cork to collect a double in the 32-12 win at the SCG and take his season tally to a remarkable nine tries in four games.
Walker sparingly showed his special skills, save for a few whizzing long passes, but did his job with impressive confidence.
"A lot of people that have watched Sam [would say] there's a lot of spectacular stuff, but he actually decided to put that on hold while he built some good defence," Roosters coach Trent Robinson said.
"Rather than trying to put everything into one game, he said, 'I'm going to start how the team needs and then I'll build again next week'.
"He kicked the ball really well and supported really well. I thought it was a really good foundation game for him and we saw little bits of Sammy coming out.
"That was a really good temperament game to start his NRL career ... There's a lot of footy in the kid."
The highlight was his silky 25th-minute try assist for Nat Butcher where he bounced across the field, holding up the defence, and then delivered a deft pass to put the back-rower over at close range.
"It was crazy to run out there with some boys that I've idolised for a long time," Walker told RoostersTV. "To get out there with them was surreal, I couldn't believe it. I sort of blinked and it was over."