The fairytale continues for perennial Queensland premier rugby battlers Sunshine Coast with flanker Matt Blain claiming the Alec Evans Medal as club player of the year.

Blain capped a landmark year for the Toutai Kefu-coached Stingrays who will make their inaugural grand final appearance on Sunday against minor premiers University at Ballymore.

The back-rower scored a total of 20 votes to win by four from Brothers back Dallan Murphy and Easts fullback Aidan Toua (14).

Under Kefu and fellow former Wallabies and Reds forward Glenn Panoho, Sunshine Coast have turned around several seasons of woe to snare a place in the semi-finals for the first time.

Upset back-to-back play-off wins over defending premiers Brothers and Sunnybank have catapulted them into the grand final.

Former All Blacks and Crusaders winger Caleb Ralph has been a prize 2010 recruit and will line up in the Stingrays backline at Ballymore.

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