2011 was the fourth competitive season for the Cairns based Skill360 Northern Pride Rugby League Football Club. They were one of 12 clubs that played in the sixteenth season of Queensland's top rugby league competition, QRL's Intrust Super Cup, with each team playing 11 home games and 11 away games over 25 weeks between March and September.
Pride Oval and Leagues Club on Irene Street, Mooroobool were costing the club about $19,000 a month to run, an unsustainable drain on their funds. Plans to build a multi-million dollar sports facility had been derailed by the GFC, so at the end of 2010 the club sold the facility to Cairns Regional Council for $2.5M.[1] Council agreed to maintain the facility as a sports field for the community and not allow residential development at the site. The Pride were given a six-month lease, and when it expired in May 2011, the club decided not to renew and moved their training sesions back to Jones Park, Westcourt.[2] Pride Oval was leased to CDRL Kangaroos, and became Vico Oval and Kangaroos Leagues Club once again. The Pride's continued to play home games at Barlow Park and the administration offices were at Mann Street.
The Pride gained a mascot for home games, 'Rambo the Razorback'.[6] The Round 20 away game against Souths Logan Magpies was relocated from the Magpies home ground in Brisbane to Yusia Ginau Oval, Bamaga on Cape York in an effort to raise money for the Magpies who were struggling to attract crowds at their home venue.[7] Both teams wore special Indigenous themed jerseys and the game attracted 2000 spectators, and was so successful that the following year, QRL introduced the 'Country Week' concept.
The Pride started the year strong, winning the first five rounds. This meant the Pride had not lost a game since Round 13 last year - 17 consecutive wins, a Queensland Cup record, previously held by the Burleigh Bears and North Queensland Young Guns with 16 consecutive wins. Their Round 5 win, 60-10 over the SC Sea Eagles was the biggest winning score in the Pride's history and the first time they had beaten the Sunny Coast. The victory set several club records, including the biggest winning margin in the club's history, the most tries by the Pride in a single game, and the most goals in a single Pride game (Chey Bird, 10).[8] After a draw in Round 6 and a win in Round 7, they were unbeaten after 19 matches. In Round 8 the Pride led the Cutters 12-0 at half-time, but were beater 22-18, their first defeat in eleven months.[9]
The Pride finished the 2011 season in second place, and had a decisive victory in their home Preliminary Final against the Ipswich Jets, but were eliminated after losing the semi-final 26–20 to Tweed Heads Seagulls. Although the Pride were entitled to host the semi-final, the match was scheduled to be televised, and ABC TV still did not have the ability for outside broadcast from FNQ, so the match was played at Dolphin Oval, Redcliffe.[10] This was the second time a Pride home finals game had been moved to Brisbane to accommodate the ABC's lack of flexibility, (the other time was in 2009), and the Pride lost substantial amount of game-day revenue playing in front of a small crowd at a neutral venue.[11]
Board of Directors: Nigel Tillett, Craig Meiklejohn, Anthony Mirotsos, Bob Fowler.
2011 squad
The Pride used 34 players this season. Sixteen players from last year signed with the club again, and two of the Cowboys allocation players from last year were assigned to the Pride again this year. Fifteen new players made their debut this season; eight were new signings (Aidan Day, Davin Crampton, Lancen Joudo, Luke Saunders, Mick Wilson, Ryan Ghietti, Shaun Nona and Sheldon Powe-Hobbs), and seven were new Cowboys allocation players (Blake Leary*, Cory Paterson*, Jack Cooper*, James Segeyaro*, Kalifa Faifai Loa*, Ricky Thorby* and Will Tupou*). Ty Williams, who had played 25 games for the Pride as a Cowboys allocated player between 2008 and 2010, retired from the NRL and signed to the Pride. Joel Riethmuller* signed to the Cowboys and was allocated to the Pride.
Pre-Season Boot Camp: Djarragun Farm in the Goldsborough Valley, 18–19 December 2010. 110 players and coaching staff from all three squads (First Grade, Under-18 and Under-16) attended the boot camp.[14]
Corporate launch: 14 March 14, 2011, Cairns Colonial Club, Manoora.
Season launch: 12 March 2011, Esplanade Lagoon, Cairns.
2011 player awards
Friday 30 September 2011, All Seasons Colonial Club, Manunda
Northern Pride Player of the Year: Jason Roos
Inaugural Calanna Pharmacy Member's Player of the Year: Chey Bird
2011: Special NPA Region indigenous jersey designed by Mario Assan for the Round 20 game, Saturday 20 August 2011 at Yusia Ginau Oval, Bamaga against Souths Logan Magpies. The design incorporates:
- The main centrepiece of the design the Torres Strait Headress (Dhari) traditionally known as a Dhibal, is from Saibai Island, which makes up the majority of the TSI population in the NPA which migrated to the NPA throughout the 1940s. The Dhari as a significant importance in TSI culture, the initiation of young men into warriors, celebrated through dance and ceremonies.
- The boomerang represents the Aboriginal peoples of the NPA, used in hunting and gathering and significant ceremonies
Trial Matches
Pre-season Trial 1 Saturday 19 February 2011 19:00 AEST (UTC+10)
Central Comets: 1. Nat Bowman, 2. Clint Rothery, 3. Luke Dyer, 4. Tyron Haynes, 5. Dallas Williams, 6. Ian Webster (c), 7. Jonathon Tavinor, 8. John Clayton, 9. Guy Ford, 10. Tim Glasby, 11. Marc Applegarth, 12. Darren Mapp, 13. Guy Williams.
Interchange: 14. Tevita Latu, 15. Daniel Palavi, 16. James Crombie, 17. Nick Kenny.
Wynnum Manly Seagulls: 1. Jake Granville, 2. Denan Kemp, 3. Shea Moylan, 4. Matt Grieve, 5. Willie Taukafa, 6. Chris Birch, 7. Matt Seamark, 8. Mitchell Dodds, 9. John Tereo, 10. Willie Scanlan, 11. Dane Carlaw, 12. John Grieve, 13. Luke Dalziel-Don.
Interchange: 14. Aoterangi Herangi, 15. Kurtis Lingwoodock, 16. Hanan Laban, 17. Ben Shea.
Coach: Paul Green.
Note: The first grade game was preceded by the Cyril Connell Challenge U-16s game and the Mal Meninga Cup U-18s game - the first time all three Pride teams played at the same venue. Previously, the academy teams had played at Jones Park or Pride Oval. Bay FM Radio (100.3 MHz) commentary team Mike Higgison and Troy Robbins called the match live from Cairns. This was the Pride debut for North Queensland Cowboys allocation player Ricky Thorby* (Pride Player 067).
Burleigh Bears: 1. Jamie Dowling, 2. Anthony Don, 3. Brad Cross, 4. Clinton Toopi, 5. Joe Vickery, 6. Luke Keary, 7. Brent McConnell, 8. Liam McDonald, 9. Kurt Sorensen, 10. Martin Griese, 11. Josh White (c), 12. Jimmy Andersen, 13. Matt Pow.
Sunshine Coast Sea Eagles: 1. Malcolm Congoo, 2. Zane McCarthy, 3. Rowan Klein, 4. Hughie Stanley, 5. Tyrone Coppedge, 6. Kane Richards, 7. Nick Swan, 8. Alex Simpson, 9. Robert Congoo, 10. Dario Esposito, 11. Jaz Nahu-Main, 12. Wiremu Ratana, 13. Steven Spencer.
Interchange: 14. Troy Mendham, 15. Martin Cordwell, 16. Joel McCrea, 17. Jon Platt.
Coach: Adam Mogg.
Note: This was the Pride's 17th successive victory – a Queensland Cup record previously held by the Burleigh Bears and North Queensland Young Guns with 16 consecutive wins. The Pride set several club records in this game: * The biggest winning score in the Pride's history * The biggest winning margin in the Pride's history * The first time the Pride have ever beaten the Sunshine Coast Sea Eagles * The most tries by the Pride in a single game * The most goals in a single Pride game (Chey Bird, 10) * Most consecutive wins in QCup - 17 (Round 14 2010 - current). This was the Pride debut for North Queensland Cowboys allocation player Lancen Joudo* (Pride Player 068).
Redcliffe Dolphins: 1. Justin Hunt, 2. Hayden Topliss, 3. Paul Ivan, 4. Marty Hatfield, 5. Liam Georgetown, 6. Todd Murphy, 7. Dan Cross, 8. Chris Farrell, 9. Tom Butterfield, 10. Matt Britt, 11. Nick Slyney, 12. Troy Giess, 13. Derrick Watkins.
Interchange: 14. Shane Tronc, 15. Greg Byrnes, 16. Matt Handcock, 17. Allan Heldsinger.
Coach: John Dixon.
Note: This was Brett Anderson's 50th Queensland Cup game. This was the Pride's 19th consecutive undefeated game. This was the Pride debut for Davin Crampton (Pride Player 070).
Souths Logan Magpies: 1. David Milne, 2. Daniel Vidot, 3. Jamie Dodt, 4. Corey Thompson, 5. Wade Liddell (c), 6. Ben Cronin, 7. Mick Picker, 8. Nick Skinner, 9. Travis Waddell, 10. Mark Appleton, 11. Mark Nicholls, 12. Mat Pitman, 13. Jarrad Kennedy.
Interchange: 14. Rez Phillips, 15. Dane Phillips, 16. Andrew Edwards, 17. Sam Crabb.
Coach: Mark Beaumont.
Note: Ty Williams left the field in the second half with a bicep injury. The Magpies led 6–0 at half-time, but conceded six tries to nil in the second half.
Unavailable: Ty Williams (bicep), Mick Wilson (groin).
Norths Devils: ?
Note: This was a rematch of last year's Grand Final. The Pride's win meant they had now been undefeated at home for 15 consecutive matches. This was the Pride debut for Shaun Nona (Pride Player 071).
Tweed Heads Seagulls: 1. Shannon Walker, 2. Ryan Milligan, 3. James Wood, 4. Dominique Peyroux, 5. Tom Merritt, 6. Matt King, 7. Brad Davis, 8. Aaron Cannings, 9. Kayne Lawton, 10. Brock Hunter, 11. Ryan Simpkins, 12. Selasie Berdie, 13. Cody Nelson.
Interchange: 15. Will Matthews, 16. Josh Starling, 17. Rod Griffin, 18. Dean Murphy.
Note: Broadcast live on ABC 1 TV with ABC Sport's Gerry Collins, Warren Boland and David Wright – top of the table clash between Tweed Heads Seagulls (won all 10 games so far this season) and the Pride (won 8, drawn 1) This was Alex Starmer's 50th game for the Pride. This was the Pride debut for Sheldon Powe-Hobbs (Pride Player 072).
Note: Broadcast live on ABC 1 TV with ABC Sport's Gerry Collins, Warren Boland and David Wright. This was the Pride debut for Mick Wilson (Pride Player 073).
Unavailable: Ty Williams (bicep), Davin Crampton (knee).
Easts Tigers: 1. Kevin Stephensen, 2. Adam Breen, 3. Lance Morris, 4. Liam Campbell, 5. Elijah Niko, 6. Dane Chisholm, 7. Isaac Kaufmann, 8. Matthew Zgrajewski, 9. Geoff Holcombe, 10. Mark Offerdahl, 11. Steven Thorpe, 12. Leon Panapa, 13. Anthony Boyd.
Note: The Pride wore a special green NAIDOC jersey. This was the Pride's second Friday night match this season. Noel Underwood played his 50th Queensland Cup match. This was the Pride debut for Luke Saunders (Pride Player 075).
Souths Logan Magpies: 1. Mitch Cronin, 2. Corey Thompson, 3. Drury Low, 4. Sosaia Makisi, 5. Wade Liddell, 6. Ben Cronin, 7. Dane Phillips, 8. Mark Appleton, 9. Travis Waddell, 10. Mark Ioane, 11. Mark Nicholls, 12. Nick Skinner, 13. Phil Dennis (c).
Interchange: 14. Rez Phillips, 15. Dashae Francis, 16. Andrew Edwards, 17. Sam Gardel.
Coach: Mark Beaumont.
Note: This was the first time a Queensland Cup match was played in an Indigenous community. Both teams wore jerseys specially designed for this round. The Pride's was a (Northern Peninsula Area) indigenous jersey designed by Mario Assan. The success of this game led to the establishment of QRL's 'Country Week' initiative, where all matches in one round of the QCup competition are played in remote communities.
Interchange: 14. Mick Wilson, 15. Rod Jensen, 16. Aidan Day, 17. Alex Starmer.
* = Cowboys allocation.
Tweed Heads Seagulls: 1. Ryan Milligan, 2. Nathanael Barnes, 3. James Wood, 4. Matt Hundy, 5. Tom Merritt, 6. Matt King, 7. Brad Davis (c), 8. Aaron Cannings, 9. Tim Maccan, 10. Josh Starling, 11. Ryan Simpkins, 12. Tom Kingston, 13. Rod Griffin.
Note: This was the first game streamed live through the Pride's website. his was Ty Williams' 50th Queensland Cup game (he has also played for North Queensland Young Guns and Cairns Cyclones). At 4:30 pm on Monday 5 September the Pride players held a 'Run to the Finals' meet and greet autograph session at Ravizza Park, Edmonton. This was the Pride debut for Aidan Day (Pride Player 061).
In 2011 games were televised by ABC TV and shown live across Queensland through the ABC1 channel at 2.00pm (AEST) on Saturday afternoons. The commentary team was Gerry Collins, Warren Boland and David Wright.
In 2011 the Pride appeared in four televised games: