Northern Pride Rugby League Football Club is a semi-professional Queensland rugby league club based in Cairns. Founded in 2007 they represent Far North Queensland, and compete in Queensland's top rugby league competition, QRL's Queensland Cup.
Since 2008, the club have been minor-premiers three times (2013, 2014 and 2024), and have appeared in ten finals series, reaching the Grand Final three times (runners-up in 2009 and winners in 2010 and 2014). In 2014 they won the NRL State Championship.
Along with the Mackay Cutters they are a feeder club to National Rugby League's North Queensland Cowboys.
History The Northern Pride was one of two expansion teams for the 2008 season of the QRL Wizard Queensland Cup, along with the Mackay Cutters, against whom they played their debut game.
Cairns was represented in the QRL State Competition from 1996 to 2000 by the Cairns Cyclones, but a lack of support resulted in their withdrawal.
Further representation in the competition was suggested in 2006 by a Cairns-based consortium of John O'Brien (owner of Pacific Toyota, Cairns), Denis Keeffe (chairman of Events Cairns and former CEO of the North Queensland Cowboys), Nigel Tillet (president of the CDRL) and John Moore (QRL Northern Division chairman), this time with the support of Peter Parr, CEO of the North Queensland Cowboys, and 9 of the 11 local CDRL clubs. Starter capital for the bid was provided by 40 local business people.
The team name and logo were unveiled in July 2007 at a 'Legends of Origin' lunch held at The Reef Hotel Casino. The Northern Pride bid was submitted to the QRL on 25 August 2007, and approved on 14 September 2007.
Northern Pride is a development club built around the phrase 'Born and Bred.' It was formed to create a regionally based talent development pathway for players, coaches and administrators. Prior to the creation of the club, talented Far North Queensland rugby league players were invariably forced to move away from the region to go to schools and/or join southern based state league and national league clubs. The Pride is a feeder club to the North Queensland Cowboys.
Competitions The Northern Pride first grade side competes in the QRL State competition, the Queensland Cup, which for sponsorship reasons is called the Hostplus Cup (2023-), formerly the Intrust Super Cup (2010–2022) and the Wizard Queensland Cup (2008–2009).
The club also fields academy teams in the Auswide Bank Mal Meninga Cup U18 (2009–), and Cyril Connell Challenge U16 (2021–), and women's teams in the Harvey Norman U19 (2020–), Harvey Norman U17 (2024–), and from 2025 the BMD Premiership.
The club played in the former Hastings Deering Colts U20 Competition (2018–2020), Hastings Deering Colts U21 Competition (2021–2023), QRL Junior State Championships (2017–2020), and Cyril Connell Cup U16 (2009–2016).
Hostplus Cup (2023–) Auswide Bank Mal Meninga Cup U18 (2009–) Cyril Connell Challenge U16 (2021–) Harvey Norman U19 (2020–) Harvey Norman U17 (2024–) BMD Premiership (2025–) Wizard Queensland Cup (2008–2009) Intrust Super Cup (2010–2022) Hastings Deering Colts U20 (2018–2020) Hastings Deering Colts U21 (2021–2023) QRL Junior State Championships (2017–2020) Cyril Connell Cup U16 (2009–2016)
Staff Coach
The original coach was Adrian Lam, who arrived in Cairns in August 2007 during the bid process, but was released a month later to take up a coaching position at the Sydney Roosters. He was replaced by former NRL Canberra Raiders player Andrew Dunemann, with former North Queensland Cowboys player David Maiden, and Foley Shield coach Troy Cummings as Assistant Coaches. In their first year in the competition, the Pride finished in third place, and the following year they reached the Grand Final.
Dunemann resigned at the end of 2009 and Maiden was promoted to Head Coach with former Canberra Raiders and PNG international David Westley as Assistant Coach. In Maiden's first year, the Pride won the grand finals. Maido left at the end of 2012 season and was replaced by former Super League player Jason Demetriou as head coach with Ben Rauter as Assistant Coach.
Demetriou coached the Pride to a minor premiership in his first season, winning 17 of their 22 games and being awarded the 'Men of League Coach of the Year' award. In his second season he secured the minor premiership again, winning 20 games in 24 rounds, before taking out the premiership and the inaugural NRL State Championship. Demetriou resigned at the end of the 2014 season to further his career as a coach in the NRL. He was replaced by assistant coach Joe O'Callaghan, who coached the team during the 2015 and 2016 seasons with assistant coaches Shane O'Flanagan and Leon Hallie, and trainer Darren Ferricks.
Former North Queensland Cowboys and Queensland Origin winger Ty Williams was appointed coach in 2017, with assistant coaches Sam Obst and Shane O'Flanagan. Williams was named QRL 'Coach of the Year' for the 2018 season, and he signed several contract extensions which saw him coach until the end of the 2023 season.
Eric Smith was appointed coach for the 2024 season, with former Pride players Sam Obst and Will Bugden as assistant coaches. Smith coached the side to the minor-premiership, before resigning to coach at the Redcliffe Dolphins. He was replaced for the 2025 season by Russ Aitken. After a poor 2025 season, Aitken was removed as coach with former Canberra Raiders player Sam Williams announced to take over as coach for the 2026-27 seasons. Cameron 'Spiller' Miller was Assistant Coach and Ian Blake was Head of Performance.
Adrian Lam (2007) Andrew Dunemann (2008–2009) David Maiden (2010–2012) Jason Demetriou (2013–2014) Joe O'Callaghan (2015–2016) Ty Williams (2017–2023) Eric Smith (2024) Russ Aitken (2025) Sam Williams (2026-)
Football Operations Managers
Chey Bird (2018–2020) Cameron Miller (2021) Tanya Tully (2022– )
Team Managers
Rob White (2008–2014) Alan Marsh (2015–2016) ? (2017–2019) Terry Osmond (2020–2023) Sam Harreman (2024) Brendon Alexander (2025) Jackson Nicolau (2026- )
Captain The foundation captain of the Northern Pride was former North Queensland Cowboys and St. George Illawarra Dragons player Chris Sheppard. He was the first player signed to the team in July 2007, and was captain and operations manager for the first three seasons. Sheppard retired after leading the Pride to the 2010 Queensland Cup premiership.
Former North Queensland Cowboys player Ty Williams was captain for the next three seasons (2011–2013), before retiring to captain-coach the CDRL Innisfail Leprechauns. In 2014 Brett Anderson and Jason Roos were named as joint co-captains.
Ryan Ghietti was named as captain in 2016, with Jack Svendsen as vice-captain. Ghietti retired at the end of the 2018 season and Tom Hancock and Dave Murphy were named as joint co-captains for the 2019 season. Javid Bowen was named captain for the 2020 Season, but only one round was played before the season was cancelled due to COVID-19.
When matches restarted in 2021, Bowen re-signed with the Cowboys and Chris Ostwald and Jayden Hodges were named co-captains. Hodges left at the end of the 2022 season, and Ostwald was named captain for the 2023 season, with Ewan Moore as vice-captain. Newly signed hooker, Kyle Schneider was appointed captain for the 2024 season, with Ewan Moore and Evan Child as joint vice-captains.
For the 2025 season, prop Nick Lui-Toso was appointed captain, with Kenneth Fonoti and Campbell Duffy also serving as captains during the season.
Prop Kenneth Fonoti was appointed captain for the 2026 season under new head coach Sam Williams.
When the team captain has been unavailable due to injury or representative duties, they have been replaced by other team members, including Chey Bird, Ben Laity and Mark Cantoni. Other players have been named as captain for pre-season trials, including Warren Jensen, Ryan Stig, Sheldon Powe-Hobbs, Jordan Biondi-Odo and Tom Hancock.
Chris Sheppard (2008–2010) Ty Williams (2011–2013) Brett Anderson and Jason Roos (2014–2015) Ryan Ghietti (2016–2018) Tom Hancock & Dave Murphy (2018–2019) Javid Bowen (2020) Chris Ostwald & Jayden Hodges (2021–2022) Chris Ostwald (2023) Kyle Schneider (2024) Nick Lui-Toso (2025) Kenneth Fonoti (2026–)
CEO The foundation Chief Executive Officer was Dennis Keeffe (former CEO of the North Queensland Cowboys), who held the position from 2007 to 2009. He was replaced in 2010 by QRL Northern Division chairman John Moore. From 2011 to 2013 former team captain Chris Sheppard was chief executive officer. In 2013–2014 Northern Pride business development manager, Brock Schaefer was CEO. Schaefer resigned at the end of the 2014 season to take up a role at South Sydney Rabbitohs, and was replaced by former Pride player Rod Jensen for the 2015 and 2016 seasons. Greg Dowling was CEO for the 2017 season, but resigned half-way through the 2018 season. He was replaced by Mark Quinn, who resigned at the end of the 2020 season. Paul Callaghan was CEO for the 2021 season, with Garreth Smith taking up the role in 2022.
Dennis Keeffe (2007–2009) John Moore (2010) Chris Sheppard (2011–2012) Brock Schaefer (2013–2014) Rod Jensen (2015–2016) Greg Dowling (2017–2018) Mark Quinn (2018–2020) Paul Callaghan (2021) Garreth Smith (2022– )
Chairman and Board of Directors The founding Northern Pride chairman was John O'Brien. He was replaced at the end of 2008 by Bob Fowler, who retired in December 2015. Terry Mackenroth acted as interim chairman until June 2016, when Cairns real-estate agent and club director, Tony Williamson, was appointed chairman. Williamson resigned at the end of the 2020 season, with Nigel Tillett acting as interim chairman until Terry Medhurst was appointed chairman at the start of the 2024 season.
The Northern Pride Board of Directors for the 2026 season is Kym McPhee-Smith (chair), Joel Riethmuller (player representative), Dean Payne (North Queensland Cowboys representative), Mark Whitnall, Stephen Devenish, Andrew Leith, Alannah Giuffrida and Brett Maloney-Carter.
John O'Brien (2007–2008) Bob Fowler (2009–2015) Terry Mackenroth (2016) Tony Williamson (2016–2020) Nigel Tillett (2021–2023) Terry Medhurst (2024) Kym McPhee-Smith (2025– )
Life members There have been six life members. The first three life memberships were awarded at a Round 22 pre-game luncheon at Barlow Park, 7 August 2016. John O'Brien and John Moore were founding board members of the Northern Pride and its predecessor the Cairns Cyclones, and Bob Fowler was Chairman of the Pride from 2009-2016. Nigel Tillett served as chairman at the Northern Pride for three years. Christine and Richard Muirhead were inducted as Life Members of the Northern Pride rugby league club at the club's presentation night in September 2025 as the club's ultimate super-fans.
John O'Brien AM (1950-2025) John Moore (1938-2025) Bob Fowler Nigel Tillett Richard Muirhead Christine Muirhead
Venues Barlow Park
The Pride's home ground is Barlow Park, corner Scott & Severin St, Parramatta Park, in Cairns.
Barlow Park was opened in 1987 with a playing field 114 metres long (100 metres of field plus two 7-metre in-goal areas) by 68 metres wide. The 1987 grandstand was extended in 2003, giving a capacity of 15,000, which includes 1,700 seats (mostly undercover) in a stand on the northern side of the park. The facility was floodlit for night games with four towers providing 620 lux. The car park accommodated approximately 300 vehicles.
In 2012–2013 the Pride played 13 consecutive home games at Barlow Park without loss. In 2014 Barlow Park was renamed 'The Jungle' and the Pride won all 12 matches they played there.