2008 was the first competitive season for the Cairns based CRGT Northern Pride Rugby League Football Club. They were one of 11 clubs that played in the thirteenth season of the top rugby league competition in Queensland, Australia, competing for the, QRL's Wizard Queensland Cup.
The Northern Pride and Mackay Cutters were two new teams that entered the competition in 2008. Mackay hadn't hosted a team since the Mackay Sea Eagles played the 1996 season, while Cairns was represented by the Cairns Cyclones from 1996 to 2000. The two new clubs replaced the Aspley Broncos and North Queensland Young Guns, who withdrew from the competition. With the loss of the Young Guns, the North Queensland Cowboys formed new feeder club partnerships with the Cutters and Pride.
The original coach was Adrian Lam, who had been captain of the PNG Kumuls, had represented Queensland at State of Origin, and played for the Sydney Roosters and Wigan Warriors. Lam arrived in Cairns in August 2007 while the Pride's bid to enter the QCup competition was being prepared, but was released a month later to take up a coaching position at the Sydney Roosters. He was replaced by Northern Pride's foundation coach, Andrew Dunemann, who had played and for the Gold Coast Seagulls, North Queensland Cowboys, South Sydney Rabbitohs and the Canberra Raiders in the NRL, and the Halifax Blue Sox, Leeds Rhinos and Salford City Reds in the English Super League. He had also coached the Canberra Raiders Under-20s team, and turned down an assistant coaching position at Halifax RLFC to coach in Cairns.
The two assistant coaches were David Maiden and Troy Cummings. Maiden was a rugby league international who represented Scotland in the 2000 World Cup, was a foundation player for the North Queensland Cowboys in the NRL, and played and for Gateshead Thunder and Hull F.C. in the English Super League, and the Cairns Cyclones in the Queensland Cup, and was currently the Junior Development Officer for the North Queensland Cowboys and General Manager of the CDRL. Cummings played for CDRL Mareeba Gladiators, and played for and coached the Cairns Marlins in the Foley Shield.
Foundation captain was Chris Sheppard, who had played for the North Queensland Cowboys and St. George Illawarra Dragons. Chey Bird was appointed captain in Rounds 13 and 14, and in the finals series when 'Shep' was injured or unavailable, and Ben Laity was captain for Round 15. Warren Jensen was captain for the first pre-season trial at Yarrabah.
'Shep' was the first player signed to the Pride, followed by local players Hezron Murgha and Noel Underwood from CDRL Yarrabah Seahawks, Kahu Wehi and Ritchie Marsters from Tully Tigers, Alex Starmer from Ivanhoes Knights, and Jason Roos from Mareeba Gladiators. The Chief Executive Officer and Commercial Manager visited Port Moresby to sign PNG players, but the Pride were unable to get work visas for the pair to enter Australia.
The Northern Pride played ten home games and ten away games over 22 rounds between March and August, and three games in the finals series. Their inaugural match was a home game, played at Barlow Park, Cairns, when the Pride scored eight tries, beating newcomers Mackay Cutters 44–16. Eleven North Queensland Cowboys played this match (three for the Pride and eight for the Cutters). The match itself was something of a debacle, as the pitch was a rain-drenched mud-pit and coach Dunemann wanted the game called off. Pride officials turned spectators, match officials, caterers and security officers away, claiming the match was cancelled, but QRL insisted the game proceed.
The Pride won their first seven games, before their first defeat in Round 8, when they lost 34–4 to Tweed Heads Seagulls. Injuries dogged the team in the middle of the season, and Rugby League Week magazine predicted the newcomers would finish towards the bottom of the table. The Pride lost the last three matches of the regular season, but still finished in third place, having won 13 of their 20 games. They reached the Preliminary Final, but lost in golden point extra-time to the Souths Logan Magpies, who went on to win the Grand Final.Queensland Rugby League 2008 Draw Retrieved 17 Dec 2007
Six of the Pride's away games were televised on ABC 1. There were calls for the ABC to expand their outside broadcasting abilities and televise a Pride home game next season.
The Pride's office was at Mann Street in Westcourt and the team trained at Jones Park. In June 2008 the Pride purchased CDRL Kangaroos Leagues Club and Vico Oval, Irene Street, Mooroobool from the Redcliffe Dolphins in June 2008 for $1.85m (the Dolphins having purchased the Oval and Leagues Club from the Kangaroos in 2005 when Kangaroos were in financial difficulty). The playing field was renamed as Pride Oval, and the end of season Player Awards ceremony was held at the rebranded Pride Leagues Club. The facility was to be used as an administration and training base, there were plans for a multi-million dollar development and for the Pride junior teams to play there. Six weeks later, however, the project was put on hold as the Pride faced financial uncertainty after chairman O'Brien's Pacific Toyota dealership went into receivership with debts around $25 million. O'Brien was a majority owner of the NBL Cairns Taipans, and had withdrawn financial support from the basketball team, placing them into voluntary administration. The QRL delayed the release of next seasons draw pending a review of the Pride's financial situation. O'Brien stood aside as the Northern Pride's chairman, and was replaced by Bob Fowler, former chairman of the Queensland Cup side the Cairns Cyclones.
2008 SeasonCRGT Northern Pride
Competition: Wizard Queensland Cup Sponsor: Cairns Region Group Training (CRGT), three-year naming rights sponsorship.
Staff
Coaches/Trainers Coach: Andrew Dunemann Assistant coach: David Maiden Academy coach: Troy Cummings Strength and conditioning coach: Scott Callaghan
Captain Chris Sheppard Chey Bird (Rounds 13 & 14, Finals Week 2, Preliminary Final) Ben Laity (Round 15) Warren Jensen (Yarrabah pre-season trail match)
Managers Operations manager: Chris Sheppard Commercial manager: Brad Tassell Team manager: Rob White Office Manager: Sheron McDougall Chief executive: Denis Keeffe Chairman: John O'Brien Board of Directors: Greg Dowling, Nigel Tillett, Craig Meiklejohn, Bob Fowler, John O'Brien.
2008 squad The Pride used 35 players this season, all of whom were new signings to the club. Seven of these were Cowboys allocation players.
Chris Sheppard (c) Brett Anderson Adam Mills Alex Starmer Ben Kerr Ben Laity Callan Myles Chey Bird Chris Afamasaga Drew Campbell Eric Warria Gordon Rattler Greg Byrnes Hezron Murgha
Jamie Frizzo Jason Roos Joel Riethmuller Josh Vaughan Luke Harlen Luke Millwood Mark Cantoni Noel Underwood Quincy To'oto'o-ulugia Richie Marsters Rod Griffin Steve Sheppard Warren Jensen
Farren Wilett Jordan Kane Joshua Wehi Kahu Wehi Ryan Bartlett Shaun Cribb Steve McLean
Ben Vaeau* Jackson Nicolau* John Williams* Matthew Bartlett* Scott Bolton* Steve Southern* Ty Williams*
Allocated but did not play for the Pride in 2008: Aaron Payne Ashley Graham Carl Webb Jacob Lillyman Justin Smith Mark Henry Matt Bowen Ray Cashmere
Player gains This was the first season for the Pride, so all players were new signings.
Player From League From Club NotesRyan Bartlett Wizard Queensland Cup North Queensland Young GunsGreg Byrnes Wizard Queensland Cup North Queensland Young GunsBrett Anderson Wizard Queensland Cup North Queensland Young GunsWarren Jensen Wizard Queensland Cup Wynnum Manly SeagullsJosh Vaughan Wizard Queensland Cup Tweed Heads SeagullsJoel Riethmuller Wizard Queensland Cup Ipswich JetsGordon Rattler Wizard Queensland Cup Ipswich JetsMark Cantoni Wizard Queensland Cup Eastern Suburbs TigersBen Laity Wizard Queensland Cup Eastern Suburbs TigersQuincy To'oto'o-ulugia NRL Telstra Premiership Cronulla Sharks Jersey FleggHezron Murgha CDRL Yarrabah SeahawksNoel Underwood CDRL Yarrabah SeahawksFarran Willett CDRL Yarrabah SeahawksKahu Wehi CDRL Tully TigersRitchie Marsters CDRL Tully TigersJoshua Wehi CDRL Tully TigersAlex Starmer CDRL Ivanhoes KnightsDrew Campbell CDRL Ivanhoes KnightsJason Roos CDRL Mareeba GladiatorsChris Sheppard CDRL Mareeba GladiatorsSteve Sheppard CDRL Mareeba GladiatorsAdam Mills CDRL Atherton RoostersChey Bird TDRL Brothers TownsvilleBen Kerr CDRL Innisfail LeprechaunsSteve McLean Junior Canberra Raiders juniorsEric Warria JuniorNorthern Territory teamAustralian Secondary Schools Rugby LeagueChris Afamasaga NRL Telstra Premiership Gold Coast TitansSigned in Round 10.Afamasaga walked out of the club after Round 18.Jamie Frizzo NRL Telstra Premiership North Queensland CowboysSigned in Round 10Rod Griffin NRL Telstra Premiership Wests TigersSigned in Round 12Luke Harlen NRL Telstra Premiership Wests TigersSigned in Round 16Callan Myles CDRL Ivanhoes Knights Played in the Finals series
PNG signings At the start of the season attempts were made to sign players from the PNG rugby league, but problems with visas prevented them coming to Australia.
Player From League From Club Michael Mark, () SP Inter-City Cup Mendi MuruksJesse Joe Parker Nandye, () SP Inter-City Cup Pagini Simbu Warriors
2008 season launch Pre-Season Training: 5 November 2007. Team Launch: 14 December 2007. Pre-season boot camp: Croco Dylus Village Camp, Daintree River, 19–20 January 2008. Season Launch: 7 March 2008 at 11.00am, Stockland Cairns shopping centre, Earlville. (Originally scheduled as part of the Esplanade Lagoon's fifth-year celebrations but moved to Stockland Cairns due to Wet season flooding in Cairns).
2008 player awards 26 September 2008, Pride Leagues Club, Irene Street, Mooroobool. Yalumba Wines Most Improved Player: Hezron Murgha EK Kitchens Best Back: Chey Bird Skytrans Airlines Best Forward: Mark Cantoni CRGT Player of the Year: Chris Sheppard John O'Brien Perpetual Club Person of the Year: Rob White (Pride Manager)
2008 representative players Rod Griffin 3 appearances at the 2008 Rugby League World Cup against England, New Zealand and Australia.
2008 Queensland Residents team Scott Bolton
Players signed to first-tier teams Player To League To Club Brett Anderson NRL Telstra Premiership Melbourne Storm Jackson Nicolau* NRL Telstra Premiership Gold Coast Titans
2008 jerseys
Trial matches
CRGT Northern Pride: Interchange: * = Cowboys allocation. Cairns Select Squad: ? Note: This match was originally scheduled to be played at Callendar Park, Innisfail, but was changed Jilara Oval, the home ground of the CDRL Yarrabah Seahawks.
CRGT Northern Pride: Coach Andrew Dunemann selected four separate teams to play this match, with each team to play one quarter. Unavailable: Josh Vaughan was called up by North Queensland Cowboys assistant coach, Ian Millward to play () in their NRL pre-season trial match against the Broncos in Rockhampton. Note: This match was cancelled due to wet conditions.
CRGT Northern Pride: ? Unavailable: Josh Vaughan (called up to play for the Cowboys in their trial against the Broncos. NYC U-20s Cowboys: ? Note: When the original trial match against the Mackay Cutters at Darryl Bourke Oval, Moranbah was cancelled due to wet conditions, Pride coach Andrew Dunemann decided to play an intra-club trial match in Cairns instead. However Pride sponsor Skytrans offered to fly the NYC North Queensland Cowboys U-20s squad to Cairns.Entry to the game was $5.Noel Underwood was placed on report for a dangerous tackle.Ryan Bartlett ended his season with an ACL tear.
CRGT Northern Pride: Unlimited Interchange: Unavailable: Ryan Bartlett (ACL). NQ Cowboys Select Squad: ?