2014 was the seventh competitive season for the Cairns based Sea Swift Northern Pride Rugby League Football Club. They were one of 13 clubs that played in the nineteenth season of Queensland's top rugby league competition, QRL's Intrust Super Cup, with each team playing 12 home games and 12 away games over 26 weeks between March and August.
This season the competition expanded to the 13 teams with the inclusion of the PNG Hunters. The Hunters first game was a pre-season trial against the Pride in Cairns. The Sunshine Coast Sea Eagles returned to their original name (Sunshine Coast Falcons) and black and gold colour scheme now that their association with the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles had ended, and Souths Logan Magpies became the first QCup team to take advantage of a new rule permitting unselected players from NSW NRL clubs to be play for ISC teams under a secondary affiliation when they linked with the Canberra Raiders.
The Pride gained a new naming rights sponsor, Sea Swift, a north Australian shipping company wholly owned by the Queensland Government Insurance Fund. The Pride made several changes to the game-day experience after surveying their 1,500 members and talking to the local NBL side, the Cairns Taipans. Annual memberships were offered for $110, entry prices were reduced, catering at the ground was cheaper, allocated seating for members was reinstated, there was a big screen showing the game action with replays, a bouncy castle for kids, fireworks, pyrotechnics, Pride Wildcat cheer leaders from Awesome Cheerleading Cairns, and a new mascot, 'Barlow the lion'. Barlow Park was called 'The Jungle'. Average crowds for the year was 2,300, with 4,390 people watching the Round 18 clash against the Hunters, a ground record for a QCup match.
Based on the success of last year's Round 4 match, when the Tweed Heads Seagulls home game was moved to Innisfail with financial assistance from Cassowary Coast Regional Council, this year the Round 6 Norths Devils home game was moved to Innisfail with assistance from Innisfail Brothers Rugby League Football Club. The QCup match preceded a CDRL local game with a Pride connection between the KGC Innisfail Leprechauns captain-coached by Ty Williams and Cairns Brothers captain-coached by Chey Bird. This was the fifth time the Pride had played a QCup match in a regional area (2011 Round 20 in Bamaga, 2012 Round 17 Country Week in Mt Isa, 2013 Round 4 in Innisfail and Round 20 Country Week in Yarrabah.)
The Pride won 20 games out of 24 in the regular season, finishing on top of the ladder as minor-premiers for the second time in their history. They played Easts Tigers four times this year, twice in the regular season, and, twice in the finals series. In the regular season the Pride's Round 7 home match against the Tigers was postponed due to Cyclone Ita. They beat the Tigers 44-20 in the Round 16 away match at Langlands Park, then lost to the Tigers 4-16 three weeks later in the postponed Round 7 match which was played at Davies Park Mareeba. The Pride had several young players in this game, having lost five experienced players and the coach to representative duties. The Pride got a bye in week one of the finals while the Tigers defeated Wynnum Manly. The major semi-final saw the Pride beat the Tigers 8-7 in a tight game. The victory earned the Pride another week off, while the Tigers eliminated Wynnum Manly in the Preliminary Final, setting up a rematch against the Pride in the Grand Final. This was played at Suncorp Stadium in front of a crowd of 7,135, with the Pride winning convincingly 36–4, their second premiership.
The Pride went on to beat the Penrith Panthers in the first NRL State Championship at ANZ Stadium. Javid Bowen was named Man of the Match.
This season the Pride finalised a 12-month governance review led by chief executive Brock Schaefer, chairman Bob Fowler and consultant Andrew Griffiths, which recommended a new skills-driven board with specific portfolios of sponsorship, football, government, community, legal, financial and a chairman. A new board was appointed in May 2014.
2014 Season - Sea Swift Northern Pride
Competition: Intrust Super Cup Sponsor: Sea Swift
Staff
Coaches/Trainers Coach: Jason Demetriou Assistant coach: Joe O'Callaghan Mal Meninga Cup U-18s coach: Chey Bird (JCU Academy), Cameron 'Spilla' Miller Cyril Connell Cup U-16s coach: Shane O'Flanagan (JCU Academy) – won their first Grand Final in 2014. Strength and conditioning coach: Patrick Ranasinghe Physiotherapist: Tim Laycock Trainer: Deb Gallop
Captains Co-Captains: Brett Anderson & Jason Roos.
Managers Team manager: Rob White Club captain: Development Officer: Blake Leary Administration Manager: Kerri Neil 'Take Pride' Program Manager: Rod Jensen Mascot: Barlow the Lion (Peter Spooner) Chief executive: Brock Schaefer Chairman: Bob Fowler Board of Directors: Re/Max Cairns owner Tony Williamson (sponsorship), Moore Developments director John Moore, Families and Responsibilities Commission registrar Rob White (football), Sergeant Stephen Tillett (community), Sea Swift chief executive Fred White (government), Omega lawyers principal Anthony Mirotsos (legal), NQEA financial controller Gail Andrejic (finance).
2014 Squad The Pride used 33 players this season. Sixteen players from last year signed with the club again, and five of the Cowboys allocation players from last year were assigned to the Pride again this year. Twelve new players made their debut this season; eight were new signings (Ben Jeffries, Jack Svendsen, Jared Allen, Latu Fifita, Linc Port, Menmuny Murgha, PJ Webb and Tyrone McCarthy), and four were new Cowboys allocation players (Cameron King*, Javid Bowen*, Matthew Wright* and Patrick Kaufusi*). Blake Leary was released by the Cowboys and signed with the Pride.
Brett Anderson (co-captain) Jason Roos (co-captain) Alex Starmer. Blake Leary Ben Jeffries Ben Spina. Brent Oosen Davin Crampton Hezron Murgha Jack Svendsen Jared Allen Jordan Biondi-Odo
Justin Castellaro Latu Fifita Linc Port Menmuny Murgha PJ Webb Ryan Ghietti Sam Obst Semi Tadulala Shaun Nona Sheldon Powe-Hobbs Tom Hancock Tyrone McCarthy
Josh Mene Aidan Smith Keelan White Jayden Gil Taha Tutavake Trey Kemp Noel Underwood
Cameron King* Ethan Lowe* Javid Bowen* Joel Riethmuller* Kyle Feldt* Matthew Wright* Patrick Kafusi* Ricky Thorby* Robert Lui* Scott Bolton* Allocated but did not play for the Pride in 2014: Lachlan Coote Ray Thompson*
2014 player gains Player From League From Club Notes Latu Fifita Knock-On Effect NSW Cup North Sydney Bears Linc Port Intrust Super Cup Norths Devils Blake Leary NRL Telstra Premiership North Queensland Cowboys Jack Svendsen NRL U-20s North Queensland Cowboys Sheldon Powe Hobbs NRL U-20s Melbourne Storm Tyrone McCarthy English RFL Super League Warrington Wolves Trent Barnard CDRL Ivanhoes Knights Pete Tognolini CDRL Brothers Cairns
Player losses after 2013 season Player To League To Club Ty Williams (c)Retired to CDRL Captain-coach CDRL Innisfail Leprachauns Hezron Murgha NRL Telstra Premiership North Queensland Cowboys Noel Underwood NSW Cup Newcastle Knights Steve Snitch English RFL Betfred Championship Doncaster RLFC Nick Dorante Intrust Super Cup Redcliffe Dolphins Jordan Tighe Intrust Super Cup Ipswich Jets Ben LaityRetired Aiden SmithResigned
Cowboys no longer allocated to the Pride Player To League To Club Scott Moore* English RFL Super League London Broncos Wayne Ulugia* English RFL Super League Hull Kingston Rovers Felise Kaufusi Intrust Super Cup Easts Tigers
2014 season launch Cairns induction day: 16 November 2013. Pre-season training: 18 November 2013. Pre-Season Boot Camp: Lake Tinaroo, Atherton Tablelands, 21–23 February 2014, and training with the Atherton Roosters at Atherton Stadium. 2014 Season Launch: ?
2014 player awards 8 October 2014, Brothers World of Entertainment, Manunda Sea Swift Northern Pride Player of the Year: Ben Spina Sea Swift Players' Player: Blake Leary Sea Swift Members' Player of the Year: Sam Obst Sea Swift Most improved player: Sheldon Powe-Hobbs Sea Swift Best Back: Sam Obst Sea Swift Best Forward: Tyrone McCarthy John O'Brien Perpetual Club Person of the Year: Pat Bailey (CDRL)
2014 player records Most Games: Sam Obst (27), Tyrone McCarthy (27).. Most Tries: Davin Crampton (17). Most Points: Shaun Nona (206).
2014 Queensland Residents team Blake Leary Davin Crampton Shaun Nona Ben Spina Javid Bowen.
Players signed to first-tier teams Player To League To Club Shaun Nona NRL Telstra Premiership Melbourne Storm Blake Leary NRL Telstra Premiership Manly Warringah Sea Eagles Ben Spina NRL Telstra Premiership North Queensland Cowboys Davin Crampton NRL Telstra Premiership Gold Coast Titans Tyrone McCarthy English RFL Super League Hull Kingston Rovers Latu Fifita English RFL Kingstone Press Championship Workington Town
2014 Sponsors Naming rights sponsor: Sea Swift Jersey sponsor (back of jersey): Sea Swift, Brothers Leagues Club, Emu Sportswear. Sleeve sponsor: Skytrans Finals Series sleeve sponsor: Rivers Insurance Brokers Shorts sponsor: Brothers Leagues Club, Cairns Regional Council, Fuller Sports, Intrust Super, Cairns Hardware, EMU Sportswear. Shirt manufacturer: EMU Sportswear. Other sponsors: Castlemaine XXXX; Pacific Toyota; Cairns District Rugby League; Calanna Pharmacy; Tropic Wings; GATA Plastering; All Seasons Cairns Colonial Club; Cairns Plan Printing; Yalumba Winery. Media partners: Sea FM; WIN Television; Cairns Post.
2014 Jerseys
Trial Matches
Sea Swift Northern Pride: Unlimited Interchange: * = Cowboys allocation Unavailable: Davin Crampton and Noel Underwood (both selected to play for the First Nation Goannas at Hunter Stadium on 8 February against Newcastle Knights). NYC U20s North Queensland Cowboys: 1. Alex Grant, 2. Kurt Perry, 3. Hayden Crowley, 4. Scott Schulte, 5. Jonico Hardwick, 6. Aaron Solari, 7. James Redman, 8. David Munro, 9. Chris Law, 10. Jack Brock, 11. Bill Cullen, 12. Corey Jensen, 13. Kieran Quabba. Interchange: 14. Sam Pau, 15. Dan Clarke, 16. Michael Barclay, 17. Ben Mathiou, 18. Andrew Niemoeller, 19. Yamba Bowie, 20. Bill Kikau.
Sea Swift Northern Pride: Unlimited Interchange: * = Cowboys allocation. Unavailable: Davin Crampton and Noel Underwood (both selected to play for the 'First Nation Goannas' at Hunter Stadium on 8 February against Newcastle Knights), Sam Obst (minor injury), Jared Allen (minor injury). SP PNG Hunters: Adex Wera, Albert Patak, Adam Korave, Brandy Peter, David Loko, Edward Goma, Esau Siune, Garry Lo, George Benson, Gonzela Urakusie, Israel Eliab (c), Joe Bruno, Lawrence Tu'u, Noel Joel, Noel Zemming, Roger Laka, Sebastian Pandia, Thompson Teteh, Biuku (Tiger) Emere, Timothy Lomai, Wartovo Puara, William Minoga. Coach: Michael Marum.
Sea Swift Northern Pride: Unlimited Interchange: * = Cowboys allocation. Unavailable: Javid Bowen* and Kyle Feldt* selected to play for the North Queensland Cowboys at the NRL Auckland Nines. Absolute Enterprises Mackay Cutters: Liam Taylor, Chris Ulugia, Josh Benjamin, Michael Koko, Aaron Fairweather, Dan Murphy, Tom Rouse, Sam Hoare, Dave Petersen, Karl Davies, Dean Webster, Chris Gesch, Jason Schirnack, Doug Hewitt, Aleki Falipaini, Ashton Sims, Hayden Crockett, Glenn Hall, John Asiata, Dan Beasley, Mitch Day, James Uhatafe, Justin Tavae, Ryan Kinleyside, Rohan Ahern, Pulou Vaituutuu.
Intrust Super Cup matches