2015 was the eighth competitive season for the Cairns based Sea Swift Northern Pride Rugby League Football Club. They were one of 14 clubs that played in the twentieth season of Queensland's top rugby league competition, QRL's Intrust Super Cup, with each team playing 11 home games and 12 away games over 25 weeks between March and August.
This season the competition expanded to 14 teams with the inclusion of the Townsville Blackhawks. The Blackhawks became the third feeder club to the North Queensland Cowboys, sharing the Cowboy's player allocation with the Pride and Mackay Cutters.
The Pride appointed a new coach after Jason Demetriou moved to the Cowboys. Demetriou had signed a two-year extension with the Pride, making him one of the highest paid coaches in the Intrust Cup, but he decided to take the role in Townsville working with David Furner and John Cartwright as assistant coaches under Paul Green. Pride assistant coach Joe O'Callaghan was promoted to head coach. O'Callaghan had been coach to numerous Academy sides, including the U-20s Central Comets (2007–2008), U-20s Tweed Heads Seagulls (2009), and U-20s Easts Tigers (2012), and had been the Pride's assistant coach for two seasons.
Former Pride player Rod Jensen was appointed Chief Executive, replacing Brock Schaefer who left to take up a senior administrative role at NRL premiers South Sydney. 'Rocket' Rod had previously played and for the Adelaide Rams, Canberra Raiders and North Queensland Cowboys in the NRL Telstra Premiership, and for the Huddersfield Giants in the English Super League. He joined the Pride in their second season in 2009, and although he retired at the end of the year, he changed his mind and rejoined the club again halfway through the 2010 season, scoring a try in the 2010 Grand Final. Jensen played for the Pride for two more season, before moving to the CDRL Mareeba Gladiators.
The Pride defended their 2014 premiership under new coach Joe O'Callaghan. The team suffered substantial player losses as a result of their successful 2014 season with four players contracted to the NRL Telstra Premiership, two of the North Queensland Cowboys allocated players moving to the Townsville Blackhawks, and Joel Riethmuller retiring.
The club arranged some high-profile trial matches, beating newcomers Townsville Blackhawks, before travelling to Sydney to meet the 2014 NRL Telstra Premiers, South Sydney in the Return to Redfern annual match. Although the Rabbitohs rested some of their star players, the Pride held them to a 20-all draw. The following week the Rabbitohs travelled to England for the World Club Challenge where they beat Super League premiers St Helens R.F.C. 39-0. The Pride returned home to play against QCup heavyweights PNG Hunters. This trail was arranged at the last minute and was something of a consolation for the Pride, who were not scheduled to play the Hunters at home this season. Last year's home game against the Hunters attracted a record crowd, earning the club around $50,000 in gate receipts and sponsorship.
In the regular season the Pride got off to a poor start, losing the first four rounds. Round 1 was a grand final rematch against Easts Tigers, with the Tigers coming out victorious this time. Round 2 was cancelled due to Cyclone Nathan. Round 3 was against newcomers, the Blackhawks, who the Pride had beaten in a pre-season trial. The Blackhawks came to Cairns with three Cowboys players who had played for the Pride last year, and Dan Beasley, who had signed to play for the Pride, then reneged and showed up as the Blackhawks captain. The Blackhawks won 52-10, the Pride's biggest ever home loss and third biggest defeat of all time.
The Pride went on to win 14 games, climbing into the top eight by Round 9. They finished in sixth place, but were eliminated in the first week of the finals, losing 26–54 to the Ipswich Jets, who would go on to win the Grand Final against the new Townsville side.
2015 Season - Sea Swift Northern Pride
Competition: Intrust Super Cup Sponsor: Sea Swift
Staff
Coaches/Trainers Coach: Joe O'Callaghan. Assistant coach: Shane O'Flanagan Mal Meninga Cup U-18s coach: Dave Scott Cyril Connell Cup U-16s coach: Trainer: Peter Nash Assistant trainer: Deb Gallop. Physiotherapist: Tim Laycock Head conditioner and high performance manager: Ben Fielding Strength and rehab coordinator: Matthew Di Salvo Assistant strength and rehab coordinator: Megan Harding
Captains Co-Captains: Brett Anderson & Jason Roos. Vice-Captain: Ben Jeffries Sheldon Powe-Hobbs (c) (Pre-season trial) Jordan Biondi-Odo (c) (Pre-season trial) Senior leadership group: Brett Anderson, Jason Roos, Alex Starmer, Ryan Ghietti, Sam Obst.
Managers Team manager: Alan Marsh Administration Manager: Kerri Neil Mascot: Barlow the Lion (Peter Spooner) Chief executive: Rod Jensen Senior consultant: Denis Keeffe Chairman: Bob Fowler Board of Directors: Tony Williamson (sponsorship), John Moore, Rob White (football), Stephen Tillett (community), Fred White (government), Anthony Mirotsos (legal), Gail Andrejic (finance).
2015 squad The Pride used 32 players this season. Sixteen players from last year signed with the club again, and four of the Cowboys' allocation players from last season were assigned to the Pride again this year. Twelve new players made their debut this season; eleven were new signings (Bradley Stephen, Codey Kennedy, David Murphy, Dean Mcgilvray, Denzel King, Graham Clark, Keelan White, Luke George, Nathan Wales, Regan Verney and Vaipuna Tia-Kilifi), and one was a new Cowboys allocation player (Lachlan Coote*). Hezron Murgha signed to the Cowboys, but was allocated to the Pride and made 19 appearances in QCup this season.
Brett Anderson (co-captain) Jason Roos (co-captain) Alex Starmer Bradley Stephen Brent Oosen Codey Kennedy David Murphy Dean McGilvray Denzel King Graham Clark Jack Svendsen Jordan Biondi-Odo Justin Castellaro
Keelan White Linc Port Luke George Nathan Wales PJ Webb Patrick Kaufusi Regan Verney Ryan Ghietti Sam Obst Semi Tadulala Sheldon Powe-Hobbs Tom Hancock Vaipuna Tia Kilifi
Eddie Daniel Jared Allen Jared Verney Menmuny Murgha Maddie Oosen Sam Pau Travis Peeters Broski Emery Hunia (Cairns Brothers) Lachlan Parmenter (Cairns Brothers) Peter Tognolini (Cairns Brothers) Nathan Curcio (Atherton Roosters) Jayden Gil Joseph Forrester Josh Mene Jamie Kerwick
Ben Spina* Cameron King* Hezron Murgha* Javid Bowen* Lachlan Coote* Scott Bolton* Trial match: James Tamou Allocated but did not play for the Pride in 2015: Antonio Winterstein Kyle McConnell Allocated to Pride but played for the Blackhawks: Dan Beasley
2015 player gains Player From League From Club Notes Luke George English RL Super League Bradford Bulls Vaipuna Tia-Kilifi NRL Telstra Premiership Penrith Panthers Denzel King NRL Under-20s Canterbury Bulldogs David Murphy NRL Under-20s Canterbury Bulldogs Sam Pau NRL Under-20s North Queensland Cowboys Graham Clark Intrust Super Cup Wynnum Manly Seagulls Regan Verney CDRL Tully Tigers Jared Verney CDRL Tully Tigers Dean McGilvray CDRL Atherton Roosters Eddie Daniel CDRL Cairns Brothers Bradley Stephen CDRL Cairns Kangaroos Travis Peeters CDRL Cairns Kangaroos Nathan Wales CDRL Edmonton Storm Codey Kennedy CDRL Ivanhoes Knioghts Patrick Kaufusi NRL Telstra Premiership North Queensland Cowboys Ben Jeffries English RL Super League Bradford Bulls Played trial matches, but then left the Pride before the regular season.
Player losses after 2014 season The Pride suffered substantial player losses at the end of the successful 2014 season with four players being contracted to the NRL Telstra Premiership, two of the North Queensland Cowboys allocated players moving to the Townsville Blackhawks, and Joel Riethmuller retiring. In addition, coach J.D. resigned to take up a position as assistant coach at the Cowboys.
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 RL Super League Hull Kingston Rovers Latu Fifita English RL Kingstone Press Championship Workington Town
Cowboys no longer allocated to the Pride Player To League To Club Ricky Thorby* allocated to ISC Townsville Blackhawks Kyle Feldt* allocated to ISC Townsville Blackhawks Robert Lui* allocated to ISC Townsville Blackhawks Matthew Wright* allocated to ISC Mackay Cutters Joel Riethmuller* Retired
2015 season launch Cairns Induction Day: 22 November 2014 Pre-season training: 24 November 2014 Corporate launch: 20 February 2015, Barlow Park, with Cowboys coach Paul Green and players Matt Scott and Gavin Cooper.
2015 player awards 30 September 2015, Brothers World of Entertainment, Manunda Sea Swift Northern Pride Player of the Year: Jack Svendsen Sea Swift Players' Player: Sheldon Powe-Hobbs Sea Swift Members Player of the Year: Sam Obst Sea Swift Most improved player: Tom Hancock Sea Swift Best Back: Linc Port Sea Swift Best Forward: Graham Clark John O'Brien Perpetual Club Person of the Year: Jacqui Clarkson
2015 player records Most Games: Jason Roos (24), Linc Port (24), Sam Obst (24). Most Tries: Linc Port (24) Most Points: Linc Port (118) QRL leading try scorers (2015): Linc Port, 3rd place, (24 tries), Luke George, joint 9th place, (16 tries).
2015 Queensland Residents team Ben Spina (c) Patrick Kaufusi Javid Bowen Hezron Murgha
Players signed to first-tier teams Player To League To Club Graham Clark NRL Telstra Premiership Canterbury Bulldogs
2015 Sponsors Naming rights sponsor: Sea Swift Jersey sponsor (back of jersey): Sea Swift, Brothers Leagues Club Cairns, Emu Sportswear Sleeve sponsor: Shorts sponsor: Brothers Leagues Club Cairns, 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.
2015 Jerseys
Trial Matches
Round Opponent Score Date VenueIntra-Club Trial Northern Pride??Saturday, 6 February 2015West Barlow Park, CairnsTrial 1 CDRL Indigenous All Stars3814Friday, 12 February 2015Stan Williams Park, CairnsTrial 2 South Sydney Rabbitohs2020Saturday 14 February 2015Redfern Oval, SydneyTrial 3 NYC NQ Cowboys U-20s2030Sunday 21 February 2015Barlow Park, CairnsTrial 4 PNG Hunters2446Saturday 27 February 2015Barlow Park, Cairns
Note: The West Barlow Park hit-out saw the Pride squad split into two teams. The match was adjudicated by a CDRL referee and was played over four-quarters. New coach Joe O'Callaghan got an idea of how his squad will handle the ISC Cup heat. Veteran prop Alex Starmer was given 60 minutes in a promising sign his recovery from last year's hamstring tear. Jared Verney (rolled ankle) and Graham Clark (knee) were the only players to suffer slight injuries. Jordan Biondi-Odo's excellent form makes for an interesting selection conundrum, with experienced five-eight Ben Jeffries suddenly facing a renewed push for the role in Round 1. "This is Jordan's third preseason with us and he's been going very well", O'Callaghan said. "He knows there is a really good opportunity in the halves now with us not getting any Cowboys allocations for those positions.