Fortitude Valley Diehards
Encyclopedia
The Fortitude Valley Diehards were an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Brisbane suburb of Fortitude Valley.
team in Brisbane
, Australia
, being formed in, and winning their first premiership, in 1909 - also the year of the inaugural Brisbane Rugby League premiership. They have roots tracing to 1908 and the first rugby league game in the state, between North Brisbane and Toombul, who would combine with Valleys in 1911.
They were by far and away Brisbane's most successful rugby league team, having won a total of 24 premierships in their 86 seasons, including 7 of the first 11 premierships. With the introduction of the Brisbane Broncos
into the New South Wales Rugby League
in 1988, Valleys formed a short-lived joint venture with the Tweed Heads Seagulls
playing under the name Seagulls-Diehards, winning the 1988 premiership. The joint venture broke soon after and Valleys returned to their old name.
Financial difficulties in the early 1990s took their toll on the club, leading Valleys to a short-lived merger with the Caboolture Snakes, calling themselves Caboolture Valleys, in 1995. However the club folded at season's end, preventing the foundation club from playing in the inaugural Queensland Cup in 1996.
In 2002, Valleys entered a partnership with another former Brisbane Rugby League team, Brothers, playing under the name Brothers-Valleys
. Playing out of Perry Park
, in the Brisbane suburb of Bowen Hills, approximately half way between Fortitude Valley and Albion, the Two-Blues participated in the Mixwell Cup
and Mixwell Colts Challenge
, before being accepted into the Queensland Cup for Season 2004. Based at O'Callagahn Park in Zillmere, the club's only premiership points that season were from a first round draw. At seasons end, Brothers Valleys announced a name change to Brothers Diehards, but were not accepted into the 2005 Queensland Cup, on the basis of club finance.
The Diehards still however compete in the Amateur Brisbane Second Division along with other Brisbane Clubs.
Perhaps the greatest ever year for Valleys was their 1955 success during which the side remained undefeated under the peerless leadership of fullback Norm Pope.
's rebranding process in the 1980s, which saw all BRL clubs adopt a logo with the stylised Q, Valleys identified themselves with a simple VFC (Valleys Football Club) monogram. With the introduction of the new logo in the 1980s, the monogram was relocated to the shield of the newly adopted Gladiator moniker, although for the next few seasons the monogram remained on the jersey, beneath the AVCO sponsorship logo.
. Currently Valleys Juniors, who evolved from the BRL team in 1951, play fulltime at Emerson Park, Grange, and have done so since gradually moving out of Neumann Oval in the early 1970s.
History
Until their demise in 1995, the Fortitude Valley Diehards, often referred to simply as Valleys, were the oldest surviving rugby leagueRugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
team in Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, being formed in, and winning their first premiership, in 1909 - also the year of the inaugural Brisbane Rugby League premiership. They have roots tracing to 1908 and the first rugby league game in the state, between North Brisbane and Toombul, who would combine with Valleys in 1911.
They were by far and away Brisbane's most successful rugby league team, having won a total of 24 premierships in their 86 seasons, including 7 of the first 11 premierships. With the introduction of the Brisbane Broncos
Brisbane Broncos
The Brisbane Broncos are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the city of Brisbane, the capital of the state of Queensland. Founded in 1988, the Broncos play in Australasia's elite competition, the National Rugby League premiership. They have won six premierships and two...
into the New South Wales Rugby League
New South Wales Rugby League
The New South Wales Rugby League is the governing body of rugby league in New South Wales and is a member of the Australian Rugby League. It was formed in Sydney on 8 August 1907 and was known as the New South Wales Rugby Football League until 1984 when forward thinking marketing managers decided...
in 1988, Valleys formed a short-lived joint venture with the Tweed Heads Seagulls
Tweed Heads Seagulls
The Tweed Heads Seagulls, often referred to simply as Tweed or Seagulls, is a rugby league club based in Tweed Heads, New South Wales, and is the only non-Queensland team to play in the Queensland Cup.-History:...
playing under the name Seagulls-Diehards, winning the 1988 premiership. The joint venture broke soon after and Valleys returned to their old name.
Financial difficulties in the early 1990s took their toll on the club, leading Valleys to a short-lived merger with the Caboolture Snakes, calling themselves Caboolture Valleys, in 1995. However the club folded at season's end, preventing the foundation club from playing in the inaugural Queensland Cup in 1996.
In 2002, Valleys entered a partnership with another former Brisbane Rugby League team, Brothers, playing under the name Brothers-Valleys
Brothers-Valleys
Brothers-Valleys were a rugby league team formed from a merger between the Brothers and Fortitude Valley Diehards teams in 2002. The team debuted in a pre-season match against St George-Illawarra in 2002, and for the next two seasons competed in the Brisbane A Grade Mixwell Cup and Mixwell Colts...
. Playing out of Perry Park
Perry Park, Brisbane
Perry Park Stadium is a sporting ground located at Enoggera Park in the Brisbane suburb of Bowen Hills.It is known widely as the "spiritual home of association Football" in Queensland....
, in the Brisbane suburb of Bowen Hills, approximately half way between Fortitude Valley and Albion, the Two-Blues participated in the Mixwell Cup
Brisbane A-Grade Rugby League
The FOGS Cup is an 11 team competition that is the level below the Queensland Cup. It started in 2001, then known as the Quest Cup and changed its name to the Mixwell Cup in 2003. Finally it became the FOGS Cup in 2006...
and Mixwell Colts Challenge
Brisbane A-Grade Rugby League
The FOGS Cup is an 11 team competition that is the level below the Queensland Cup. It started in 2001, then known as the Quest Cup and changed its name to the Mixwell Cup in 2003. Finally it became the FOGS Cup in 2006...
, before being accepted into the Queensland Cup for Season 2004. Based at O'Callagahn Park in Zillmere, the club's only premiership points that season were from a first round draw. At seasons end, Brothers Valleys announced a name change to Brothers Diehards, but were not accepted into the 2005 Queensland Cup, on the basis of club finance.
The Diehards still however compete in the Amateur Brisbane Second Division along with other Brisbane Clubs.
Perhaps the greatest ever year for Valleys was their 1955 success during which the side remained undefeated under the peerless leadership of fullback Norm Pope.
Crest
Unlike many other rugby league teams in Australia, until it was forced upon them Valleys never had an official moniker. Although they were nicknamed the "Diehards", which came about from their reported "Diehard spirit" in tough games, until the Queensland Rugby LeagueQueensland Rugby League
The Queensland Rugby Football League is the governing body for rugby league in Queensland. It is a member of the Australian Rugby League and selects the members of Queensland State of Origin teams....
's rebranding process in the 1980s, which saw all BRL clubs adopt a logo with the stylised Q, Valleys identified themselves with a simple VFC (Valleys Football Club) monogram. With the introduction of the new logo in the 1980s, the monogram was relocated to the shield of the newly adopted Gladiator moniker, although for the next few seasons the monogram remained on the jersey, beneath the AVCO sponsorship logo.
Colours
Valleys had a very traditional playing strip, and were the simplest of the Brisbane Rugby League clubs. Their colours were royal blue, with a white collar, and a white butcher stripe (irregular hoop) vertically on each side of the shorts. Their socks were blue, although again were complemented by a white butcher stripe in the middle on occasion. The VFC monogram was white, as was the majority of sponsorship logos placed on the jersey.Home Ground
Although not technically in the Fortitude Valley area, the Diehards played out of what was then known as Neumann Oval in Albion, in the same area as the Albion Park trots and Brothers Rugby Union's Crosby Park. Following the Diehards departure for Caboolture, and eventual extinction, in 1995, Queensland Cricket purchased the ground and renamed it Allan Border FieldAllan Border Field
Allan Border Field is a small cricket ground in the Brisbane suburb of Albion in Queensland. The Australian Cricket Academy has been based at the oval since 2004 using it as a base for the development of elite cricketers throughout Australia....
. Currently Valleys Juniors, who evolved from the BRL team in 1951, play fulltime at Emerson Park, Grange, and have done so since gradually moving out of Neumann Oval in the early 1970s.
Junior Clubs
Valleys Juniors and Valleys United Stars (now Easts Bulimba Stars) were the only two junior clubs that belonged to Valleys.Australia
- Vic ArmbrusterVic ArmbrusterLouis Victor "Vic" Armbruster was an Australian rugby league footballer for New South Wales, Queensland and Australia. He is considered one of the nation's finest footballers of the 20th century...
- Edward Buckley
- Chris CloseChris CloseChristopher "Choppy" Close is an Australian retired professional rugby league footballer of the 1970s, '80s and '90s. A robust three-quarter, he represented Australia internationally and Queensland in State of Origin, and played club football in Queensland and New South Wales...
- Arthur Edwards
- Vince FawcettVince FawcettVince Fawcett is an English former professional rugby league footballer of the 1980s and '90s who at club level has played for Leeds, Workington Town, Parramatta Eels, Oldham Bears, Warrington Wolves, and Wakefield Trinity Wildcats, playing at , , i.e...
- Declan Bradbury
- Duncan HallDuncan HallDuncan Hall was an Australian rugby league footballer of the 1940s and 1950s, singled out as having been amongst the greatest of the 20th century. He played in the Brisbane Rugby League premiership for Fortitude Valley Diehards and represented Queensland and Australia. He has been named amongst...
- Jack Horrigan
- Wally LewisWally LewisWalter James "Wally" Lewis AM is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer and coach. Currently a commentator of the sport, he is widely regarded as the greatest rugby league player of all time...
- Jack Little
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- Mark MurrayMark Murray (rugby league)Mark Murray is an Australian former rugby league footballer and coach. He represented Australia in test matches and Queensland in the State of Origin. His position of choice was halfback...
- Fred Neumann
- Norm PopeNorm PopeNorman "Norm" Pope was a rugby league player in the Australian competition, the New South Wales Rugby League.Pope played in the halves at the Eastern Suburbs club in the years 1927-31. In the 1931 season Pope captained the side that lost to South Sydney in the 1931 Grand Final...
- Ross StrudwickRoss StrudwickRoss Strudwick is an Australian former rugby league footballer and coach. An Australian international, New South Wales and Queensland representative halfback of the 1970s, he played club football in the NSWRFL Premiership for St. George and in the BRL Premiership for Fortitude Valley...
- Roy Westaway
Queensland (state of origin)
- Chris CloseChris CloseChristopher "Choppy" Close is an Australian retired professional rugby league footballer of the 1970s, '80s and '90s. A robust three-quarter, he represented Australia internationally and Queensland in State of Origin, and played club football in Queensland and New South Wales...
- Ross HenrickRoss HenrickRoss Henrick was an Australian rugby league footballer of the 1970s and 80s. Nicknamed "The Angry Ant", he was a Queensland State of Origin representative halfback, and played club football in the Brisbane Rugby League premiership for Fortitude Valley, Norths and Redcliffe.Henrick played at...
- Wally LewisWally LewisWalter James "Wally" Lewis AM is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer and coach. Currently a commentator of the sport, he is widely regarded as the greatest rugby league player of all time...
- Mark Murray
- Bryan NieblingBryan NieblingBryan Niebling is an Australian former rugby league footballer who played in the forwards. After a successful Brisbane Rugby League premiership and representative career for both his state and country, Niebling played in the New South Wales Rugby League premiership for the Brisbane Broncos from...
- Grant RixGrant RixGrant Rix is an Australian former rugby league player. During his career he played in the Brisbane Rugby League premiership for Fortitude Valley Diehards, the New South Wales Rugby League premiership with the Brisbane Broncos and in England with Halifax RLFC.He had huge potential and was seen to...
Queensland (residents)
- Mark ShipwayMark ShipwayMark Shipway is a former professional rugby league player who played for the North Queensland Cowboys, the Northern Eagles and the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles in the National Rugby League . He also played for the Salford City Reds in the English Super League and for the Redcliffe Dolphins in the...
- David Bourke
- Shane Buckley
- Tony Catton
- Peter Coyne
- Brett Daunt
- Kelly Egan
- Bill Holmes
- Eric Kennedy
- Gerard Kerr
- Steele RetchlessSteele RetchlessSteele Retchless is an Australian retired professional rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s. He previously played for the Brisbane Broncos and London Broncos, primarily in the second row...
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- Shaun Rubesaame
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