Northern Pride RLFC
Encyclopedia
The Northern Pride RLFC is a Queensland rugby league
club founded in 2007. Based in Cairns, Queensland
they compete in the Queensland Cup
.
(whom they played their debut game against), were the two expansion teams for the 2008 season of the Queensland Cup
. Their homeground is Barlow Park
in Cairns. The Northern Pride along with Mackay Cutters
are a feeder club to the North Queensland Cowboys
The Northern Pride is coached by former NRL player Andrew Dunemann
with David Maiden and Troy Cummings appointed as Assistant coaches and captained by former North Queensland Cowboys
player Chris Sheppard
. Some of the players includes NRL players, QRL players and local players from within Far North Queensland. The Northern Pride are full of former and active NRL players such as Chris Sheppard, Ty Williams and Brett Anderson. In their first year the Pride came 3rd just losing to the Souths Logan Magpies who went on to win the grand final in 2008. They followed up the impressive first season by making their first Queensland Cup Grand Final appearance in 2009, but lost against the Sunshine Coast Sea Eagles
. They then won their first Queensland Cup in 2010, having won 11 previous matches in a row leading into the Grand Final. The 2010 Grand Final was also Captain Chris Sheppard's last game for the Northern Pride electing to retire from Rugby League as a premiership winning captain.
Rugby 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...
club founded in 2007. Based in Cairns, Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
they compete in the Queensland Cup
Queensland Cup
The Queensland Cup is the premier rugby league football competition in the State of Queensland, Australia.It is a statewide competition with the majority of teams based in South East Queensland but also including sides based in Cairns, Mackay and Rockhampton.The competition began in 1996 as a...
.
History
The Northern Pride along with the Mackay CuttersMackay Cutters
The Mackay Cutters RLFC are a semi-professional rugby league football club founded in 2007 based in Mackay, Queensland. They, along with the Northern Pride, will be one of two expansion teams for the 2008 season of the Queensland Cup. Their home ground will be at the Mackay & District Junior Rugby...
(whom they played their debut game against), were the two expansion teams for the 2008 season of the Queensland Cup
Queensland Cup
The Queensland Cup is the premier rugby league football competition in the State of Queensland, Australia.It is a statewide competition with the majority of teams based in South East Queensland but also including sides based in Cairns, Mackay and Rockhampton.The competition began in 1996 as a...
. Their homeground is Barlow Park
Barlow Park
Barlow Park is a sporting ground in Cairns.The Park is home of Cairns District Rugby League, Cairns District Rugby Union, Cairns and District Athletics Association, Australian Sports Commission Development, Oztag and the Northern Pride RLFC....
in Cairns. The Northern Pride along with Mackay Cutters
Mackay Cutters
The Mackay Cutters RLFC are a semi-professional rugby league football club founded in 2007 based in Mackay, Queensland. They, along with the Northern Pride, will be one of two expansion teams for the 2008 season of the Queensland Cup. Their home ground will be at the Mackay & District Junior Rugby...
are a feeder club to the North Queensland Cowboys
North Queensland Cowboys
The North Queensland Cowboys are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Townsville, Queensland. They compete in Australasia's elite rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership...
The Northern Pride is coached by former NRL player Andrew Dunemann
Andrew Dunemann
Andrew Dunemann is a former coach of the Northern Pride a QRL club and is a former Australian National Rugby League player. He now works as the NYC coach of the Canberra Raiders...
with David Maiden and Troy Cummings appointed as Assistant coaches and captained by former North Queensland Cowboys
North Queensland Cowboys
The North Queensland Cowboys are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Townsville, Queensland. They compete in Australasia's elite rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership...
player Chris Sheppard
Chris Sheppard
Chris Sheppard is an Australian rugby league player. He has previously played for the North Queensland Cowboys and the St. George Illawarra Dragons...
. Some of the players includes NRL players, QRL players and local players from within Far North Queensland. The Northern Pride are full of former and active NRL players such as Chris Sheppard, Ty Williams and Brett Anderson. In their first year the Pride came 3rd just losing to the Souths Logan Magpies who went on to win the grand final in 2008. They followed up the impressive first season by making their first Queensland Cup Grand Final appearance in 2009, but lost against the Sunshine Coast Sea Eagles
Sunshine Coast Sea Eagles
Sunshine Coast Sea Eagles are a professional rugby league team currently playing in the Queensland Cup they are a new team to the competition. They previously played under the name of the Sunshine Coast Falcons but were booted from the competition...
. They then won their first Queensland Cup in 2010, having won 11 previous matches in a row leading into the Grand Final. The 2010 Grand Final was also Captain Chris Sheppard's last game for the Northern Pride electing to retire from Rugby League as a premiership winning captain.