2009 was the second competitive season for the Cairns based CRGT Northern Pride Rugby League Football Club. They were one of 12 clubs that played in the fourteenth season of Queensland's top rugby league competition, QRL's Wizard Queensland Cup.
The readmission of the Sunshine Coast Sea Eagles meant 12 clubs competed. with each club playing 11 home games and 11 away games over 26 weeks between March and August.
The Northern Pride worked through the financial troubles they faced at the end of last season, with the North Queensland Cowboys and NRL partnerships guaranteeing funding. New chairman, Bob Fowler, submitted a revised budget for the 2009 season, noting that the former chairman's financial guarantees to cover any shortfall would not be honoured. QRL Managing Director Ross Livermore and QRL Competitions and Operations Manager Bill Hunter approved the new budget. The Pride trained and operated out of their new home, Pride Oval on Irene Street, Mooroobool, and held their first match there, a pre-season trial against PNG Telikom Sun Engineering Resident Kumuls, attracting over 4,000 spectators. The club launched an email newsletter for members called 'Pride Pulse e-newsletter'.
In order to avoid the Wet season rain and a repeat of last seasons Round 1 mud-bath, the Pride's first two matches were away games. Home games were moved from 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm on Saturdays, and for the first time, a Friday night home match was scheduled on the Queen's Birthday long weekend. The QRL expanded the finals series from five teams to six for the 2009 season.
There was some controversy in Round 9 when Mackay Cutters Roy Baira broke Pride Luke Millwood's jaw in a high tackle. Referee Brendon Rose penalised the Cutters and placed Baira on report, but did not send him off. Pride coach Dunneman questioned the referees decision, and later questioned the QRL tribunal after Baira was banned for only four weeks for the offence. The QRL fined the Pride $3,000 for Dunemann's comments.
Although the Pride lost three consecutive games between Rounds 14 and 16, they won four of the last five rounds. They finished in second place with fourteen wins for the season, four points behind the minor-premiers, Souths Logan Magpies, and one place better than they finished last year. Second place meant the Pride got to host their week 1 final game, the first ever home final appearance. There was a scheduling clash at Barlow Park, as rival code CDRU had already booked the ground for their grand final. The Pride agreed to delay kick-off until 8:00 pm, when they comprehensively beat Norths Devils 44-16.
The victory should have allowed the Pride to host the preliminary final, but the match was scheduled to be broadcast on TV and the ABC were unable to make outside broadcasts from Cairns. Despite a petition signed by over 750 Pride players, fans, administrators, local Councillors and MPs wishing to keep the game in FNQ, the TV rights prevailed, and the game was played 1,700 kilometres away in Brisbane in front of a small crowd. Despite the loss of home-ground advantage, the Pride beat Central Comets to reach their maiden Grand Final against newcomers Sunshine Coast Sea Eagles.
The final was played at the Sea Eagles home ground, Stockland Park, with the Sea Eagles fielding nine first-grade players from their NRL feeder club, the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles. The Pride lost 32–18. A bet between the mayors of Noosa (Sunshine Coast) and Cairns, resulted in the Cairns mayor, Val Schier, having to wear a Sea Eagles jersey to work.
Coach Andrew Dunemann initially signed up for another year as the Pride's coach, but after a chance meeting with NRL's Newcastle Knights coach Rick Stone, he resigned to take up a position as assistant coach under Stone.
A survey conducted by Cumming Economic determined the Northern Pride's economic benefit to the Cairns region in 2009 was $7,000,000.
2009 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 Mal Meninga Cup U-18s coach: David Maiden Mal Meninga Cup U-18s assistant coach: Cameron 'Spilla' Miller Mal Meninga Cup U-18s manager: Joe Maguire Cyril Connell Cup U-16s coach: Greg Malenstein Cyril Connell Cup U-16s manager: Nathan Woods Strength and conditioning coach: Scott Callaghan
Captains Chris Sheppard Chey Bird (Round 5)
Managers Operations manager: Chris Sheppard Team manager: Rob White Office Manager: Sheron McDougall Chief executive: Denis Keeffe Chairman: Bob Fowler Board of Directors: Greg Dowling, Nigel Tillett, Craig Meiklejohn, Bob Fowler.
2009 squad The Pride used 36 players this season. Twenty-one players from last year signed with the club again, and three of the Cowboys allocation players from last year were assigned to the Pride again this year. Twelve new players made their debut this season; four were new signings (Rod Jensen, Tom Humble, Chris Riesen and Germaine Paulson), and eight were new Cowboys allocation players (Nick Slyney*, James Tamou*, Clint Amos*, Brandon Boor*, Manase Manuokafoa*, Carl Webb* and Travis Burns*).
Chris Sheppard (c) Adam Mills Alex Starmer Ben Laity Callan Myles Chey Bird Chris Riesen Drew Campbell Germaine Paulson Greg Byrnes Gordon Rattler 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 Rod Jensen Tom Humble
Ben Kerr
John O'Sullivan
Robbie Kyles
Warren Jensen
Brandon Boor* Carl Webb* Clint Amos* David Pangai* James Tamou* John Williams* Manase Manuokafoa* Matthew Bartlett* Nick Slyney* Travis Burns* Ty Williams*
Allocated but did not play for the Pride in 2009:
Aaron Payne Ashley Graham Matt Bowen Scott Bolton Steve Southern
Player gains Player From League From Club NotesRod Jensen English RFL Super League Huddersfield Giants Germaine Paulson NRL Telstra Premiership South Sydney RabbitohsTom Humble NRL U-20s NYC North Queensland CowboysChris Riesen NRL U-20s NYC North Queensland Cowboys (CDRL2007 rookie of the yearBen Spina NRL U-20s NYC North Queensland Cowboys Scott Idec NRL U-20s NYC North Queensland CowboysSteven Kim CDRL Ivanhoes KnightsRobbie Kyles CDRL Edmonton Storm TrialJohn O'Sullivan CDRL Trial
Player losses after 2008 season Player To League To Club Brett Anderson NRL Telstra Premiership Melbourne Storm Chris Afamasaga Queensland Cup Ipswich Jets Steve Sheppard CDRL Mareeba Gladiators Ryan Bartlett Injured Eric Warria
Cowboys no longer allocated to the Pride Player To League To Club Jackson Nicolau NRL Telstra Premiership Gold Coast Titans Ben Vaeau* Queensland Cup Easts Tigers
2009 season launch Pre-Season Training: 25 November 2008. Pre-Season Boot Camp: Echo Adventures, Tully, 31 January–1 February 2009. Season Launch:: 12 March 2009, 6.30pm, Centre Stage, Cairns Central Shopping Centre.
2009 player awards 25 September 2009, Brothers World of Entertainment, Manunda Most Improved Player (sponsored by the CDRL): Nick Slyney* Cairns Plan Printing Best Back: Rod Jensen Skytrans Airlines Best Forward: Mark Cantoni WIN Television Players' Player: Tom Humble John O'Brien Perpetual Club Person of the Year: Sheron McDougall Skill360 Northern Pride Player of the Year: Tom Humble
2009 Queensland Residents team Rod Jensen Tom Humble Mark Cantoni
Players signed to first-tier teams Player To League To Club Tom Humble NRL Telstra Premiership Parramatta Eels
2009 jerseys
Trial Matches
CRGT Northern Pride: Unlimited Interchange: * = Cowboys allocation. Unavailable: Germaine Paulson (knee) PNG Telikom Sun Engineering Resident Kumuls: Joshua Poria, Charles Ongluglo, Anton Kui, Larsen Marabe, Elizah Riyong, Mark Mexico, Geno Kima, Rodney Pora, Opisa Pomba, Nixon Kolo, George Moni, Sigfred Gande, Leonard Otmar, Benjamin John, Ham Tee, Johnson Kuike, Junior Ropra, Dion Aiye. Coach: Michael Marum (coach of the Rabaul Gurias).
CRGT Northern Pride: Unlimited Interchange: * = Cowboys allocation. Unavailable: Chey Bird (hamstring), Luke Harlen (knee), Germaine Paulson (knee). NYC U-20s Cowboys: Sam Bowie, Mitch Zornig, Steve Eliott, Moses Pangai, Chippie Korostchuck, Ben Cronin, Ray Thompson, Dane Hogan, Michael Morgan, Dylan Smith, Troyden Watene, Chris Faust, Tyson Martin. Unlimited Interchange: James Segeyaro, Ryan Mahoney, Aiden Day, Ben Morgan, John Koko, Jared Huston, Ben Henaway, Jared Cockburn, Wayne Ulugia. Coach: Kristian Woolf.
CRGT Northern Pride: Unlimited Interchange: * = Cowboys allocation. Unavailable: Chey Bird (hamstring), Luke Harlen (knee), Germaine Paulson (knee). NQ Cowboys Combined: David Pangai, Moses Pangai, Shannon Hegarty, John Williams, Brandon Boor, Grant Rovelli, Ben Cronin, Dayne Weston, Clint Amos, Matthew Bartlett, Mitchell Achurch, Steve Rapira, Nick Slyney*. Interchange: Steve Eliott, Dane Hogan, Troyden Watene, Matt Groves. Coach: Matt Parish. Note: Opening game for the Stockland Cairns Challenge NRL pre-season trial match between the North Queensland Cowboys and Penrith Panthers.
Wizard Queensland Cup matches
CRGT Northern Pride: Interchange: * = Cowboys allocation. Unavailable: Mark Cantoni, Alex Starmer, Drew Campbell, Chey Bird (hamstring), Joel Riethmuller (dengue fever). Tweed Heads Seagulls: 1. Shannon Walker, 2. Ben Jeffery, 3. David Mead, 4. James Wood, 5. Brenton Bowen, 6. Brad Davis, 7. Tim Maccan, 8. Will Matthews, 9. Geoff Holcombe, 10. Michael Henderson, 11. Selasi Berdie, 12. Jake Leary, 13. Ryan Simpkins. Interchange: 14. Bodene Thompson, 15. Brock Hunter, 16. Tom Kingston, 17. Kingi Akauola. Coach: Steve Anderson. Note: Scheduled to be broadcast live on ABC TV, but the satellite technology was unavailable and the Norths Devils v Sunshine Coast Sea Eagles match from Bishop Park was broadcast instead.This was the Pride debut for Rod Jensen, Tom Humble, Chris Riesen, and Germaine Paulson, and North Queensland Cowboys allocation players David Pangai*, Nick Slyney*, and James Tamou* (Pride Players 036–042). PositionRound 1 – 2009PWDLForAgainstDiffPts10 Northern Pride10012030−100
CRGT Northern Pride: Interchange: * = Cowboys allocation. Unavailable: Chey Bird (hamstring). Ipswich Jets: 1. Chris Walker, 2. Scott Ireland, 3. Paoa Faamita, 4. Brendon Marshall, 5. Tyson Lofipo, 6. Jeremy Golf, 7. Matt Sharp, 13. Chris Afamasaga, 12. Lorenzo Maafu, 11. Warren Schilling, 10. Ian Donnelly, 9. Ian Lacey, 8. Paul Stephenson. Interchange: 14. Liam Capewell, 15. Tamati Talanoa, 16. Jacob Ling, 17. Chris Vaefaga. Coach: Glenn Lazarus. Note: This was the Pride debut for North Queensland Cowboys allocation player Clint Amos* (Pride Player 043).This was Ben Laity's 25th game for the Pride. PositionRound 2 – 2009PWDLForAgainstDiffPts6 Northern Pride21014850−22
CRGT Northern Pride: Interchange: * = Cowboys allocation. Easts Tigers: 1. Ryan Cullen, 2. Kev Stephensen, 3. Liam Campbell, 4. Wade Liddell, 5. Joe Richards, 6. Matt Lockyer, 7. Dane Phillips, 13. Albert Talipeau, 12. Mark Offerdahl, 11. Thomas Macgougan, 10. Isaak Ah Mau, 9. Trent Young, 8. Ben Vaeau. Interchange: 14. Matt Cameron, 15. Chris Bamford, 16. Charles Tonga, 17. Marcus Jensen. Coach: Darren Smith. PositionRound 3 – 2009PWDLForAgainstDiffPts7 Northern Pride32016768−14