The Cairns Cyclones were a rugby league team that competed in the QRL Queensland Cup competition from 1996 to 2000.
History The inaugural 1996 team included the Captain/Coach and six first grade players from CDRL's Smithfield-based Ivanhoes Rugby League Club.
After a great first year in 1996 when they made the Preliminary Finals, they dropped down the ladder in subsequent seasons, finishing in last place in 2000. A lack of support from locals and other Cairns rugby league clubs, combined with increasing financial difficulties, meant the Cyclones withdrew from the Competition at the end of the 2000 season.
North Queensland was represented in the Queensland Cup from 2002-2007 by the Townsville North Queensland Young Guns, who were a feeder club to the North Queensland Cowboys. (The Queensland Cup was known as the Bundy Gold Cup from 2000-2001, the Queensland Cup from 2002-2004 and the Queensland Wizard Cup from 2005-2007).
In 2008 the rationalisation of rugby league below the NRL level meant the North Queensland Young Guns entered the NRL under 20's competition and the northern expansion of the Queensland Cup saw the establishment of a new Cairns-based QRL side, the Northern Pride.
Staff Manager: Nigel Tillett Coach: Gary Smith (19961999, formerly CDRL Ivanhoes Knights), Brad Tessman (2000).
Colours The Cyclones' colours were traditionally green, white and gold.
Home ground The Cyclones' home ground was Barlow Park in Cairns. The playing field is 114 metres long (100 metres of field plus two 7 metre in goal areas) by 68 metres wide. The facility is floodlit for night games with four towers providing 620 lux. The venue has a capacity of 15,000 which includes 1,700 seats (mostly undercover). The car park can accommodate approximately 300 vehicles.
1996 season - 8 home games (won 5, lost 3) 1997 season - 7 home games (won 3, drew 1, lost 3) 1998 season - 7 home games (won 1, drew 1, lost 5) 1999 season - 7 home games (won 3, lost 4) 2000 season - home games (won, lost )
Seasons SeasonCompetitionPlay-offs1996Queensland Cup151005310224+84205thLost in preliminary semi-final1997Queensland Cup187110318352-34159throwspan=3 1998Queensland Cup228212500642-1421810th1999Queensland Cup229112494514-20188th2000Queensland Cup222020228854-566412th
Cairns Cyclones Players (and seasons played) Player Seasons played Aaron Port1997Adam Bowditch 2000 Adam Connolly 1999 Andrew Bulmer 1997 Andy Henley 1996-7 Anthony Sexton 2000 Ben Heath 1999 Ben Rauter 1999 Ben Zamatarro 1997 Boyd Lorimer 1997 Brad Coey-Braddon2000 Brett Blennerhassett 1998 Brian Balderson 1998 Brian Fourmile 1996 Bronson Ryan 2000 Cameron McNab 1999 Chad Halliday 1999 Chad Prien 1996 & 1999 Chris Kelly 1996 Chris Muckett 1999 Chris Vanoletti 1996 Cian Jacobs 1997 Clint Arnol 2000 Clint Zammit 2000 Colin Prince 1998 Craig Cygler 1996-7 David Maiden 1996-7 Denny Lambert 1999 Duncn Naawi 1998 Fabian Della Bosca 1997 Gavin Sant 1997 Greg Burke 1999 Jaime McIntosh 1998-2000 Jason Barsley 1998 & 2000 Jason Berg 1999-2000 John Bolsem 1998 John Clifford 1996-7 John Doyle 1999 John Manning 1999 Karl Dawson 1998-2000 Kerry Amory 2000 Lama Ahmat 2000 Leigh McWilliams 1999 Leon Yeatman 1999/2000 Liam Johnson 1999 Mark Fakahua 2000 Matt Clifford 1996 Matt Hensler 1996 Michal Mahoney 1997 Mick Cooney 1999 Mick Skardon 1996-7 Nathan Butterworth 1997-8 Nathan Fein 1999 Nathan Woods 1996-7 Neil Stanley 2000 Nick Patterson1999 Noel Haslem 1998 Noel Slade 2000 Patrick Gardner 2000 Paul Dezolt 1999 Paul Fowler 1996-7, 1999 & 2000 Paul Ketchell 1998 Paul Pensini 1999 Peter Dangerfield 1997 Peter Deaves 1996-7 & 1999 Phil Yanner 1998 Quinton Nicol 2000 Richard Murgha 1996-7 Robbie Hollingsworth 1996 Robbie Schmidt 1996-7 Rober David 1998 Scott Asimus 1999 Scott Donald 1999 Scott Mahon 1999 Scott Manns 1997 Scott Prince 1999 Scott Tronc 1996 Scott Williamson 2000 Shane Medhurst 1997-8 Shane Muspratt 1999 Shane Vivian 1997 Shannon Furber 2000 Shannon Van Balen 1996-7 & 1999 Stephen Tillett 1997 Sterling Fourmile 1998 Steve Howlett 1996 Steve Singleton 1998 & 2000 Steve Womal 1996 Steven Hepworth 1997 Swaggie Nona 1998 Tasman Van Balen 1997 Tim Kopp 2000 Troy Lorimer 1996-7 Ty Walter 2000 Ty Williams 2000 Victor Akiba 2000 Wade Backmann 1999 Wes Davies 1998
See also
References
External links Cairns Cyclones Statistics retrieved 7 December 2005 Northern Pride Official site