2017 was the tenth competitive season for Sea Swift Northern Pride Rugby League Football Club. This team is based in Cairns, Queensland, Australia. They were one of 14 clubs that played in the twenty-first 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.

The sacked CEO Rod Jensen was replaced by Greg Dowling. Dowling had a long playing career, having been a Kangaroo (1984–1987), played for the Maroons in Origin (1984–1987), Wynnum Manly (1981–1985) in the Brisbane Rugby League, Northern Suburbs (1987) in the Winfield State League, the Broncos (1988–1991) in the Winfield Cup, and Wigan Warriors in England RL's Championship and Challenge Cup.

Interim chairman, Terry Mackenroth stood down and was replaced by board member and Cairns real estate agent Tony Williamson.

Feedback from fans convinced the club to return home games to Saturday evenings, as last year's move to 3:00pm on Sunday afternoons was not popular and crowd numbers fell. Home games this year were on Saturday evenings at 5:30pm, except for Round 17, 'Rivalry Round' against Mackay Cutters which was held at 1:40pm on Sunday afternoon and shown live on Channel 9.

Coach Joe O'Callaghan (2015–2016) resigned at the end of last season, and was replaced by Ty Williams, who had played for the Cairns Cyclones in QCup (1999), played for the NRL's North Queensland Cowboys (2002–2010), represented Queensland in State of Origin (2005), and played for the Indigenous All Stars (2008 and 2010). Williams had played 78 games for the Pride (2009–2013), 52 of them as captain (2011–2013). After leaving the Pride, he was captain-coach of CDRL Innisfail Leprechauns, and more recently had been the Lep's coach.

The Pride struggled this year, winning only six games, and losing seventeen, including eight losses in a row from Round 11 to Round 19. The Pride, who previously had an unenviable record of wins at home, managed only two victories at Barlow Park. They finished in twelfth place, their worst season to date.

Team of the Decade To mark the ten-year anniversary of the Northern Pride, a 'Team of the Decade' was selected. Eligible players had to have played 30 matches for the Pride. The selection panel was Brett Allen, Rhys O'Neill, Pat Bailey, Greg Dowling, Rob White and Bob Fowler. The Team was announced at a Gala Anniversary Dinner on 30 June 2017.

2017 Season - Sea Swift Northern Pride

Competition: Intrust Super Cup Sponsor: Sea Swift

Staff

Coaches/Trainers Coach: Ty Williams Assistant coach: Sam Obst Assistant coach: Shane O'Flanagan Mal Meninga Cup U-18s coaches: Dave Scott Cyril Connell Cup U-16s coach: Strength and conditioning coach: Jonnie Walker

Captain Ryan Ghietti Jared Allen (Vice-captain)

Managers Administration Manager: Kerri Neil then Lauren Dowling Marketing Officer: Rachael Tierney Team manager: Alan Marsh Assistant manager (Home): Kev Anderson Assistant manager (Away): Murray Stalley Chief executive: Greg Dowling Chairman: Tony Williamson Board of Directors: Colin Moore (CDRL), Ian Lydiard (CDJRL), Troy McGuane, (Cairns Post), Gail Andrejic (finance), Stephen Tillett, Rob White (football), Eleanor Scott (government). Peter Parr (Cowboys)

Squad The Pride used 31 players this season. Fourteen players from last year signed with the club again, and one of the Cowboys allocation players from last year was assigned to the Pride again this year. Fourteen new players made their debut this season; ten were new signings (Brad Lupi, Connor Jones, Darryn Schonig, Jack Brock, Jack Campagnolo, Kienan Grogan-Hayes, Matthew Musumeci, Shawn Bowen, Troy Kapea and Will Bugden), and four were new Cowboys allocation players (Ben Hampton*, Gideon Gela-Mosby*, Marcus Jensen* and Patrick Mago*). Joel Riethmuller came out of retirement and Graham Clark came back from the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs.

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Allocated but did not play for the Pride in 2017:

2017 player gains Player From League From Club Joel Riethmuller CDRL Brothers Cairns Graham Clark NRL Telstra Premiership Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs Connor Jones NRL Under-20s Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs U-20s Darryn Schonig NRL Under-20s North Queensland Cowboys U-20s Will Bugden Intrust Super Cup Tweed Heads Seagulls Brad Lupi Intrust Super Cup Mackay Cutters Troy Kapea Intrust Super Cup Townsville Blackhawks Bradley Stephen CDRL Innisfail Leprechauns Shawn Bowen CDRL Mossman-Port Douglas Sharks Marvin Toko CDRL Ivanhoes Knights Kienan Grogan-Hayes Matthew Musumeci Jack Brock Jack Campagnolo

Player losses after 2016 season

Player To League To Club Denzel King Resigned (work commitments) David Murphy Intrust Super Cup Easts Tigers Jack Svendsen Intrust Super Cup Easts Tigers Linc Port Intrust Super Cup Easts Tigers Brayden Torpy Intrust Super Cup Easts Tigers Menmuny Murgha Intrust Super Cup Norths Devils Rajan Opetaia-Halls Intrust Super Cup Norths Devils Greg Miglio Intrust Super Cup Norths Devils Luke La Rosa Intrust Super Cup Mackay Cutters Vaipuna Tia Kilifi Intrust Super Premiership NSW Windsor Mounties Akeripa Tia Kilifi Intrust Super Premiership NSW Windsor Mounties

Cowboys no longer allocated to the Pride Player To League To Club Patrick Kaufusi* Shaun Hudson*

2017 season launch Pre-season training: 7 November 2016. Pre-season boot camp: 2017 Sponsors Launch: 25 February 2017, Whitfield Chapel, Whitfield

2017 player awards 27 August 2017, Brothers World of Entertainment, Manunda Player of the Year: Graham Clark Players' Player: Graham Clark Rookie of the Year: Troy Kapea Best Back: Jordan Biondi-Odo Best Forward: Darryn Schonig Most improved player: Nathan Wales John O'Brien Perpetual Club Person of the Year: Shane Howton

2017 player records Most Games: Jordan Biondi-Odo (23), Graham Clark (23). Most Tries: Gideon Gela-Mosby* (8), Marcus Jensen* (8) Most Points: Khan Ahwang (80)

2017 representative players Ryan Ghietti Joel Riethmuller Justin Castellaro Colin Wilkie Played for Italy Azzurri in the 2017 Rugby League World Cup qualification

Jerseys

Trial matches

Round Opponent Score Date VenueTrial 1 NYC NQ Cowboys U-20s1218Saturday, 4 February 2017 Callendar Park, InnisfailTrial 2 Townsville Blackhawks106Saturday, 11 February 2017Smithfield Sporting Complex, SmithfieldTrial 3 PNG Hunters2430Saturday, 18 February 2017Vico Oval, Mooroobool

Sea Swift Northern Pride: Unlimited Interchange: NYC U-20s North Queensland Cowboys: ? Note: This game was going to be played at CDRL Southern Suburbs' ground at Alley Park, Gordonvale, but renovation works were not completed in time and so the game was moved to Innisfail.This was Ty Williams first game as coach. He selected a young squad, with a large contingent of the club's CDRL portability program. The game was played in very wet and difficult conditions.

Sea Swift Northern Pride: Unlimited Interchange: Unavailable: Will Bugden, Javid Bowen*, Ben Spina*, Gideon Gela-Mosby*, and Ben Hampton* (selected to play for the North Queensland Cowboys in a pre-season trial against the Sydney Roosters in Mackay tonight. Townsville and Districts Mendi Blackhawks: ? Note: This game was going to be played at CDRL Mossman-Port Douglas Sharks' ground at Mossman Showgrounds, but the Blackhawks objected to travelling 75 km up the coast from Cairns airport to Mossman, so the games was played at CDRL Ivanhoes Knights' home ground at Smithfield instead.

Sea Swift Northern Pride: Unlimited Interchange: SP PNG Hunters: ?

Intrust Super Cup matches

Sea Swift Northern Pride: Interchange: * = Cowboys allocation (4 players allocated for this match). Unavailable: Joel Riethmuller (injury), Tom Hancock (injury). Mackay Cutters: 1. Yamba Bowie, 2. Jack Joass, 3. Setaimata Sa (c), 4. Jordan Pereira, 5. Nathan Saumalu, 6. Nicho Hynes, 7. Cooper Bambling, 8. Braden Hamlin-Uele, 9. Jake Eden, 10. Nick Brown, 11. Isaac Richardson, 12. Johnny Faletagoa'i, 13. Jack Blagbrough. Interchange: 14. Aaron Booth, 15. Jacob Pottinger, 16. Gareth Moore, 18. Lona Kaifoto. * = North Queensland Cowboys allocation (? players allocated for this match). Coach: Steve Sheppard. Note: This was the Pride debut for William Bugden, Connor Jones, Darryn Schonig and Troy Kapea (Pride Players 131 & 133–135), and North Queensland Cowboys allocation players Gideon Gela-Mosby*, Marcus Jensen* and Patrick Mago* (Pride Players 129, 130 & 132). PositionRound 1 - 2017PWDLBForAgainstDiffPts2 Northern Pride11000244+202

Sea Swift Northern Pride: Interchange: * = Cowboys allocation (4 players allocated for this match). Unavailable: Joel Riethmuller (injury), Tom Hancock (injury). Pride Out: Nathan Wales (bench). Pride In: Javid Bowen*. Changes: Luke George (centre to bench). Wynnum-Manly Seagulls: 1. Daniel Ogden, 2. Daniel Wallace, 3. David Mead, 4. Mitch Buckett, 5. Jack Goodsell, 6. Will Brimson, 7. Travis Burns, 8. Aaron Rockley, 9. Jayden Berrell, 10. Ngarima Pita, 11. Alex Barr, 1. Stedman Lefau, 13. Brendon Gibb. Interchange: 14. Mitchell Frei, 15. Mitch Cronin, 16. Adam Tuimavave-Gerrard, 17. John Te Reo. * = Brisbane Broncos allocation (? players allocated for this match). Coach: Adam Brideson. PositionRound 2 - 2017PWDLBForAgainstDiffPts5 Northern Pride210104224+182

Sea Swift Northern Pride: Interchange: * = Cowboys allocation (3 players allocated for this match). Pride Out: Javid Bowen* (centre), Ben Spina* (lock). Pride In: Nathan Wales (bench), Colin Wilkie (bench). Changes: Luke George (bench to centre), Troy Kapea (bench to lock). SC Falcons: 1. Eddie Tautali, 2. Matt Soper-Lawler, 3, Jeremy Hawkins, 4. Justin Olam*, 5. Samuel Wright, 15. Jahrome Hughes*, 7. Guy Hamilton, 17. Vincent Leuluai, 9. Jake Turpin, 18. Tui Kamikamica, 11. Dane Hogan (c), 12. Joe Stimson*, 13. Jon Grieve. Interchange: 6. Alex Bishop, 10. Lachlan Timm*, 14. Brandon Smith, 16. Jye Ballinger. * = Melbourne Storm allocation (? players allocated for this match). Coach: Craig Ingebrigtsen. PositionRound 3 - 2017PWDLBForAgainstDiffPts8 Northern Pride310205246+62

Sea Swift Northern Pride: Interchange: * = Cowboys allocation (3 players allocated for this match). Pride Out: Gideon Gela-Mosby* (wing), Nathan Wales (bench). Pride In: Bradley Stephen (wing), Ben Spina* (bench). Eastern Suburbs Tigers: 1. Gerrard Mccallum, 2. Jarrod Mcinally, 3. Shane Neumann, 4. Conor Carey, 5. Linc Port, 6. Billy Walters, 7. Brodie Croft, 8. Steve Thorpe, 9. Tom Butterfield, 10. Matthew Zgrajewski, 11. Jake Foster (c), 12. Dean Britt, 13. Jack Svendsen. Interchange: 14. David Murphy, 15. Charlie Galo, 16. Luke Lavelle, 17. Adam Crear. * = Melbourne Storm allocation (? players allocated for this match). Coach: Scott Sipple. Note: Justin Castellaro's 50th Queensland Cup game for the Pride. PositionRound 4 - 2017PWDLBForAgainstDiffPts11 Northern Pride410306488-242

Sea Swift Northern Pride: Interchange: * = Cowboys allocation (2 players allocated for this match). Pride Out: Troy Kapea (lock). Pride In: Joel Riethmuller (bench). Changes: Bradley Stephen (wing to centre), Luke George (centre to wing), Jordan Biondi-Odo (five-eighth to hooker), Jared Allen (halfback to five-eighth), Sheldon Powe-Hobbs (front row to bench), Ryan Ghietti (hooker to halfback), Colin Wilkie (bench to lock), Ben Spina* (bench to front row) Burleigh Bears: 1. Kurtis Rowe, 2. Henare Wells, 3. Sami Sauiluma, 4. Connor Broadhurst, 5. Oliver Regan, 6. Keanu Te Kiri, 7. Tyler Cornish, 8. Luke Page (c), 9. Sam Coster, 10. Paterika Vaivai, 11. Jamie Dowling, 12. Dylan Kelly, 13. Lorenzo Ma'afu. Interchange: 14. Chris Law, 15. Parahi Wilson, 16. Matthew White, 19. Darren Griffiths. * = Gold Coast Titans allocation (? players allocated for this match). Coach: Jim Lenihan. PositionRound 5 - 2017PWDLBForAgainstDiffPts9 Northern Pride520308294-124