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Norths Devils

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Norths Devils
Club information
Full nameNorths Devils Rugby League Football Club
Nickname(s)The Devils, Norths, Norty Norfs, The Devs
Colours Sky Blue, Navy Blue, Gold
FoundedPast Grammar (1891; 133 years ago (1891))
Northern Suburbs District (1933; 91 years ago (1933))
Websitenorthsdevilsrlfc.com
Current details
Ground(s)
CEOTroy Rovelli
CoachDave Elliot
CaptainJack Ahearn
CompetitionQueensland Cup
Brisbane Rugby League
Hastings Deering Colts
Mal Meninga Cup
Cyril Connell Challenge
2022Premiers
Current season
Records
Premierships13 (1927, 1934, 1938, 1940, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1966, 1969, 1980)
Runners-up9 (1931, 1932, 1939, 1941, 1944, 1945, 1967, 1970, 1990)
Minor premierships11 (1935, 1939, 1940, 1945, 1959, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1966, 1969, 1974)
Wooden spoons7 (1949, 1950, 1954, 1976, 1978, 1984, 1994)
Premierships (2nd grade)3 (1998, 2021, 2022)
Runners-up (2nd grade)1 (2010)
Minor premierships (2nd grade)2 (1998, 2021)
Wooden spoons (2nd grade)1 (2008)
Premierships (3rd grade)0
Runners-up (3rd grade)2 (2001, 2011)

The Northern Suburbs Devils, or North Brisbane Devils, or often simply referred to as Norths for short, are a rugby league club representing the northern suburbs of Brisbane, Australia. The team colours are sky blue, navy blue and gold. They play in the Hostplus Cup, and, through their predecessors, are one of the oldest clubs in Australia. Norths have won 14 A Grade, 17 Reserve Grade and 14 Colts/Third Grade Premierships. They hold the record for most consecutive first grade Brisbane Rugby League premierships, winning six in a row between 1959 and 1964 and being crowned champions most recently in 2022.

History

Before rugby league

The first incarnation of Northern Suburbs was the Past Grammars Rugby Union club, which was formed in 1891 as a separate Old Boys football club for Brisbane Grammar School.It shouldn't be confused with the school team known as Past & Present Grammar (made up of students, teachers & past students) which competed from 1888 to 1890.[1] The club was quite successful in its early years, winning premierships in 1892, 1898 and 1899, as well as 1914.[1] Wallaby captain Bob McCowan was a Past Grammar player when he led the national side in 1899.

Switch to rugby league

Following the disbandment of club rugby union in Brisbane towards the end of the First World War, Past Grammars, along with Christian Brothers and University, joined the Rugby Football League in 1920[2]

From Past Grammars RLFC to Norths

Past Grammars, also known as Grammar Norths, won their first premiership in 1927, before becoming Northern Suburbs, following the introduction of District Football by the Brisbane Rugby League in 1933.

Post-war

In 1959 Clive Churchill (the little master) captain-coached Brisbane Rugby League club Norths to a premiership, his training methods were carried on by Bob Bax who coached Northern Suburbs RLFC to become the first club in BRL history to win three consecutive first grade premierships when they defeated Fortitude Valley 29–5 in the 1961 grand final in front of a then-record club crowd of 19,824 at Lang Park.[3] Norths continued to dominate the decade with 7 grand final wins in 8 appearances. It would be another 11 years before they tasted success again.

Norths' Queensland representative player Nick Geiger was selected as the Australia national team's hooker in the final of the 1977 Rugby League World Cup tournament.

1990s

Logo in use during 1980s and 1990s
Logo in use during 1980s and 1990s

In the 1990s, along with many other Queensland clubs, Norths suffered heavily financially. Eventually it came to the stage that in 1998 they became a feeder club with National Rugby League newcomers, the Melbourne Storm, which attracted much needed finance, as well as some quality players, as well as securing the Devils' future. Also in 1998, the club won its first First Grade premiership since 1980,[4] beating Wests in the Grand Final.

2000s

In the 2006 NRL Grand Final Melbourne's 17 man team had 13 players who had played with Norths in past years, including Matt Geyer, who won a Premiership with the Devils in 1998[citation needed] and Melbourne in 1999. In the 2006 Tri-Nations series, 4 Norths players graduated to the Australian Kangaroos squad and 2 players, via Melbourne Storm, represented New Zealand Kiwis[citation needed].

In 2008 the Devils signed a partnership agreement with the Brisbane Broncos which sees developing Broncos players train with and compete for the Devils in the Intrust Super Cup.

In 2018 Rohan Smith was recruited to be the Head Coach of the club. In 2019 he led the Devils to the finals, with the team falling agonizingly short of progressing past the first round.

In 2021, Norths won their first premiership since the 1998 season beating The Wynnum Manly Seagulls in the Grand Final as well as achieving the minor premiership. Such success was replicated the following season when Norths won the 2022 Queensland Cup with a 16-10 victory over club rivals Redcliffe marking The Devils first "back to back" premiership run in the Queensland Cup era.[5]

Home grounds

For many years Norths played out of Oxenham Park in Nundah, but they moved to their current home ground, Albert Bishop Park, in 1969. Commonly referred to simply as 'Bishop Park', it borders the Schulz Canal in Nundah, and is named after club stalwart Albert Bishop, MBE. Norths has a licensed Leagues Club, Norths Leagues, at Bishop Park, as well as a second licensed Club at Anzac Avenue, Kallangur, further north of Brisbane.

Season summaries

Easts Tigers versus Norths Devils at Langlands Park, Brisbane Australia. May 4, 2014.

BRL (1920–1995)

Season Ladder position Result
Past Grammar
1920 7th did not qualify
1924 3rd Semi-finalists
1925 6th did not qualify
1926 5th did not qualify
1927 2nd Premiers
1928 6th did not qualify
1929 5th did not qualify
1930 4th Semi-finalists
1931 3rd Lost Grand Final Challenge
1932 2nd Lost Grand Final Challenge
Northern Suburbs
1933 5th did not qualify
1934 2nd Premiers
1935 1st Preliminary finalists
1936 3rd Preliminary finalists
1937 4th Semi-finalists
1938 2nd Premiers
1939 1st Runner-up
1940 1st Premiers
1941 3rd Runner-up
1942 4th Semi-finalists
1943 4th Preliminary finalists
1944 3rd Runner-up
1945 1st Runner-up
1946 5th did not qualify
1947 4th Semi-finalists
1948 5th did not qualify
1949 6th Wooden spoon
1950 6th Wooden spoon
1951 3rd Semi-finalists
1952 3rd Semi-finalists
1953 3rd Semi-finalists
1954 6th Wooden spoon
1955 4th Semi-finalists
1956 6th did not qualify
1957 4th Semi-finalists
1958 5th did not qualify
1959 1st Premiers
1960 2nd Premiers
1961 1st Premiers
1962 1st Premiers
1963 1st Premiers
1964 3rd Premiers
1965 3rd Semi-finalists
1966 1st Premiers
1967 2nd Runner-up
1968 4th Semi-finalists
1969 1st Premiers
1970 2nd Runner-up
1971 4th Semi-finalists
1972 6th did not qualify
1973 3rd Semi-finalists
1974 1st Preliminary finalists
1975 2nd Preliminary finalists
1976 8th Wooden spoon
1977 4th Semi-finalists
1978 8th Wooden spoon
1979 5th did not qualify
1980 4th Premiers
1981 6th did not qualify
1982 5th did not qualify
1983 7th did not qualify
1984 8th Wooden spoon
1985 7th did not qualify
1986 5th did not qualify
1987 2nd Semi-finalists
1988 6th did not qualify
1989 3rd Semi-finalists
1990 4th Runner-up
1991 2nd Semi-finalists
1992 3rd Preliminary finalists
1993 7th did not qualify
1994 12th Wooden spoon
1995 11th did not qualify

Queensland Cup

Season Ladder position Result
1996 9th did not qualify
1997 7th did not qualify
1998 1st Premiers
1999 2nd Preliminary Finalists
2000 5th Preliminary Semi-Finalists
2001 4th Preliminary Semi-Finalists
2002 5th Preliminary Semi-Finalists
2003 8th did not qualify
2004 2nd Semi-Finalists
2005 2nd Semi-Finalists
2006 7th did not qualify
2007 8th did not qualify
2008 11th Wooden spoon
2009 5th Semi-Finalists
2010 2nd Runner-Up
2011 10th did not qualify
2012 5th Semi-Finalists
2013 6th did not qualify
2014 8th did not qualify
2015 13th did not qualify
2016 11th did not qualify
2017 11th did not qualify
2018 8th did not qualify
2019 5th Finalists
2020 N/A Competition cancelled
2021 1st Premiers
2022 4th Premiers

Source:[6]

Notable players

Ross henrick

Greatest Team

On 16 August 2008 in the year of the Centenary of Rugby League, Norths Devils announced their greatest team ever. The team is made up of players in their entire 75-year tenure.[7]

  1. Harry Bates
  2. Fonda Metassa
  3. Jack Reardon
  4. Henry Hegarty
  5. Joe Kilroy
  6. Bill Pearson
  7. Jack Stapleton
  8. Vic Rudd
  9. Cameron Smith
  10. Lloyd Weier
  11. Trevor Gillmeister
  12. Mark Graham
  13. Edward "Babe" Collins
  14. Mark Murray
  15. Greg Inglis
  16. Greg Conescu
  17. Ian Massie

Coach:

  1. Bob Bax

Manager:

  1. Albert Bishop

Sponsors

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Brief History of GPS
  2. ^ Howell, Max and Reet. The Greatest Game Under The Sun: The History of Rugby League in Queensland (p47)
  3. ^ Higgison, Mike. "Fantastic Footy Flashback: 1961". qrl.com.au. Queensland Rugby League. Retrieved 13 September 2013.
  4. ^ Queensland Rugby League
  5. ^ "Norths Devils announce 2023 head coach". Queensland Rugby League. 4 August 2022.
  6. ^ Waite, Roger (2017). "A history of Brisbane rugby league (1909-2017)" (PDF). rogerswebsite.com. [self-published source]
  7. ^ Pramberg, Bernie (17 August 2008). "Cameron Smith and Greg Inglis in Norths Devis 'greatest' team". The Courier-Mail. Retrieved 17 August 2008.
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