Brisbane Rugby League premiership

Rugby league football competition

Not to be confused with Brisbane Rugby League (2001).

Brisbane Rugby LeagueSport| Rugby league

|

Inaugural season| 1922 (1909 as QRL)
Ceased| 1997
Replaced by| Australian Rugby League
Queensland Cup
Country|  Australia
Last premiers|  Redcliffe Dolphins (1997)
Most titles|  Fortitude Valley Diehards (16 titles)
Related competition| Brisbane Rugby League (2001)

The Brisbane Rugby League premiership was a rugby league football competition in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It was first held in 1922 and for every year until 1997. The competition was reinstated in 2001, known as the FOGS premiership under the Queensland Cup. The competition consists of Brisbane's top six rugby league clubs.
Each participating team is a feeder club for the Queensland Cup.

Prior to 1922, the competition was conducted under the auspices of the Queensland Rugby League. Until the 1980s it was the premier sporting competition in Brisbane, attracting large crowds and broad media coverage. The Brisbane Rugby League however, had been in slow decline for some 15 years as large numbers of its players left to compete in the more lucrative Sydney Rugby League, and began to lose popular interest with the creation of the Brisbane Broncos in 1988. Also in 1988, the Sydney Rugby League de facto superseded the Brisbane Rugby League by going national and including the Brisbane and Gold Coast clubs. However, the BRL maintained legal top-flight status until the advent of the national Australian Rugby League premiership in 1995, which superseded both Brisbane Rugby League premiership and the Sydney Rugby League premiership. The Brisbane Rugby League premiership then became a second-tier competition until it ceased and was fully replaced at this level by the Queensland Cup before the 1998 season. The FOGS Cup, a third-tier competition under the NRL and Queensland Cup, changed its name to the Brisbane Rugby League in 2016.

## History

[edit]

### Predecessor: QRFL

[edit]

The Queensland Rugby Football League (QRFL) was formed in 1908 by seven former rugby union players who were dissatisfied with the administration of the Queensland Rugby Union (QRU). The new organisation was attacked by both the local press and the QRU for introducing professionalism, which they claimed would destroy the sport. The "founding fathers" of the QRFL included John Fihelly, an Australian Labor Party Member of Parliament who became Minister for Railways and Deputy Premier.

The first official club competition kicked off in Brisbane on 8 May 1909. Norths played against Souths before a handful of spectators at Brisbane Cricket Ground.[1] Matches were played under the auspices of the Queensland Amateur Rugby Football League (later renamed Queensland Rugby League). The foundation clubs were:

* North Brisbane
* Fortitude Valley
* South Brisbane
* Toombul

Queensland Rugby Football League Grand Finals Season  | Grand Final Information

|

Premiers  | Score  | Runners-Up
1909 |  Fortitude Valley  | 22–4  |  South Brisbane
1910 |  Ipswich  | 17–2  |  Toombul
1911 |  Fortitude Valley-Toombul  | 13–2  |  Ipswich B
1912 |  Brisbane Natives  | 10–0  |  South Brisbane
1913 |  West End  | 5–3  |  Brisbane Natives
1914 |  Fortitude Valley  | 18–8  |  West End
1915 |  Fortitude Valley  | 10–9  |  West Brisbane
1916 |  West Brisbane  | 4–2  |  Fortitude Valley
1917 |  Fortitude Valley  | 13–5  |  Brothers Old Boys/Merthyrs
1918 |  Fortitude Valley  | 16–12  |  Brothers Old Boys/Merthyrs
1919 |  Fortitude Valley  | 28–2  |  Coorparoo
1920 |  West Brisbane  | 16–8  |  Brothers Old Boys
1921 |  Carltons  | 12–10  |  Coorparoo

Note: Queensland Rugby League era statistics are not counted as Brisbane Rugby League statistics.

### Schism: establishment of the Brisbane Rugby League

[edit]

In 1922 the Brisbane Rugby Football League (Brisbane Rugby Football League, later Brisbane Rugby League) was formed out of dissatisfaction with the way the Queensland Rugby League ran the game. Those involved took particular exception to the salary being earned by Harry Sunderland as secretary of the Queensland Rugby League. The Brisbane Rugby League took control of the local competition. Competing in the Brisbane Rugby League competition that year were Brothers, Carltons, Coorparoo, University, Valley and Wests, with Past Grammars rejoining in 1924. Although the Queensland Rugby League attempted to regain control of the Brisbane Rugby League competition in 1923 and 1924, the Brisbane Rugby League remained steadfast and the dispute simmered into the next decade. so dire did the situation become, that by the late 1920s, the Queensland Rugby League commenced its own competition involving Ipswich clubs and two supporting Brisbane clubs.

Until 1932 Brisbane Exhibition Ground was the home of rugby league in the city. The complicated arrangement between the Brisbane Rugby League, Queensland Rugby League and Royal National Association (who administered the Exhibition Ground) led to Brisbane Cricket Ground being used for rugby league matches.

In 1933 district football was introduced to provide community support and player equalisation. This meant that players had to live within a certain distance of their club. Accordingly, Brisbane was divided into Eastern Suburbs (incorporating Coorparoo and Wynnum), Southern Suburbs (incorporating Carltons), Western Suburbs, Northern Suburbs (incorporating Past Grammars), Fortitude Valley and Past Brothers (whose players had to prove that they had attended a Christian Brothers school). In 1934, the University Amateur Rugby League Club folded and disappeared from the competition.

In 1953 the friction between the Queensland Rugby League and Brisbane Rugby League ended, with the Brisbane Rugby League being replaced by the Brisbane division of the Queensland Rugby League.[2] Former Brisbane Rugby League chairman and Queensland Rugby League secretary Ron McAullife eventually secured the use of Brisbane Football Stadium as a permanent home for rugby league in Queensland. Teams that joined the Brisbane Rugby League competition around this time were South Coast (1952–1953), Wynnum-Manly (1951) and Redcliffe (1960).

A then-record crowd at Brisbane Football Stadium of 19,824 saw Northern Suburbs defeat Fortitude Valley in the Brisbane Rugby League grand final in September 1961.[3]

### Golden Years

[edit]

In 1967 the Queensland Rugby League removed the residential qualifications for players in Brisbane Rugby League clubs, meaning that players did not have to reside in their certain suburbs to play for their teams. This reduced community support for teams, and club decisions began to be made on a more commercial basis.

This coincided with the commencement of television broadcasts of Brisbane Rugby League games in the same year. The money made from jersey sponsorships and advertising hoardings at grounds was not able to compete with poker machine money available to Sydney Rugby League clubs in the Sydney Rugby League, and an increasing number of players left the Brisbane Rugby League. This also affected the popularity of the Bulimba Cup which had been held between the cities of Brisbane, Ipswich and Toowoomba since the 1930s.

In 1978 the premiership trophy, the Kirks Cup was replaced by the Winfield Cup.

The Queensland Rugby League commissioned Eric White Associates to investigate the administrative structure of the game in Queensland in 1977. One of the recommendations was the creation of a statewide competition. The Winfield State League was created in 1982. The State League competition ran in parallel to the Brisbane Rugby League competition from 1982 to 1995. Also, like with Sydney's competition, Brisbane's competition was also called the Winfield Cup during the 1980s, due to sponsorship from Winfield cigarettes. The Queensland Cup would eventually replace both the State league and the Brisbane Rugby League premiership in 1996 and 1998.

In the 1980s, two further teams were added to the Brisbane Rugby League competition: Ipswich (1986) and Logan (1987).

Despite some New South Wales Rugby League (Sydney Rugby League) premiership games being re-broadcast during late night timeslots from the late 1970s, the Brisbane Rugby League remained the more popular competition in Queensland until 1988 with the weekly live broadcast of the Match of the Round being played at Lang Park.

### Decline

[edit]

In 1986 the New South Wales Rugby League decided to allow a team from Brisbane to enter the Sydney Rugby League premiership. While the New South Wales Rugby League was originally negotiating a Brisbane team sponsored by the Queensland Rugby League, a private bid in the form of the Brisbane Broncos was instead accepted by the New South Wales Rugby League. The Brisbane Broncos debuted in the Sydney Rugby League premiership in 1988.

As the Broncos began to represent Brisbane at rugby league in the public eye the Brisbane Rugby League competition entered the terminal phase of its decline. The dominance of the Brisbane Broncos in the media resulted in the Brisbane Rugby League losing live coverage of games and receiving only minor interest from the sports media. The drop in interest saw the Brisbane Rugby League, its clubs and its junior development base incurring significant and crippling financial losses. Several longstanding clubs were not able to survive the impact over the coming years.

From 1988, Brisbane Rugby League players weren't chosen to represent Queensland again. The Brisbane Rugby League premiership was fully superseded by the Australian Rugby League Premiership which took nationwide first-class status in 1995. The Brisbane Rugby League became a state competition from 1995-97 until the Queensland Cup, which became a league-style competition in 1998, superseded the Brisbane Rugby League as the top state league. Redcliffe won the last Brisbane Rugby League Grand Final in 1997 defeating Eastern Suburbs 35–6, and the league was then declared defunct.

### Return of the Brisbane Rugby League Premiership

[edit]

On 26 September 2014, the South East Queensland Division announced that they will be scrapping the existing FOGS Cup structure and reforming the Brisbane Rugby League as the state's secondary competition.[4] Legally, although they share the same name, this competition is completely separate from the original BRL.

## Brisbane Rugby League Club Teams

[edit]

Colours  | Club Name  | Club Nickname  | First Season(s)  | Last Season(s)  | BRL Premiership Seasons

|
|
|
|
|

Premiership/s  | Runners-Up/s
| Brisbane
(Reserve Grade) | Broncos | 1994  | 1995  | 0  | 0
| Brisbane Brothers | Leprechauns | 1930  | 1997  | 9  | 10
| Eastern Suburbs | Tigers | 1917  | 1997  | 8  | 16
| Fortitude Valley | Diehards | 1909  | 1995  | 17  | 14
| Ipswich | Jets | 1986  | 1997  | 0  | 2
| Logan (City) | Scorpions | 1988  | 1997  | 0  | 0
| Northern Suburbs | Devils | 1920  | 1997  | 13  | 9
| Christian Brothers | Old Boys | 1917, 1920  | 1918, 1929  | 1  | 1
| Redcliffe | Dolphins | 1947  | 1997  | 4  | 6
| Southern Suburbs | Magpies | 1919  | 1997  | 8  | 9
| South Queensland
(Reserve Grade) | Crushers | 1994  | 1995  | 0  | 0
| University | Students | 1920  | 1933  | 2  | 0
| Western Suburbs | Panthers | 1915  | 1997  | 10  | 8
| Wynnum-Manly | Seagulls | 1951  | 1997  | 4  | 1

(Reserve Grade) = Reserve Grade side to the Senior Grade side.

## Representative Brisbane Rugby League team

[edit]

Main article: Brisbane rugby league team

Selected players from the Brisbane Rugby League clubs, represented Brisbane in a representative team called Brisbane Capitals against various Sydney Rugby League clubs or against Sydney Capitals

## First-grade wins, losses, win percentage and draws

[edit]

Teams in bold still existed during the at the end of the 1st-grade competition in 1994.

All Time Ladder

Pos | Team  | 1st season  | Pld | W | L | D | W%
1 |  Valley-Toombul | 1911 | 20 | 14 | 5 | 1 | 70.00%
2 |  Natives  | 1912 | 22 | 15 | 7 | 0 | 68.18%
3 |  Fortitude Valley | 1909 | 1,382 | 831 | 506 | 45 | 60.13%
4 |  Ipswich B  | 1911 | 10 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 60.00%
5 |  Toowong  | 1914 | 11 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 54.55%
6 |  Northern Suburbs | 1920 | 1,266 | 681 | 548 | 37 | 53.79%
7 |  South Brisbane  | 1909 | 58 | 31 | 27 | 0 | 53.45%
8 |  Fortitude Valley-Tweed Heads | 1988 | 36 | 19 | 16 | 1 | 52.78%
9 |  Ipswich A  | 1910 | 19 | 10 | 8 | 1 | 52.63%
10 |  Past Brothers Brisbane | 1931 | 1,126 | 569 | 519 | 38 | 50.53%
11 |  Redcliffe | 1960 | 733 | 370 | 345 | 18 | 50.48%
12 |  South Queensland | 1994  | 22  | 11  | 10  | 1  | 50.00%
13 |  Western Suburbs | 1915 | 1,353 | 668 | 637 | 48 | 49.37%
14 |  Eastern Suburbs | 1917 | 1,322 | 636 | 640 | 46 | 48.11%
15 |  Southern Suburbs | 1919 | 1,286 | 612 | 638 | 36 | 47.59%
16 |  Past Brothers (Merthyr) | 1917 | 182 | 86 | 84 | 12 | 47.25%
17 |  Ipswich | 1986 | 171 | 80 | 82 | 9 | 46.78%
=18 |  Ipswich West End  | 1916 | 10 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 40.00%
=18 |  Wynnum  | 1914 | 10 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 40.00%
20 |  Toombul  | 1909 | 18 | 7 | 10 | 1 | 38.89%
21 |  University  | 1920 | 200 | 76 | 116 | 8 | 38.00%
22 |  Bulimba  | 1915 | 19 | 7 | 9 | 3 | 36.84%
23 |  Wynnum-Manly | 1951 | 852 | 303 | 530 | 19 | 35.56%
=24 |  West End  | 1913 | 48 | 16 | 29 | 3 | 33.33%
=24 |  North Brisbane  | 1909 | 33 | 11 | 22 | 0 | 33.33%
=24 |  East Brisbane  | 1910 | 9 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 33.33%
=24 |  Kurilpa  | 1912 | 9 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 33.33%
=24 |  West End-Grammars  | 1920 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 33.33%
=29 |  Westerns  | 1917 | 22 | 7 | 13 | 2 | 31.82%
=29 |  Brisbane | 1994  | 22  | 7  | 15  | 0  | 31.82%
31 |  Woolloongabba  | 1912 | 28 | 8 | 14 | 6 | 28.57%
32 |  South Coast  | 1952 | 35 | 8 | 27 | 0 | 22.86%
33 |  Logan | 1988 | 130 | 28 | 94 | 8 | 21.54%
34 |  Railways  | 1913 | 39 | 8 | 30 | 1 | 20.51%
35 |  Wynnum District  | 1931  | 56  | 8  | 46  | 2  | 14.29%
36 |  Ipswich Starlights  | 1916 | 9 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 11.11%
37 |  Wattles  | 1916 | 12 | 1 | 10 | 1 | 08.33%
=38 |  Bulimba-Railways  | 1920  | 4  | 0  | 4  | 0  | 00.00%
=38 |  South Brisbane United  | 1911  | 7  | 0  | 7  | 0  | 00.00%

## Grand Final results

[edit]

Season  | Grand Final Information

|

Premiers  | Score  | Runners-Up  | Venue
1922 |  Western Suburbs*  | 20–9  |  Coorparoo | Brisbane Exhibition Grounds
1923 |  Coorparoo | 13–2  |  Fortitude Valley | Brisbane Exhibition Grounds
1924 |  Fortitude Valley | 11–8  |  Christian Brothers | Brisbane Exhibition Grounds
1925 |  Carltons | 24–5  |  Coorparoo | Davies Park
1926 |  Christian Brothers | 6–5  |  Coorparoo | Davies Park
1927 |  Northern Suburbs | 13–11  |  Western Suburbs | Davies Park
1928 |  University Students | 10–7  |  Carltons | Brisbane Exhibition Grounds
1929 |  University Students | 12–11  |  Coorparoo | Brisbane Exhibition Grounds
1930 |  Carltons | 19–8  |  Fortitude Valley | Davies Park
1931 |  Fortitude Valley | 27–9  |  Northern Suburbs | Davies Park
1932 |  Western Suburbs | 8–7  |  Northern Suburbs | Brisbane Cricket Ground
1933 |  Fortitude Valley | 9–3  |  Western Suburbs | Davies Park
1934 |  Northern Suburbs | 7–4  |  Western Suburbs | Davies Park
1935 |  Brisbane Brothers | 11–9  |  Fortitude Valley | Brisbane Cricket Ground
1936 |  Western Suburbs | 13–12  |  Fortitude Valley | Brisbane Cricket Ground
1937 |  Fortitude Valley | 9–7  |  Western Suburbs | Brisbane Cricket Ground
1938 |  Northern Suburbs | 16–10  |  Fortitude Valley | Brisbane Cricket Ground
1939 |  Brisbane Brothers | 11–9  |  Northern Suburbs | Brisbane Cricket Ground
1940 |  Northern Suburbs | 17–11  |  Brisbane Brothers | Brisbane Cricket Ground
1941 |  Fortitude Valley | 13–7  |  Northern Suburbs | Brisbane Cricket Ground
1942 |  Brisbane Brothers | 20–11  |  Southern Suburbs | Oxenham Park
1943 |  Brisbane Brothers | 13–7  |  Fortitude Valley | Brisbane Exhibition Grounds
1944 |  Fortitude Valley | 16–12  |  Northern Suburbs | Brisbane Cricket Ground
1945 |  Southern Suburbs | 21–11  |  Northern Suburbs | Brisbane Cricket Ground
1946 |  Fortitude Valley | 5–2  |  Eastern Suburbs | Brisbane Cricket Ground
1947 |  Eastern Suburbs | 15–2  |  Southern Suburbs | Brisbane Cricket Ground
1948 |  Western Suburbs | 14–8  |  Eastern Suburbs | Brisbane Cricket Ground
1949 |  Southern Suburbs | 22–8  |  Eastern Suburbs | Brisbane Cricket Ground
1950 |  Eastern Suburbs | 14–10  |  Western Suburbs | Brisbane Cricket Ground
1951 |  Southern Suburbs | 20–10  |  Eastern Suburbs | Brisbane Cricket Ground
1952 |  Western Suburbs | 15–14  |  Brisbane Brothers | Brisbane Cricket Ground
1953 |  Southern Suburbs | 21–4  |  Eastern Suburbs | Brisbane Cricket Ground
1954 |  Western Suburbs | 35–18  |  Brisbane Brothers | Brisbane Cricket Ground
1955 |  Fortitude Valley*  | 17–7  |  Brisbane Brothers | Brisbane Cricket Ground
1956 |  Brisbane Brothers | 17–10  |  Western Suburbs | Brisbane Cricket Ground
1957 |  Fortitude Valley | 18–17  |  Brisbane Brothers | Brisbane Cricket Ground
1958 |  Brisbane Brothers | 22–7  |  Fortitude Valley | Brisbane Football Stadium
1959 |  Northern Suburbs | 24–18  |  Brisbane Brothers | Brisbane Football Stadium
1960 |  Northern Suburbs | 18–5  |  Fortitude Valley | Brisbane Football Stadium
1961 |  Northern Suburbs | 29–5  |  Fortitude Valley | Brisbane Football Stadium
1962 |  Northern Suburbs | 22–0  |  Fortitude Valley | Brisbane Football Stadium
1963 |  Northern Suburbs | 18–8  |  Southern Suburbs | Brisbane Football Stadium
1964 |  Northern Suburbs | 13–4  |  Brisbane Brothers | Brisbane Football Stadium
1965 |  Redcliffe | 15–2  |  Fortitude Valley | Brisbane Football Stadium
1966 |  Northern Suburbs | 9–6  |  Brisbane Brothers | Brisbane Football Stadium
1967 |  Brisbane Brothers | 6–2  |  Northern Suburbs | Brisbane Football Stadium
1968 |  Brisbane Brothers | 21–4  |  Eastern Suburbs | Brisbane Football Stadium
1969 |  Northern Suburbs | 14–2  |  Fortitude Valley | Brisbane Football Stadium
1970 |  Fortitude Valley | 13–11  |  Northern Suburbs | Brisbane Football Stadium
1971 |  Fortitude Valley | 18–10  |  Eastern Suburbs | Brisbane Football Stadium
1972 |  Eastern Suburbs | 16–15  |  Fortitude Valley | Brisbane Football Stadium
1973 |  Fortitude Valley | 15–7  |  Redcliffe | Brisbane Football Stadium
1974 |  Fortitude Valley | 9–2  |  Brisbane Brothers | Brisbane Football Stadium
1975 |  Western Suburbs | 26–24  |  Redcliffe | Brisbane Football Stadium
1976 |  Western Suburbs | 16–1  |  Eastern Suburbs | Brisbane Football Stadium
1977 |  Eastern Suburbs | 17–13  |  Redcliffe | Brisbane Football Stadium
1978 |  Eastern Suburbs | 14–10  |  Fortitude Valley | Brisbane Football Stadium
1979 |  Fortitude Valley | 26–0  |  Southern Suburbs | Brisbane Football Stadium
1980 |  Northern Suburbs | 17–15  |  Southern Suburbs | Brisbane Football Stadium
1981 |  Southern Suburbs | 13–9  |  Redcliffe | Brisbane Football Stadium
1982 |  Wynnum-Manly | 17–3  |  Southern Suburbs | Brisbane Football Stadium
1983 |  Eastern Suburbs | 14–6  |  Redcliffe | Brisbane Football Stadium
1984 |  Wynnum-Manly | 42–8  |  Southern Suburbs | Brisbane Football Stadium
1985 |  Southern Suburbs | 10–8  |  Wynnum-Manly | Brisbane Football Stadium
1986 |  Wynnum-Manly | 14–6  |  Brisbane Brothers | Brisbane Football Stadium
1987 |  Brisbane Brothers | 26–8  |  Redcliffe | Brisbane Football Stadium
Brisbane Broncos enter the Sydney Rugby League,which begins a quick demise for the Brisbane Rugby League.
However, it officially remains a top-flight competition along with the Sydney Rugby League as before
1988 |  Fortitude Valley-Tweed | 17–14  |  Ipswich Jets | Brisbane Football Stadium
1989 |  Fortitude Valley | 28–4  |  Ipswich Jets | Brisbane Football Stadium
1990 |  Fortitude Valley | 17–16  |  Northern Suburbs | Brisbane Football Stadium
1991 |  Eastern Suburbs | 25–10  |  Western Suburbs | Brisbane Football Stadium
1992 |  Western Suburbs | 40–10  |  Eastern Suburbs | Brisbane Football Stadium
1993 |  Western Suburbs | 18–12  |  Eastern Suburbs | Brisbane Football Stadium
1994 |  Redcliffe | 24–18  |  Western Suburbs | Brisbane Football Stadium
The Brisbane Rugby League officially becomes a second-tier state competition when the Australian Rugby League Premiership is formed.
Brisbane Broncos and South Queensland Crushers reserve grade teams enter the Brisbane Rugby League in 1994.
1995 |  Wynnum-Manly | 32–24  |  Eastern Suburbs | Brisbane Football Stadium
Brisbane Broncos and South Queensland Crushers reserve grade teams leave the Brisbane Rugby League after 1995.
1996 |  Redcliffe | 16–12  |  Southern Suburbs | Brisbane Football Stadium
1997 |  Redcliffe | 35–6  |  Eastern Suburbs | Brisbane Football Stadium

* * = Team undefeated
* Although the Brisbane Rugby League took a significant financial and competitive downturn, it did not become a second-flight competition when the Brisbane Broncos entered the Sydney Rugby League in 1988. Rather, it officially lost top-tier status after the 1994 season, before the advent of the Australian Rugby League, in 1995.

### Brisbane Rugby League Premiers (All Grades) (1922–1997)

[edit]

Season  | Premiers (Senior Grade)  | Premiers (Reserve Grade)  | Premiers (Third Grade)  | Venue

|
|
|
|

1922 | Western Suburbs*  |  Coorparoo |  Carltons | Brisbane Exhibition Grounds
1923 |  Coorparoo |  Northern Suburbs |  Coorparoo | Brisbane Exhibition Grounds
1924 |  Fortitude Valley |  Carltons*  |  Fortitude Valley | Brisbane Exhibition Grounds
1925 |  Carltons |  Coorparoo |  Northern Suburbs | Davies Park
1926 |  Christian Brothers |  Western Suburbs*  |  Fortitude Valley*  | Davies Park
1927 |  Northern Suburbs |  Northern Suburbs |  Coorparoo | Davies Park
1928 |  University Students |  Christian Brothers |  Western Suburbs | Brisbane Exhibition Grounds
1929 |  University Students |  Coorparoo*  |  Western Suburbs | Brisbane Exhibition Grounds
1930 |  Carltons |  Coorparoo |  Western Suburbs*  | Davies Park
1931 |  Fortitude Valley |  Carltons*  |  Western Suburbs*  | Davies Park
1932 |  Western Suburbs |  Carltons |  Fortitude Valley | Brisbane Cricket Ground
1933 |  Fortitude Valley |  Western Suburbs*  |  Western Suburbs | Davies Park
1934 |  Northern Suburbs |  Western Suburbs*  |  Western Suburbs | Davies Park
1935 |  Brisbane Brothers |  Fortitude Valley |  Brisbane Brothers | Brisbane Cricket Ground
1936 |  Western Suburbs |  Fortitude Valley |  Fortitude Valley | Brisbane Cricket Ground
1937 |  Fortitude Valley |  Northern Suburbs |  Fortitude Valley | Brisbane Cricket Ground
1938 |  Northern Suburbs |  Northern Suburbs |  Fortitude Valley | Brisbane Cricket Ground
1939 |  Brisbane Brothers |  Southern Suburbs |  Northern Suburbs | Brisbane Cricket Ground
1940 |  Northern Suburbs |  Eastern Suburbs |  Fortitude Valley | Brisbane Cricket Ground
1941 |  Fortitude Valley |  Fortitude Valley |  Southern Suburbs | Brisbane Cricket Ground
1942 |  Brisbane Brothers |  Brisbane Railway |  Southern Suburbs | Oxenham Park
1943 |  Brisbane Brothers |  Fortitude Valley |  Southern Suburbs | Brisbane Exhibition Grounds
1944 |  Fortitude Valley |  Fortitude Valley |  Southern Suburbs | Brisbane Cricket Ground
1945 |  Southern Suburbs |  Southern Suburbs |  Southern Suburbs | Brisbane Cricket Ground
1946 |  Fortitude Valley |  Southern Suburbs |  Eastern Suburbs | Brisbane Cricket Ground
1947 |  Eastern Suburbs |  Western Suburbs |  Brisbane Brothers | Brisbane Cricket Ground
1948 |  Western Suburbs |  Fortitude Valley |  Southern Suburbs | Brisbane Cricket Ground
1949 |  Southern Suburbs |  Eastern Suburbs |  Eastern Suburbs | Brisbane Cricket Ground
1950 |  Eastern Suburbs |  Northern Suburbs |  Western Suburbs | Brisbane Cricket Ground
1951 |  Southern Suburbs |  Northern Suburbs |  Western Suburbs | Brisbane Cricket Ground
1952 |  Western Suburbs |  Northern Suburbs |  Northern Suburbs | Brisbane Cricket Ground
1953 |  Southern Suburbs |  Northern Suburbs |  Brisbane Brothers | Brisbane Cricket Ground
1954 |  Western Suburbs |  Fortitude Valley |  Northern Suburbs | Brisbane Cricket Ground
1955 |  Fortitude Valley*  |  Brisbane Brothers |  Western Suburbs | Brisbane Cricket Ground
1956 |  Brisbane Brothers |  Northern Suburbs |  Fortitude Valley | Brisbane Cricket Ground
1957 |  Fortitude Valley |  Western Suburbs |  Fortitude Valley | Brisbane Cricket Ground
1958 |  Brisbane Brothers |  Fortitude Valley |  Fortitude Valley | Brisbane Football Stadium
1959 |  Northern Suburbs |  Redcliffe |  Western Suburbs | Brisbane Football Stadium
1960 |  Northern Suburbs |  Eastern Suburbs |  Fortitude Valley | Brisbane Football Stadium
1961 |  Northern Suburbs |  Southern Suburbs |  Fortitude Valley | Brisbane Football Stadium
1962 |  Northern Suburbs |  Redcliffe |  Fortitude Valley | Brisbane Football Stadium
1963 |  Northern Suburbs |  Northern Suburbs |  Fortitude Valley | Brisbane Football Stadium
1964 |  Northern Suburbs |  Northern Suburbs |  Western Suburbs | Brisbane Football Stadium
1965 |  Redcliffe |  Western Suburbs |  Eastern Suburbs | Brisbane Football Stadium
1966 |  Northern Suburbs |  Redcliffe |  Northern Suburbs | Brisbane Football Stadium
1967 |  Brisbane Brothers |  Northern Suburbs |  Northern Suburbs | Brisbane Football Stadium
1968 |  Brisbane Brothers |  Northern Suburbs |  Northern Suburbs | Brisbane Football Stadium
1969 |  Northern Suburbs |  Northern Suburbs |  Fortitude Valley | Brisbane Football Stadium
1970 |  Fortitude Valley |  Eastern Suburbs |  Fortitude Valley | Brisbane Football Stadium
1971 |  Fortitude Valley |  Northern Suburbs |  Northern Suburbs*  | Brisbane Football Stadium
1972 |  Eastern Suburbs |  Northern Suburbs |  Wynnum-Manly | Brisbane Football Stadium
1973 |  Fortitude Valley |  Brisbane Brothers |  Northern Suburbs*  | Brisbane Football Stadium
1974 |  Fortitude Valley |  Eastern Suburbs |  Fortitude Valley | Brisbane Football Stadium
1975 |  Western Suburbs |  Wynnum-Manly |  Wynnum-Manly | Brisbane Football Stadium
1976 |  Western Suburbs |  Western Suburbs |  Wynnum-Manly | Brisbane Football Stadium
1977 |  Eastern Suburbs |  Eastern Suburbs |  Western Suburbs | Brisbane Football Stadium
1978 |  Eastern Suburbs |  Redcliffe |  Eastern Suburbs | Brisbane Football Stadium
1979 |  Fortitude Valley |  Brisbane Brothers |  Wynnum-Manly | Brisbane Football Stadium
1980 |  Northern Suburbs |  Southern Suburbs |  Southern Suburbs | Brisbane Football Stadium
1981 |  Southern Suburbs |  Redcliffe |  Redcliffe | Brisbane Football Stadium
1982 |  Wynnum-Manly |  Redcliffe |  Southern Suburbs | Brisbane Football Stadium
1983 |  Eastern Suburbs |  Southern Suburbs |  Eastern Suburbs | Brisbane Football Stadium
1984 |  Wynnum-Manly |  Southern Suburbs |  Redcliffe | Brisbane Football Stadium
1985 |  Southern Suburbs |  Brisbane Brothers |  Southern Suburbs | Brisbane Football Stadium
1986 |  Wynnum-Manly |  Brisbane Brothers |  Brisbane Brothers | Brisbane Football Stadium
1987 |  Brisbane Brothers |  Brisbane Brothers |  Redcliffe | Brisbane Football Stadium
1988 |  Fortitude Valley-Tweed |  Redcliffe |  Eastern Suburbs | Brisbane Football Stadium
1989 |  Fortitude Valley |  Northern Suburbs |  Redcliffe | Brisbane Football Stadium
1990 |  Fortitude Valley |  Fortitude Valley |  Brisbane Brothers | Brisbane Football Stadium
1991 |  Eastern Suburbs |  Eastern Suburbs |  Eastern Suburbs | Brisbane Football Stadium
1992 |  Western Suburbs |  Eastern Suburbs |  Not contested in 1992  | Brisbane Football Stadium
1993 |  Western Suburbs |  Wynnum-Manly |  Redcliffe | Brisbane Football Stadium
1994 |  Redcliffe |  Redcliffe |  Redcliffe | Brisbane Football Stadium
1995 |  Wynnum-Manly |  Redcliffe |  Not contested in 1995  | Brisbane Football Stadium
1996 |  Redcliffe |  Eastern Suburbs |  Eastern Suburbs | Brisbane Football Stadium
1997 |  Redcliffe |  Redcliffe |  Redcliffe | Brisbane Football Stadium

* * = Team undefeated

## Quotes

[edit]

* "Well that is a tragedy, to be honest with you. There's no club identity at all now. If you don't follow the Broncos well who do you follow? That means you've got to follow a New South Wales side. I think I'm sure that's what McAuliffe didn't want to happen. But when they brought in the Queensland side into the NSWRL that was the end of the Brisbane Rugby League, as far as that was concerned. It should never have happened because as it turned out, if we did lose players from Queensland to go to New South Wales we had the State of Origin. We've been winning the State of Origin, and you can imagine if we were keeping our players, the club competition would be just as good as what it was when I was playing. But that is a tragedy as far as I'm concerned is that the people miss that club identity." -Barry Muir, in 2001, on the decline of the Brisbane Rugby League and the rise of the Sydney Rugby League.
* "Yeah well the crowd was great, they supported you wholeheartedly, they came along but it wasn't only down here on the football field it was on the streets up there. People would come up and talk to you, they'd stop you in the street and get your autograph and have a talk to you and wish you all the best and really support you in what you were doing and lifting the Club. There was four or five players here that were top-line footballers and we used to go up on the terrace and sell raffles in front of McCarthy's Jewellers store on the terrace and we'd do an hour there and then pop down to the Manly Hotel and do an hour there and then we'd pop down to Fishers (pub) and do an hour there. The players were prepared to do it because they were getting the support from this area and they would give it back on the playing field and however they could meet the people on the streets. I don't think anyone turned away from you, it was just one big happy family. We used to have like a barbecue after the game and there'd be 100 or 200 people that would turn up for the barbecue, we had it at various areas." -Lionel Morgan, in 2001, on the support of the Brisbane Rugby League in the Wynnum-Manly district.

## See also

[edit]

* Sports portal

* Queensland Cup
* Winfield State League

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Pramberg, Bernie (2 May 2009). "Leo Donovan special guest at Brisbane Rugby League celebrations". The Courier-Mail. Australia: Queensland Newspapers. Retrieved 29 April 2010.
2. ^ Gallaway, Jack (2003). Origin: Rugby League's greatest contest 1980–2002. Australia: University of Queensland Press. pp. 3–4\. ISBN 978-0-7022-3383-8.
3. ^ "Norths thrash Valleys 29–5". The Sun-Herald. Australia. 24 September 1961. Retrieved 22 April 2010.
4. ^ "Brisbane Rugby League rebirth". Queensland Rugby League. Australia. 26 September 2014. Retrieved 26 September 2014.

## External links

[edit]

* Official website
* A History of Brisbane Rugby League (1909–2017)

* v
* t
* e

Brisbane Rugby League

BRL 1922-1997|

| Clubs|

* Easts Tigers
* Fortitude Valley Diehards
* Ipswich Jets
* Logan Scorpions
* Norths Devils
* Brothers Old Boys
* Past Brothers
* Redcliffe Dolphins
* Souths Magpies
* Wests Panthers

|

Seasons|

* 1922
* 1923
* 1924
* 1925
* 1926
* 1927
* 1928
* 1929
* 1930
* 1931
* 1932
* 1933
* 1934
* 1935
* 1936
* 1937
* 1938
* 1939
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* 1943
* 1944
* 1945
* 1946
* 1947
* 1948
* 1949
* 1950
* 1951
* 1952
* 1953
* 1954
* 1955
* 1956
* 1957
* 1958
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* 1964
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* 1975
* 1976
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* 1978
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* 1982
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* 1984
* 1985
* 1986
* 1987
* 1988
* 1989
* 1990
* 1991
* 1992
* 1993
* 1994
* 1995
* 1996
* 1997

Brisbane A-Grade (2001-present)|

| Clubs|

* Beenleigh
* Brighton
* Bulimba
* Carina
* Fortitude Valley
* Normanby
* Pine Rivers
* Souths Juniors
* Wests
* Wynnum Manly Juniors

|

Related articles|

* Grounds
* Premiers
* Records
* Wooden spooners
* Queensland Rugby League South East Queensland Division
* Bulimba Cup (1925-72)

* v
* t
* e

Rugby league in Queensland

Federation|

* Queensland Rugby League

Representative Teams|

* Queensland Maroons
* Queensland women's
* Queensland Residents
* Queensland U-20
* Queensland U-18
* Queensland U-16
* Queensland women's U-19

NRL clubs|

| Current|

* Brisbane Broncos
* Dolphins
* Gold Coast Titans
* North Queensland Cowboys

|

Former|

* Gold Coast Giants/Seagulls/Chargers (1988-1998)
* South Queensland Crushers (1995-1997)

NRLW clubs|

* Brisbane Broncos
* Gold Coast Titans
* North Queensland Cowboys

Major Competitions|

| Current state-wide leagues|

* Queensland Cup
* Women's Premiership
* Mal Meninga Cup (U18s)

|

Former state-wide leagues|

* State League (1982–1995)
* Cyril Connell Cup (2009–2016)
* Hastings Deering Colts (2018–2023)

Former first grade|

* Brisbane Rugby League premiership

Other leagues|

* Masters
* Police Services
* Primary School
* Secondary School
* Confraternity Carnival
* Universities

Northern Division|

* Foley Shield
* Cairns
* Mackay
* Mid West
* Mount Isa
* Remote Areas
* Townsville

Central Division|

* 47th Battalion Shield
* Capricorn Region
* Central Highlands
* Central West
* Rockhampton
* South West Region
* Border Rivers
* Roma
* Toowoomba
* Wide Bay Region
* Bundaberg
* Central Burnett
* Northern Districts
* South Burnett
* Sunshine Coast-Gympie

South-East Division|

* Bulimba Cup (defunct)
* Brisbane A-Grade
* Brisbane Second Division
* Women
* Ipswich
* Gold Coast
* FOGS Colts (Brisbane U20's)

Defunct Leagues|

* Gladstone
* Western

Queensland Cup clubs|

* Brisbane Tigers
* Burleigh Bears
* Central Queensland Capras
* Ipswich Jets
* Northern Pride
* Mackay Cutters
* Norths Devils
* PNG Hunters
* Redcliffe Dolphins
* Souths Logan Magpies
* Sunshine Coast Falcons
* Townsville Blackhawks
* Tweed Heads Seagulls
* Western Clydesdales
* Wynnum Manly Seagulls

Queensland Cup seasons|

| State League|

* 1982
* 1983
* 1984
* 1985
* 1986
* 1987
* 1988
* 1989
* 1990
* 1991
* 1992
* 1993
* 1994
* 1995

|

Queensland Cup|

* 1996
* 1997
* 1998
* 1999
* 2000
* 2001
* 2002
* 2003
* 2004
* 2005
* 2006
* 2007
* 2008
* 2009
* 2010
* 2011
* 2012
* 2013
* 2014
* 2015
* 2016
* 2017
* 2018
* 2019
* 2020
* 2021
* 2022
* 2023
* 2024
* 2025

Representative Competitions|

* State of Origin series
* Interstate Series (defunct)

Clubs|

* List of rugby league clubs in Queensland by competition

*[Pos]: Position
*[Pld]: Games Played
*[W]: Games Won
*[L]: Games Lost
*[D]: Games Drawn
*[W%]: Win rate
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template