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 2024.
 | |
| Club information | |
|---|---|
| Full name | Norths Devils Rugby League Football Club |
| Nickname(s) | The Devils, Norths, Norty Norfs, The Devs |
| Colours |  Sky Blue, Navy Blue, Gold |
| Founded | Past Grammar (1891) Northern Suburbs District (1933) |
| Website | northsdevilsrlfc.com |
| Current details | |
| Ground(s) | |
| CEO | Troy Rovelli |
| Coach | Dave Elliott |
| Captain | Kierran Moseley |
| Competition | Queensland Cup Brisbane Rugby League Hastings Deering Colts Mal Meninga Cup Cyril Connell Challenge |
| 2024 | Premiers |
 Current season | |
| Records | |
| Premierships | 13 (1927, 1934, 1938, 1940, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1966, 1969, 1980) |
| Runners-up | 9 (1931, 1932, 1939, 1941, 1944, 1945, 1967, 1970, 1990) |
| Minor premierships | 11 (1935, 1939, 1940, 1945, 1959, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1966, 1969, 1974) |
| Wooden spoons | 7 (1949, 1950, 1954, 1976, 1978, 1984, 1994) |
| Premierships (2nd grade) | 4 (1998, 2021, 2022, 2024) |
| 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) |
History
editBefore rugby league
editThe 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
editFollowing 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
editPast 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
editIn 1959 Clive Churchill 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
edit
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
editIn 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] Norths also won the 2024 Cup, also in a final over Redcliffe.[6] On 6 October 2024, Norths claimed the NRL State Championship defeating the NSW Cup winners Newtown 20-18.[7]
Home grounds
editFor 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
edit
BRL (1920–1995)
edit| 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
edit| 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 |
| 2023 | 11th | did not qualify |
| 2024 | 2nd | Premiers |
Source:[8]
Notable players
editGreatest Team
editOn 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.[9]
- Harry Bates
- Fonda Metassa
- Jack Reardon
- Henry Hegarty
- Joe Kilroy
- Bill Pearson
- Jack Stapleton
- Vic Rudd
- Cameron Smith
- Lloyd Weier
- Trevor Gillmeister
- Mark Graham
- Edward "Babe" Collins
- Mark Murray
- Greg Inglis
- Greg Conescu
- Ian Massie
Coach:
Manager:
See also
edit
References
edit- ^ a b Brief History of GPS
- ^ Howell, Max and Reet. The Greatest Game Under The Sun: The History of Rugby League in Queensland (p47)
- ^ Higgison, Mike. "Fantastic Footy Flashback: 1961". qrl.com.au. Queensland Rugby League. Retrieved 13 September 2013.
- ^ Queensland Rugby League
- ^ "Norths Devils announce 2023 head coach". Queensland Rugby League. 4 August 2022.
- ^ "Devils dynasty: Niu fires to make it three in four years for Norths". Queensland Rugby League. 22 September 2024. Retrieved 5 October 2024.
- ^ "Late Keeley double propels Devils to State". www.nrl.com.
- ^ Waite, Roger (2017). "A history of Brisbane rugby league (1909-2017)" (PDF). rogerswebsite.com. [self-published source]
- ^ Pramberg, Bernie (17 August 2008). "Cameron Smith and Greg Inglis in Norths Devis 'greatest' team". The Courier-Mail. Retrieved 17 August 2008.