2015 Northern Pride RLFC season

Away colours | Home colours | Away colours | | Home colours | Away colours | | | 2 (2010, 2014) | | | | 1 (2009) | | | | 3 (2013, 2014, 2024) | | |

2015 was the eighth competitive season for the Cairns based Sea Swift Northern Pride Rugby League Football Club. They were one of 14 clubs that played in the twentieth 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.

This season the competition expanded to 14 teams with the inclusion of the Townsville Blackhawks. The Blackhawks became the third feeder club to the North Queensland Cowboys, sharing the Cowboy's player allocation with the Pride and Mackay Cutters.

The Pride appointed a new coach after Jason Demetriou moved to the Cowboys. Demetriou had signed a two-year extension with the Pride, making him one of the highest paid coaches in the Intrust Cup, but he decided to take the role in Townsville working with David Furner and John Cartwright as assistant coaches under Paul Green. Pride assistant coach Joe O'Callaghan was promoted to head coach. O'Callaghan had been coach to numerous Academy sides, including the U-20s Central Comets (2007–2008), U-20s Tweed Heads Seagulls (2009), and U-20s Easts Tigers (2012), and had been the Pride's assistant coach for two seasons.

Former Pride player Rod Jensen was appointed Chief Executive, replacing Brock Schaefer who left to take up a senior administrative role at NRL premiers South Sydney. 'Rocket' Rod had previously played wing and centre for the Adelaide Rams, Canberra Raiders and North Queensland Cowboys in the NRL Telstra Premiership, and for the Huddersfield Giants in the English Super League. He joined the Pride in their second season in 2009, and although he retired at the end of the year, he changed his mind and rejoined the club again halfway through the 2010 season, scoring a try in the 2010 Grand Final. Jensen played for the Pride for two more season, before moving to the CDRL Mareeba Gladiators.

The Pride defended their 2014 premiership under new coach Joe O'Callaghan. The team suffered substantial player losses as a result of their successful 2014 season with four players contracted to the NRL Telstra Premiership, two of the North Queensland Cowboys allocated players moving to the Townsville Blackhawks, and Joel Riethmuller retiring.

The club arranged some high-profile trial matches, beating newcomers Townsville Blackhawks, before travelling to Sydney to meet the 2014 NRL Telstra Premiers, South Sydney in the Return to Redfern annual match. Although the Rabbitohs rested some of their star players, the Pride held them to a 20-all draw. The following week the Rabbitohs travelled to England for the World Club Challenge where they beat Super League premiers St Helens R.F.C. 39-0. The Pride returned home to play against QCup heavyweights PNG Hunters. This trail was arranged at the last minute and was something of a consolation for the Pride, who were not scheduled to play the Hunters at home this season. Last year's home game against the Hunters attracted a record crowd, earning the club around $50,000 in gate receipts and sponsorship.

In the regular season the Pride got off to a poor start, losing the first four rounds. Round 1 was a grand final rematch against Easts Tigers, with the Tigers coming out victorious this time. Round 2 was cancelled due to Cyclone Nathan. Round 3 was against newcomers, the Blackhawks, who the Pride had beaten in a pre-season trial. The Blackhawks came to Cairns with three Cowboys players who had played for the Pride last year, and Dan Beasley, who had signed to play for the Pride, then reneged and showed up as the Blackhawks captain. The Blackhawks won 52-10, the Pride's biggest ever home loss and third biggest defeat of all time.

The Pride went on to win 14 games, climbing into the top eight by Round 9. They finished in sixth place, but were eliminated in the first week of the finals, losing 26–54 to the Ipswich Jets, who would go on to win the Grand Final against the new Townsville side.

Competition: Intrust Super Cup Sponsor: Sea Swift

Coach: Joe O'Callaghan. Assistant coach: Shane O'Flanagan Mal Meninga Cup U-18s coach: Dave Scott Cyril Connell Cup U-16s coach: Trainer: Peter Nash Assistant trainer: Deb Gallop. Physiotherapist: Tim Laycock Head conditioner and high performance manager: Ben Fielding Strength and rehab coordinator: Matthew Di Salvo Assistant strength and rehab coordinator: Megan Harding

Co-Captains: Brett Anderson & Jason Roos. Vice-Captain: Ben Jeffries Sheldon Powe-Hobbs (c) (Pre-season trial) Jordan Biondi-Odo (c) (Pre-season trial) Senior leadership group: Brett Anderson, Jason Roos, Alex Starmer, Ryan Ghietti, Sam Obst.

Team manager: Alan Marsh Administration Manager: Kerri Neil Mascot: Barlow the Lion (Peter Spooner) Chief executive: Rod Jensen Senior consultant: Denis Keeffe Chairman: Bob Fowler Board of Directors: Tony Williamson (sponsorship), John Moore, Rob White (football), Stephen Tillett (community), Fred White (government), Anthony Mirotsos (legal), Gail Andrejic (finance).

The Pride used 32 players this season. Sixteen players from last year signed with the club again, and four of the Cowboys' allocation players from last season were assigned to the Pride again this year. Twelve new players made their debut this season; eleven were new signings (Bradley Stephen, Codey Kennedy, David Murphy, Dean Mcgilvray, Denzel King, Graham Clark, Keelan White, Luke George, Nathan Wales, Regan Verney and Vaipuna Tia-Kilifi), and one was a new Cowboys allocation player (Lachlan Coote*). Hezron Murgha signed to the Cowboys, but was allocated to the Pride and made 19 appearances in QCup this season.

The Pride suffered substantial player losses at the end of the successful 2014 season with four players being contracted to the NRL Telstra Premiership, two of the North Queensland Cowboys allocated players moving to the Townsville Blackhawks, and Joel Riethmuller retiring. In addition, coach J.D. resigned to take up a position as assistant coach at the Cowboys.

• Cairns Induction Day: 22 November 2014
• Pre-season training: 24 November 2014
• Corporate launch: 20 February 2015, Barlow Park, with Cowboys coach Paul Green and players Matt Scott and Gavin Cooper.

30 September 2015, Brothers World of Entertainment, Manunda

Sea Swift Northern Pride Player of the Year: Jack Svendsen Sea Swift Players' Player: Sheldon Powe-Hobbs Sea Swift Members Player of the Year: Sam Obst Sea Swift Most improved player: Tom Hancock Sea Swift Best Back: Linc Port Sea Swift Best Forward: Graham Clark John O'Brien Perpetual Club Person of the Year: Jacqui Clarkson

• Most Games: Jason Roos (24), Linc Port (24), Sam Obst (24).
• Most Tries: Linc Port (24)
• Most Points: Linc Port (118)
• QRL leading try scorers (2015): Linc Port, 3rd place, (24 tries), Luke George, joint 9th place, (16 tries).

Ben Spina (c) Patrick Kaufusi Javid Bowen Hezron Murgha

Naming rights sponsor: Sea Swift Jersey sponsor (back of jersey): Sea Swift, Brothers Leagues Club Cairns, Emu Sportswear Sleeve sponsor: Shorts sponsor: Brothers Leagues Club Cairns, Cairns Regional Council, Fuller Sports, Intrust Super, Cairns Hardware, EMU Sportswear. Shirt manufacturer: EMU Sportswear. Other sponsors: Castlemaine XXXX; Pacific Toyota; Cairns District Rugby League; Calanna Pharmacy; Tropic Wings; GATA Plastering; All Seasons Cairns Colonial Club; Cairns Plan Printing; Yalumba Winery. Media partners: Sea FM; WIN Television; Cairns Post.

• 2015 primary Jersey
• 2015 alternative Jersey

• Win = 14 (9 of 11 home games, 5 of 12 away games)
• Loss = 9 (2 of 11 home games, 7 of 12 away games)

The Queensland Cup reverted to a six-team finals format in 2015.

7. Sam Obst – HB 8. Jack Svendsen – PR 9. Jason Roos (c) – HK 10. Patrick Kaufusi – PR 11. Vaipuna Tia Kilifi – SR
8. Graham Clark – SR 13. Tom Hancock – LK | | Interchange: 14. Jordon Biondi-Odo, 16. Sheldon Powe-Hobbs, 17. David Murphy, 22. Ben Spina*. | | * = Cowboys allocation (4 players allocated for this match) | | Unavailable: Regan Verney (fractured eye socket), Sam Pau (broken leg), Cameron King* (knee operation), Travis Peeters, Denzel King (jaw), Alex Starmer (shoulder). | | Pride Out: Semi Tadulala (wing), Luke George (wing), Brent Oosen (bench), Keelan White (bench) | | Pride In: Hezron Murgha (wing), Justin Castellaro (centre), Jack Svendsen (front row), Ben Spina* (bench) | | Changes: Javid Bowen (centre to wing), Jason Roos (front row to hooker), Patrick Kaufusi (hooker to front row), Vaipuna Tia Kilifi (front row to second row), Tom Hancock (second row to lock), Jordan Biondi-Odo (lock to bench) | | Ipswich Jets: 1. Carlin Anderson, 2. Marmin Barba, 3. Richard Pandia, 4. Nemani Valekapa, 5. Brendon McGrady, 6. Josh Cleeland, 7. Dane Phillips, 8. Josh Seage, 9. Matt Parcell, 10. Rod Griffin, 11. Fakahoko Teutau, 12. Kurt Capewell, 13. Keiron Lander (c). | | Interchange: 15. Kurtis Lingwoodock, 16. Billy McConnachie, 17. Liam Capewell, 22. Sam Martin. | | Coach: Ben Walker and Shane Walker | | * = Brisbane Broncos allocation (x players allocated for this match) | | Note: First Elimination Semi-final: 3rd place Ipswich Jets v 6th place Pride.This match was broadcast live on Channel 9 with Matthew Thompson, Scott Sattler and Peter Psaltis as the commentary team. |

In August 2012 as part of the historic $1 billion five-year broadcasting agreement with Nine and Fox Sports, the Australian Rugby League Commission confirmed that Intrust Super Cup matches would be televised by Channel 9 until 2018. One match a week is shown live across Queensland at 2.00pm (AEST) on Sunday afternoons on Channel 9 (or GEM), on WIN Television (RTQ) in regional areas and on Imparja Television in remote areas. The match is also broadcast in Papua New Guinea on Kundu 2 TV. The 2015 commentary team was Peter Psaltis, Scott Sattler and Mathew Thompson.

In 2015 the Pride appeared in three televised games:

Round 1: Northern Pride lost to Easts Tigers 20-12 at Tap Out Energy Stadium, Stones Corner, Brisbane. This match was shown on the Nine Network's GEM channel because the ICC World Cup Cricket match between Australia and Sri Lanka was on Channel Nine. Round 8: Northern Pride beat Souths Logan Magpies 36-18 (Played at 12.30 pm, telecast delayed to 1.30 pm) from Barlow Park, Cairns. This Round was originally scheduled as the Wynnum Manly Seagulls v Norths Devils game. First Elimination Semi-final: Northern Pride lost to Ipswich Jets 54-26 at North Ipswich Reserve, Ipswich.

The Round 3 match against the Townsville Blackhawks from Barlow Park, Cairns was scheduled to be broadcast, but Channel Nine was concerned about the impacts of Cyclone Nathan and so the match between Tweed Heads Seagulls and Norths Devils was shown instead.

• Official Website: northernpride.com.au