Global Information2010 Northern Pride RLFC season information
| Club information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Northern Pride Rugby League Football Club | ||
| Nickname(s) | The Pride | ||
| Colours |  Teal, Gold | ||
| Founded | 2007 | ||
| Website | northernpride.com.au | ||
| Current details | |||
| Ground(s) |
| ||
| CEO | John Moore (2010) | ||
| Coach | David Maiden (2010-2012) | ||
| Captain | Chris Sheppard (2008-2010) | ||
| Competition | Intrust Super Cup | ||
| 2010 | 4th | ||
| |||
| Records | |||
| Premierships | 2 (2010/2014) | ||
| Runners-up | 1 (2009) | ||
| Minor premierships | 2 (2013/2014) | ||
2010 was the third competitive season for the Cairns based Skill360 Northern Pride Rugby League Football Club'. They were one of 12 clubs that played in the fifteenth season of Queensland's top rugby league competition, QRL's Intrust Super Cup, with each team playing 11 home games and 11 away games over 25 weeks between March and August.
The CEO, Denis Keeffe left the Pride to become CEO of the Central Queensland NRL bid.[1] He was replaced by board member and former QRL Northern Division chairman, John Moore.[2] Another board member, Nigel Tillett resigned to concentrate on his CDRL commitments.[3]
Pride assistant coach David Maiden was appointed head coach, replacing Andrew Dunemann who had taken up a new role assistant coach at the NRL's Newcastle Knights.[4] Maiden had coached the Pride's Mal Meninga Cup U-18 side to the grand final last season.[5]
Chris Sheppard was named captain for the third (and final) year, with Ryan Stig taking on the role for the Pre-season Trial against the Windsor Wolves, and Mark Cantoni stepping in as captain between Round 8 and Round 12 when Sheppard was out with a facial fracture.
On 1 April 2010 the Pride launched a Facebook page, 'northernpriderugbyleague', and from Round 3 they started posting live score updates during matches. At away games various staff members and the coaches' wife Juanita Maiden posted scores. At home games Cairns Post sports journalist Andrew Piva posted scores.
The Pride's main sponsor, CRGT (Cairns Region Group Training), became Skill360. CRGT/Skill360 were the Pride's main sponsors for the Pride's first six years. Skytrans Airline sponsored the Pride's 'Take Pride' youth community program.[6]
The Pride played most of their home games at Barlow Park this season, but during May the ground was unavailable while the athletics track was replaced. The Pride played their two May home games at Pride Oval, Irene Street, Manunda, winning both of them.[7]
Rugby League Magazine tipped the Pride to win the competition this year, but the start of the season under their new coach did not go well.[8] Round 1 was a rematch with the Sunshine Coast Sea Eagles, who had beaten the Pride in last year's grand final. Although the Pride had the home game advantage and a new, bulkier front row, and the Sea Eagles had lost many of last year's grand final players, the Pride lost the match. The Pride went on to lose Round 2 to Wynnum Manly, and suffer their greatest defeat, 60-12 in Round 3 to Souths Logan, putting them at the bottom of the table for the first time in their history. In Round 12 Daly Cherry-Evans's Sea Eagles defeated the Pride again, with a humiliating 64-0 defeat.[9]
After thirteen rounds they had only had five wins, but then, in the latter half of the season they won nine consecutive matches to finish in fourth place. The final match of the regular season saw the Pride beat Burleigh Bears 54-6, their biggest win. This game was also the first time the Pride fielded a team without any North Queensland Cowboys.
The Pride had the home game advantage in week one of the finals, when they faced Wynnum Manly. The Pride had lost both regular season games to the WM Seagulls, but this time they beat them 28-12, before going on to beat the minor-premiers, Souths Logan, who had handed them the humiliating defeat in Round 3. Now in their second consecutive Grand Final, the Pride beat Norths Devils 30–20 at Suncorp Stadium to become Premiers for the first time. Captain Chris Sheppard won the Duncan Hall Medal for his man-of-the-match performance in the Grand Final, which was his last game before retirement.
- ^ "Denis Keeffe to pilot CQ's NRL bid". The Daily Mercury. Rockhampton. 24 October 2009.
- ^ Baxter, Craig (6 November 2009). "Clubs meet to build stronger links". Townsville Bulletin. Townsville.
- ^ "CDRL boss quits role on Pride board". Cairns Post. Cairns. 7 December 2009.
- ^ Greenwood, Emma (8 October 2009). "Good Knight Duney". Cairns Post. Cairns.
- ^ Greenwood, Emma (26 October 2009). "Maiden Call-Up. Juniors GM to replace Dunemann". Cairns Post. Cairns.
- ^ "Boost to help youngsters to take pride". Cairns Post. Cairns. 19 May 2010.
- ^ Piva, Andrew (27 May 2010). "Maiden's grounds for optimism as Pride return to spiritual home". Cairns Post. Cairns.
- ^ "The buzz ... Tip-top season ahead". Cairns Post. Cairns. 1 March 2010.
- ^ "Sea Eagles turn on masterful display". Sunshine Coast Daily. Noosa. 7 June 2010.