DIEHARD
27-09-05, 06:12 PM
The rugby league offseason is always a great time for kite-flying, tossing around hypotheticals and burrowing for answers. Before the 2005 season QRL.COM.AU asked the following 26 questions.
A - is for Aaron ‘Ali’ Barba, the electric winger who scored over 60 tries in two seasons for Redcliffe. Now with Toowoomba, will he fulfil his dream of breaking into the NRL?
* (Barba fell short in his quest for the NRL and dropped down the pecking order at Toowoomba, making just seven State League appearances in 2005).
B - is for reigning premiers the Burleigh Bears. Like coach Rick Stone, they appear rock solid. Will the Queensland Cup witness a premiership defence for only the second time in its short history?
* (The Bears came within one win of a premiership defence, but were accounted for 36-6 in the grand final by the rampaging North Queensland Young Guns. Stone meanwhile, was named coach of the Queensland Cup 10 Year Team).
C - is for a Crushers reunion out Ipswich way. Coach Trevor Gillmeister’s high profile signings Steele Retchless and Grant Young both spent time with the now-defunct South Queensland club. Can the Jets equal the 13 wins the Crushers took three years to record?
* (Ipswich finished third-last for the second year in succession and had just five wins).
D - is for Division representatives. Last year’s Divisional Championship in Mackay produced a number of players who have since been utilised or groomed by Queensland Cup clubs. Dallas McIlwain even went on to earn an NRL contract. Which Division will win the 2005 Championship in Gladstone?
* (South West retained the Divisional Championship for the third straight year. Liam Georgetown of South East Division was signed by the Penrith Panthers).
E - is for Phil Economidis. After several years coaching in northern New South Wales, the former Gold Coast Chargers mentor has another opportunity to impress. He heads to Souths Logan, once home to Wayne Bennett. Can Economidis lift them out of the cellar?
* (Although there were promising signs for the Magpies, they again finished near the bottom of the ladder. Mark Gliddon will take Economidis’ place in 2006).
F - is for John Flint, man of the match for Burleigh in the grand final and then for Queensland Residents against Western Australia. Now signed with Penrith, can Flint find the consistency needed to establish himself in the NRL?
* (Flint never quite broke into the NRL this season, with strong competition for spots keeping him out of the picture).
G - is for Geoffrey Wright, one of the Queensland Cup’s most fanatical supporters, even with his Panther suit in storage. Elsewhere we have the Bugle Boy at Burleigh, Dawn Hill’s Dolphinettes and the irrepressible Chook Pen at Wynnum. Which ground will boast the most vocal crowd in 2005?
* (Although benefiting from simultaneous scheduling with the Cowboys, the Young Guns played before several crowds of 20,000 this season. Fans arrived early to get their dose of State League and avidly supported their champion team).
H - is for evergreen Central Comet Heath Egglestone. The Egg needs one more try to notch 100 in the Queensland Cup. If he does so, he’ll be the first player to reach the mark under the current format. How many rounds will it take to bring up the century?
* (Egglestone left the Comets for work in Moranbah and instead played in the local Mackay competition. He won a premiership with the Miners and scored three tries in the grand final).
I - is for Injuries. Such has been the closeness of the competition in recent seasons, the team with the healthiest roster has often prevailed. Ipswich was under a curse in 2004, while Easts suffered several key injuries in the grand final. Which team will be keeping local physios in business next year?
* (Wynnum had every setback known to man thrown in its face this year, including injuries to key halves Paul Green and Jace Van Dijk.)
J - is for Jay McDermott, the scratch handicapper looking to rejuvenate his league career with Tweed Heads. After several years trying to break into the professional golf ranks, will he hand in a birdie or a bogey with the Seagulls?
* (A former Queensland Schoolboys representative, McDermott played just four Queensland Cup games for Tweed, but helped the Seagulls reserve side to a premiership in the Northern Rivers competition).
K - is for Kougari Oval, venue for this year’s City-Country clash, returning after two years of fantastic support in outback Barcaldine. Can City extend its recent record to five wins in the past six years?
* (Although Country sides dominated this year’s Queensland Cup, City slaughtered its rural cousins in a 58-16 result. Raised in outback Mount Isa, Ryan Cullen scored a hat-trick for his adopted City side).
L - is for Lang Park, the spiritual home of Queensland Rugby League. Now known as Suncorp Stadium, the world’s most atmospheric rugby league field will again play host to Queensland Cup matches in 2005. Can Toowoomba better its 2-2 record at the ground from last year?
* (Toowoomba had a 2-1 record at Suncorp Stadium this year, including a 36-10 win against the Young Guns in Round One).
M - is for Mixwell Cup and Mixwell Challenge. For eight of the clubs in the Queensland Cup, the Mixwell competitions are vital for player development. Of the newcomers, who will finish highest – Tugun or Hills District?
* (Hills District qualified for the Colts finals in just its first year, while Tugun was similarly impressive in Mixwell Cup. Overall Hills finished higher in the Spotless Club Championship by 84 points to 69).
N - is for Neale Wyatt. At age 23, the Clydesdales’ chief executive is easily the youngest CEO in the competition. Known for his uncompromising defence both with Toowoomba and the Broncos, Wyatt hopes to continue playing as well. Will Wyatt retain his Country jersey for 2005?
* (Indeed, Wyatt did represent Country yet again, while making two appearances for the Broncos and 16 for Toowoomba)
O - is for the prevalence of Origin players. Last year the Queensland Cup fielded Steve Renouf, Darren Smith, Ben Ikin, Paul Green, Matt Bowen, Nathan Fien, Brad Meyers, Adrian Vowles and Rodney Howe. What impact will Wynnum juniors Paul Green and Craig Greenhill have upon the return to their old ‘hood?
* (A broken leg for Green early in the season made for a disappointing return home, while Greenhill was heavily marked by opposition forwards throughout the year).
P - is for the artist formerly known as Pearson. Brandon Costin joins Easts after a fantastic performance for the USA against Australia and a top-notch stint with Huddersfield. How many tries will he score for the Tigers?
* (Costin was at the centre of one of the more dramatic occurrences of season 2005, sacked mid-season by Easts and then transferring to Norths where he played finals football. He scored 13 tries in his time with the Tigers and was Man of the Match for City v Country).
Q - is for Queensland Residents. From the two Residents games in 2004, a total of 15 Queensland players earned NRL contracts. Will the boys in Maroon be able to reverse recent fortune which has seen them lose four of five games to New South Wales?
* (There was no respite for the Queenslanders, defeated 16-6 by the Blues. Queensland led 6-0 at halftime courtesy of an Adam Hayden try).
R - is for Redcliffe. Arguably the most well-known Queensland Cup club outside the state, the Dolphins missed the finals for the first time last season. A turnover of players and a change in coaching staff has wiped the slate clean. Will the Dolphins finish higher or lower under new coach Anthony Griffin?
* (Redcliffe was just a few minutes away from a grand final in 2005 before former Dolphin Trent Leis scored at the death in the preliminary final against Burleigh).
S - is for Smithy. Within months of playing for Australia, Darren Smith returned to the Queensland Cup, generating significant public interest. Will he or won’t he lace up the boots again?
* (The ageless Smith not only returned to the Queensland Wizard Cup, he was a shining light for the Brisbane Broncos in a tough run to the NRL finals).
T - is for Trelly. After a lifetime’s worth of loyalty to Wests, Wayne Treleaven has returned to the Queensland Cup with rivals Norths. A friend of Melbourne coach Craig Bellamy, Treleaven is in charge of the next wave of Storm troopers. Can he bring the same passion to the Devils as he did to the Panthers?
* (Treleaven relished the opportunity with Norths and took the Devils to second place at the end of the regular season. Despite admitting to feeling ‘a bit weird’ at first, he slotted in well at Bishop Park).
U - is for Upgrades to Dairy Farmers Stadium, Q.L.D Group Stadium and Pizzey Park, all tailored to heighten the experience for spectators. Last year a number of grounds such as Clive Berghofer Stadium and Browne Park unveiled significant improvements. Will crowds continue to return en masse to these boutique grounds?
* (The intimacy of Queensland Cup grounds continued to lure fans, keen to be a part of the parochial, grassroots movement. In particular, Burleigh’s renovations helped the club cater to several large crowds, as witnessed in the preliminary final).
V - is for Jace Van Dijk. A junior with Runaway Bay, the scything Dutchman was a coup signing for another Seagulls club – Wynnum. Last season he was a stand-out for Souths Logan, without much of a supporting cast. Can he have the same impact for the Baysiders alongside their other big off-season recruits.
* (A handful of niggling injuries held Van Dijk back from producing his best on a Wynnum team that never quite got into its groove).
W - is for Wharton at Wynnum. An even bigger factor than Van Dijk will be the adjustment of three-time Queensland Cup-winning coach Neil Wharton, formerly of Redcliffe. Can Wharton end Wynnum’s 20-year losing streak at Dolphin Oval?
* (The hoodoo continued for Wynnum, beaten 20-10 at Dolphin Oval after trailing by just two points midway through the second half).
X - is for eXtra time. After 17 minutes of uninterrupted overtime in this year’s grand final, changes are foreseeable to the manner in which tied encounters are decided. Given the history of tight finals, how long until another Queensland Cup decider goes to extra time?
* (The grand final mightn’t have gone to overtime, however Redcliffe and Toowoomba staged a thrilling extra-time semi, won by a Shane Perry field goal).
Y - is for the Young Guns, namely of North Queensland. Despite their close NRL affiliation, the Guns have failed to make the finals of the Queensland Cup in any season. With a bevy of new signings, can the northerners break their duck in 2005?
* (Not only did the Young Guns make the final for the first time, they went undefeated through 15 straight games as they took out the title. Back on board, inaugural Cowboys coach Grant Bell came full circle with the club’s younger brigade).
Z - is for Anthony Zipf, scorer of seven tries in one game for Norths last season. An irregular first grader, Zipf equalled the Queensland Cup record established by Chris Walker. Can anyone manage eight tries in a match?
* (The most triesany one player scored in 2005 in a single game was five by Tweed winger Nat Barnes. Zipf contested a grand final in the Sunshine Coast-Gympie league with the Noosa Pirates).
Source: http://www.QRL.com.au
A - is for Aaron ‘Ali’ Barba, the electric winger who scored over 60 tries in two seasons for Redcliffe. Now with Toowoomba, will he fulfil his dream of breaking into the NRL?
* (Barba fell short in his quest for the NRL and dropped down the pecking order at Toowoomba, making just seven State League appearances in 2005).
B - is for reigning premiers the Burleigh Bears. Like coach Rick Stone, they appear rock solid. Will the Queensland Cup witness a premiership defence for only the second time in its short history?
* (The Bears came within one win of a premiership defence, but were accounted for 36-6 in the grand final by the rampaging North Queensland Young Guns. Stone meanwhile, was named coach of the Queensland Cup 10 Year Team).
C - is for a Crushers reunion out Ipswich way. Coach Trevor Gillmeister’s high profile signings Steele Retchless and Grant Young both spent time with the now-defunct South Queensland club. Can the Jets equal the 13 wins the Crushers took three years to record?
* (Ipswich finished third-last for the second year in succession and had just five wins).
D - is for Division representatives. Last year’s Divisional Championship in Mackay produced a number of players who have since been utilised or groomed by Queensland Cup clubs. Dallas McIlwain even went on to earn an NRL contract. Which Division will win the 2005 Championship in Gladstone?
* (South West retained the Divisional Championship for the third straight year. Liam Georgetown of South East Division was signed by the Penrith Panthers).
E - is for Phil Economidis. After several years coaching in northern New South Wales, the former Gold Coast Chargers mentor has another opportunity to impress. He heads to Souths Logan, once home to Wayne Bennett. Can Economidis lift them out of the cellar?
* (Although there were promising signs for the Magpies, they again finished near the bottom of the ladder. Mark Gliddon will take Economidis’ place in 2006).
F - is for John Flint, man of the match for Burleigh in the grand final and then for Queensland Residents against Western Australia. Now signed with Penrith, can Flint find the consistency needed to establish himself in the NRL?
* (Flint never quite broke into the NRL this season, with strong competition for spots keeping him out of the picture).
G - is for Geoffrey Wright, one of the Queensland Cup’s most fanatical supporters, even with his Panther suit in storage. Elsewhere we have the Bugle Boy at Burleigh, Dawn Hill’s Dolphinettes and the irrepressible Chook Pen at Wynnum. Which ground will boast the most vocal crowd in 2005?
* (Although benefiting from simultaneous scheduling with the Cowboys, the Young Guns played before several crowds of 20,000 this season. Fans arrived early to get their dose of State League and avidly supported their champion team).
H - is for evergreen Central Comet Heath Egglestone. The Egg needs one more try to notch 100 in the Queensland Cup. If he does so, he’ll be the first player to reach the mark under the current format. How many rounds will it take to bring up the century?
* (Egglestone left the Comets for work in Moranbah and instead played in the local Mackay competition. He won a premiership with the Miners and scored three tries in the grand final).
I - is for Injuries. Such has been the closeness of the competition in recent seasons, the team with the healthiest roster has often prevailed. Ipswich was under a curse in 2004, while Easts suffered several key injuries in the grand final. Which team will be keeping local physios in business next year?
* (Wynnum had every setback known to man thrown in its face this year, including injuries to key halves Paul Green and Jace Van Dijk.)
J - is for Jay McDermott, the scratch handicapper looking to rejuvenate his league career with Tweed Heads. After several years trying to break into the professional golf ranks, will he hand in a birdie or a bogey with the Seagulls?
* (A former Queensland Schoolboys representative, McDermott played just four Queensland Cup games for Tweed, but helped the Seagulls reserve side to a premiership in the Northern Rivers competition).
K - is for Kougari Oval, venue for this year’s City-Country clash, returning after two years of fantastic support in outback Barcaldine. Can City extend its recent record to five wins in the past six years?
* (Although Country sides dominated this year’s Queensland Cup, City slaughtered its rural cousins in a 58-16 result. Raised in outback Mount Isa, Ryan Cullen scored a hat-trick for his adopted City side).
L - is for Lang Park, the spiritual home of Queensland Rugby League. Now known as Suncorp Stadium, the world’s most atmospheric rugby league field will again play host to Queensland Cup matches in 2005. Can Toowoomba better its 2-2 record at the ground from last year?
* (Toowoomba had a 2-1 record at Suncorp Stadium this year, including a 36-10 win against the Young Guns in Round One).
M - is for Mixwell Cup and Mixwell Challenge. For eight of the clubs in the Queensland Cup, the Mixwell competitions are vital for player development. Of the newcomers, who will finish highest – Tugun or Hills District?
* (Hills District qualified for the Colts finals in just its first year, while Tugun was similarly impressive in Mixwell Cup. Overall Hills finished higher in the Spotless Club Championship by 84 points to 69).
N - is for Neale Wyatt. At age 23, the Clydesdales’ chief executive is easily the youngest CEO in the competition. Known for his uncompromising defence both with Toowoomba and the Broncos, Wyatt hopes to continue playing as well. Will Wyatt retain his Country jersey for 2005?
* (Indeed, Wyatt did represent Country yet again, while making two appearances for the Broncos and 16 for Toowoomba)
O - is for the prevalence of Origin players. Last year the Queensland Cup fielded Steve Renouf, Darren Smith, Ben Ikin, Paul Green, Matt Bowen, Nathan Fien, Brad Meyers, Adrian Vowles and Rodney Howe. What impact will Wynnum juniors Paul Green and Craig Greenhill have upon the return to their old ‘hood?
* (A broken leg for Green early in the season made for a disappointing return home, while Greenhill was heavily marked by opposition forwards throughout the year).
P - is for the artist formerly known as Pearson. Brandon Costin joins Easts after a fantastic performance for the USA against Australia and a top-notch stint with Huddersfield. How many tries will he score for the Tigers?
* (Costin was at the centre of one of the more dramatic occurrences of season 2005, sacked mid-season by Easts and then transferring to Norths where he played finals football. He scored 13 tries in his time with the Tigers and was Man of the Match for City v Country).
Q - is for Queensland Residents. From the two Residents games in 2004, a total of 15 Queensland players earned NRL contracts. Will the boys in Maroon be able to reverse recent fortune which has seen them lose four of five games to New South Wales?
* (There was no respite for the Queenslanders, defeated 16-6 by the Blues. Queensland led 6-0 at halftime courtesy of an Adam Hayden try).
R - is for Redcliffe. Arguably the most well-known Queensland Cup club outside the state, the Dolphins missed the finals for the first time last season. A turnover of players and a change in coaching staff has wiped the slate clean. Will the Dolphins finish higher or lower under new coach Anthony Griffin?
* (Redcliffe was just a few minutes away from a grand final in 2005 before former Dolphin Trent Leis scored at the death in the preliminary final against Burleigh).
S - is for Smithy. Within months of playing for Australia, Darren Smith returned to the Queensland Cup, generating significant public interest. Will he or won’t he lace up the boots again?
* (The ageless Smith not only returned to the Queensland Wizard Cup, he was a shining light for the Brisbane Broncos in a tough run to the NRL finals).
T - is for Trelly. After a lifetime’s worth of loyalty to Wests, Wayne Treleaven has returned to the Queensland Cup with rivals Norths. A friend of Melbourne coach Craig Bellamy, Treleaven is in charge of the next wave of Storm troopers. Can he bring the same passion to the Devils as he did to the Panthers?
* (Treleaven relished the opportunity with Norths and took the Devils to second place at the end of the regular season. Despite admitting to feeling ‘a bit weird’ at first, he slotted in well at Bishop Park).
U - is for Upgrades to Dairy Farmers Stadium, Q.L.D Group Stadium and Pizzey Park, all tailored to heighten the experience for spectators. Last year a number of grounds such as Clive Berghofer Stadium and Browne Park unveiled significant improvements. Will crowds continue to return en masse to these boutique grounds?
* (The intimacy of Queensland Cup grounds continued to lure fans, keen to be a part of the parochial, grassroots movement. In particular, Burleigh’s renovations helped the club cater to several large crowds, as witnessed in the preliminary final).
V - is for Jace Van Dijk. A junior with Runaway Bay, the scything Dutchman was a coup signing for another Seagulls club – Wynnum. Last season he was a stand-out for Souths Logan, without much of a supporting cast. Can he have the same impact for the Baysiders alongside their other big off-season recruits.
* (A handful of niggling injuries held Van Dijk back from producing his best on a Wynnum team that never quite got into its groove).
W - is for Wharton at Wynnum. An even bigger factor than Van Dijk will be the adjustment of three-time Queensland Cup-winning coach Neil Wharton, formerly of Redcliffe. Can Wharton end Wynnum’s 20-year losing streak at Dolphin Oval?
* (The hoodoo continued for Wynnum, beaten 20-10 at Dolphin Oval after trailing by just two points midway through the second half).
X - is for eXtra time. After 17 minutes of uninterrupted overtime in this year’s grand final, changes are foreseeable to the manner in which tied encounters are decided. Given the history of tight finals, how long until another Queensland Cup decider goes to extra time?
* (The grand final mightn’t have gone to overtime, however Redcliffe and Toowoomba staged a thrilling extra-time semi, won by a Shane Perry field goal).
Y - is for the Young Guns, namely of North Queensland. Despite their close NRL affiliation, the Guns have failed to make the finals of the Queensland Cup in any season. With a bevy of new signings, can the northerners break their duck in 2005?
* (Not only did the Young Guns make the final for the first time, they went undefeated through 15 straight games as they took out the title. Back on board, inaugural Cowboys coach Grant Bell came full circle with the club’s younger brigade).
Z - is for Anthony Zipf, scorer of seven tries in one game for Norths last season. An irregular first grader, Zipf equalled the Queensland Cup record established by Chris Walker. Can anyone manage eight tries in a match?
* (The most triesany one player scored in 2005 in a single game was five by Tweed winger Nat Barnes. Zipf contested a grand final in the Sunshine Coast-Gympie league with the Noosa Pirates).
Source: http://www.QRL.com.au