THE HISTORY OF RUGBY LEAGUE SUNSHINE COAST

Rugby league has a strong and proud history on the Sunshine Coast. North Coast Rugby League was established in 1920, following adoption of the ‘new game’ by the former North Coast Rugby Union. Ten clubs played during the new competition’s inaugural season, namely Woombye, Buderim, Nambour, Cooran, Eumundi, Palmwoods, Yandina, Cooroy, Pomona and Mooloolah.

In 1969 the regional league changed its name to Sunshine Coast Rugby League and the organisation became legally registered as a Public Company Limited by Guarantee in 1977. Since its inception, the competition has con­tinually gathered momentum and additional clubs from throughout the Sunshine Coast and Moreton Bay regions have joined the association. In 1994, Gympie Cooloola Rugby League Football Club joined the competition and the league became known as Sunshine Coast / Gympie Rugby Football League.

Sunshine Coast / Gympie Rugby Football League (SCGRL) works with governing bodies and its affiliated junior and senior clubs to provide extensive opportunities for people of all ages, gender  and abilities to participate in structured rugby league activities. The association assists all clubs to foster healthy and active participation in sport in a safe and social environment and supports clubs with continually improving their service delivery.

SCGRL manages fixtures for senior clubs participating in its A Grade, Reserve Grade, Women’s, C Grade and Under 18 com­petitions and works with its junior league branch to manage junior competition fixtures. The association fosters the development of junior and senior players, as well as referees, coaches, officials and other support personnel through established pathways, assisting all involved in the game locally to reach their full potential.

FALCONS HALL OF FAME

The Hall of Fame recognises the game’s rich history and should become a focal point for all supporters.   The Hall of Fame recognises the different eras that have made up the game by acknowledging the game’s elite.

To be inducted into the Hall of Fame, a Senior/Junior League, Senior/Junior Club, Referees- administrator, coach, volunteer, referee – has been involved in Rugby League in the Sunshine Coast/Gympie RFL area for at least 8 years and demonstrate that they have achieved a focal point for the betterment of the code within the SC/GRL area.

Alf Murrell 1979 – 2009
Allan Marr – Deceased 1967 -1980
Ashley Robinson 1970 – still active
Bernie McMahon 1983 – 2011
Bert Deschamps 1970 – 2008
Bill Chapman – Deceased 1980 – 2003
Bill Logan 1984 – still active
Bill Venardos – Deceased 1958-1980
Billy Moore 2000. 2006 – still active
Bob Leitch 1991 – 2021
Brad Henderson 1980’s – 90’s
Col Christensen 1960 – 2010
Col Turner – Deceased 1976 -1983
Craig Leitch 1987 – 1991 1991 – 2004
Danny McGuire 1974 – still active
Dave Cordwell 1970 – current
Des Allen 1973 – still active
Dennis ‘Slim’ Moroney 1980 – still active
Des Dwyer 1950 – current
Des Ludwig – Deceased 1970 – 2002
Doug Drew 1978 – 2012
Errol Kleinhans 1985 – still active
Fred Murray – Deceased 1966 -78 1979-1991
Fred Richter – Deceased 1947-1950
Gary Grice 1980-90
Gerald Thompson 1985 – still active
Graham Allen 1960’s
Ian Welch 1966 – still active
Ivan Friske 1991 – still active
Jack Tyrell 1920 – 1940
Joe Bray 1978 – 2008
John Campbell 1960 – 70
John Rankin 1973 – 1983
Kyle Brownlie 1989 – 2012
Les Geeves 1982 – 2008
Les Williams 1968 – 2017
Lex Burchill 1977-2005
Mark Carstens 1975 – still active
Mark Cohen 1992 – 2007
Mick Hourigan 1983 – still active
Nev Heiniger 1964 – 1975
Noel Warner 2007 – still active
Norman Hood – Deceased 1921-1925
Paul McMillan 1991 – still active
Paul Rutledge 1960 – 2011
Paul Thomas 1970’s
Peter Boyce 1977 – still active
Rhondda Poor 1982 – 2017
Ray Madsen 1974 – 2017
Rob Brough 1996 – still active
Rod Smith – Deceased 1940-50
Ronald Henry Greenwood 1939 – 1987
Shane Payne 1980 – 2004
Shaun Cronau 1967 – still active
Stuart Mackenzie 1997 – still active
Steve Molineux 1970’s
Stuart Jeffers – Deceased 1953 – 1989
Tim Shepherd 2002 – still active
Vince Nipperess – Deceased 1954 -1983
Mark Langlands 2002 – still active

FALCONS LIFE MEMBERS

2012 CHRIS O’GRADY
2011 BERNIE MC MAHON
2010 ASHLEY ROBINSON
ALDO LOI
KEVIN GRANT
RHONDDA POOR
ALF MURRELL
PETER BOYCE
DES LUDWIG
STEVE MOLINEUX
LEX BURCHILL
TOM BOWDEN
JOE BRAY
KEITH KREBS
BERT DESCHAMPS
BILL CHAPMAN
ALLAN MARR
COL TURNBULL
FRED MURRAY
BILL BEAUMONT
BILL VENARDOS
DARREN FRASER
TIM WOOD
MATT SHERRY

TEAM OF THE CENTURY 1907 - 2007

In late 2007, the Sunshine Coast/Gympie Rugby League club was requested by the Australian Rugby League and National Rugby League to participate in the process of selecting the top 100 best rugby league players in the game’s 100-year history in Australia. As part of this process a sub committee was formed and nominated 18 people considered to be the best of all time in each position throughout the  Sunshine Coast/Gympie Rugby League club’s history.

1.   FULLBACK – Ray Laird

2.   WINGER –  Peter Sommerville 

3.   CENTRE –  Barry Gills 

4.   CENTRE – Kerry Brown

5.   WINGER –  Tim Dwyer

6.   FIVE-EIGHTH –  John Reddy

7.   HALFBACK – James Ward

8    FRONT ROW –  Syd Clarke 

9.   HOOKER –  Gary Prickett 

10. FRONT ROW –  Grant Young

11. SECOND ROW –  Daryl Fitzgerald 

12. SECOND ROW –  Gary ‘Butch’ Cox 

13. LOCK – Mick Plant 

14. INTERCHANGE – Grant Thorogood

15. INTERCHANGE – Noel Goldthorpe

16.  INTERCHANGE – Tony Elliot

17. INTERCHANGE – Gary Smith 

PREMIERS 1994 Onwards

Year ‘A’ Grade Reserve Grade  Under 18 Under 16
1984 Caboolture Maroochydore Caloundra Souths
1985 Maroochydore Maroochydore Nambour Maroochydore
Under 19 Under 17
1986 Caboolture Caboolture Nambour Maroochydore
1987 Nambour Woodford Prison Nambour Maroochydore
1988 Nambour Nambour Maroochydore Caboolture
1989 Bronco Colts Broncos/Stanley River Caboolture Nambour
1990 Maroochydore Maroochydore Noosa –
1991 Maroochydore Nambour Maroochydore –
1992 Stanley River Maroochydore Nambour –
1993 Kawana Maroochydore Caloundra –
1994 Caboolture Maroochydore Kawana –
1995 Kawana Nambour Nambour –
1996 Maroochydore Coolum Stanley River Kawana
1997 Noosa Caloundra Nambour –
1998 Maroochydore Coolum Caboolture Nambour
1999 Bribie Island Bribie Island Caloundra –
2000 Maroochydore Coolum Noosa –
2001 Bribie Island Nambour Caloundra Nambour
2002 Caloundra Noosa Noosa –
2003 Nambour Caloundra Bribie Island –
2004 Nambour Noosa Bribie Island –
Under 20 Under 18
2005 Nambour Bribie Island Caboolture/Bribie Caloundra
2006 Noosa Noosa Maroochydore Caloundra
2007 Noosa Caloundra Noosa –
‘C’ Grade
2008 Noosa Caloundra – Caloundra
2009 Caloundra Caboolture – Kawana
2010 Gympie Caboolture – Kawana
2011 Caboolture Caboolture Mary Valley Nambour
2012 Kawana Maroochydore Coolum Kawana
2013 Kawana Caboolture Beerwah Caboolture
2014 Caloundra Caloundra Beerwah Gympie
 Year  ‘A’ Grade  Div 2A  Div 2B  ‘C’ Grade  Under 18 ‘A’  Under 18 ‘B’
 2015  Kawana  Gmpie  Caloundra  Caboolture  Kawana  Noosa
 Year  Division 1  Division 2A  Division 2B  Under 18 Div 1  Under 18 Div 2
 2016  Maroochydore  Kawana  Nambour  Kawana  Coolum
 2017  Noosa  Kawana  Stanley River  Maroochydore  Caboolture Maudsley Excavations Cup (Womens)
 2018  Maroochydore  Kawana Pomona/Cooran  Kawana  Kawana Caboolture
 Year  ‘A’ Grade  Div 2A  Div 2B  Under 18   Maudsley Excavations Cup (Womens)
2019 Stanley River Coolum Beachmere Kawana Maroochydore
2020 No Comp (Covid)
2021 Kawana Beerwah Beerwah Kawana Caloundra
2022 Maroochydore Coolum Palmwoods Maroochydore Caloundra
 Year  A Grade  Reserve Grade  C Grade  Under 19   Maudsley Excavations Cup (Womens)
2023 Beerwah Bribie Island Caloundra Kawana Kawana