North Sydney Bears
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| Club Information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | North Sydney & District Rugby League Football Club | ||
| Nickname(s) | The Shoremen | ||
| Founded | 1908 (foundation club) | ||
| Departed | 1999 | ||
| Former Details | |||
| Competition | NSWRL, ARL, NRL, New South Wales Cup | ||
| 1999 | 14th of 17 | ||
 Team colours |
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| Records | |||
| Premierships | 2 - 1921, 1922 | ||
| Runners-up | 1 - 1943 | ||
| Minor premiership | 2 - 1921, 1922 | ||
| Wooden spoons | 9 - 1915, 1917, 1919, 1932, 1940, 1948, 1950, 1951, 1979 | ||
The North Sydney Bears are an Australian rugby league football club based in North Sydney, New South Wales. They currently compete in the New South Wales Cup, having exited the top-level National Rugby League competition after the 1999 NRL season. The Bears are based on Sydney's Lower North Shore, and have played at North Sydney Oval since 1910. There has been speculation that the club could be resurrected in th NRL as the Central Coast Bears, based in Gosford, New South Wales[1].
The club was established in 1908, making it one of the original founding members of the New South Wales Rugby Football League, and one of Australia's first rugby league football clubs. North Sydney continued competing with some success in the first half of the 20th century in the NSWRL, and through the ARL and NRL premierships until they merged with Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles to form the Northern Eagles for the 2000 season. The merged club lasted only until 2002 when it split again, with the Bears returning, but this time in the NSWRL competition the second-tier rugby league competition, where they continue to play today. North Sydney are currently in partnerships with the Rabitohs, taking the place of Souths reserve grade. Souths are currently coached by the Bears' record-breaking top points scorer, Jason Taylor.
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[edit] History
North Sydney was formed as a foundation club of the newly arrived rugby league game in 1908 and were known as the Shoremen. Like the other Sydney district clubs, Norths were largely born from players and officials from the local Rugby Union club, Northern Suburbs Rugby Club. The club initially struggled to obtain access to North Sydney Oval, but council obstruction was removed and the Shoremen played their first real home game in 1910. Many good players such as Denis "Dinny" Lutge, Jimmy Devereaux and Sid Deane were lost to English clubs in the few years after making the semi-finals in the season of 1908.
They were nearly dropped from the competition during World War I because of dwindling spectator numbers. Towards the end of the war, Norths' fortunes improved, playing quality and spectators numbers increased and they won 2 premierships in 1921-1922 coached by Chris McKivat. Unfortunately, these would be their last first grade premierships and their last grand final appearance was in 1943[2]. when an injury riddled North Sydney were beaten by Newtown 34-7.
The team became known as the North Sydney Bears during the 'fifties after accepting a sponsorship from the nearby Big Bear supermarket at Neutral Bay.
The Bears continued to make appearances in the finals during the next few decades, and produced arguably the greatest winger the game has ever seen in Ken Irvine. Irvine still hold the record for most first grade tries for one club (171).
New South Wales representative Queenslander, Bruce Walker, captained the Bears in the final of the 1976 Tooth Cup.
The Nineties saw finals appearances and near misses in 1991, and 1993-1998. Come the start of 1999 the future looked bright, plans to move to the Central Coast were well underway, but the unfortunate outcome of the Super League war was a criterion designed to reduce the number of Sydney teams. To the puzzlement of most Rugby League fans Norths became the junior partners to bitter rivals Manly-Warringah in a joint venture hastily convened in late 1999.
[edit] Merger years
After some deliberation and the rights of the members of the football club handed over to avoid an embarrassing 'NO' vote on the merger question, and the signing of most of the Bears younger brigade and few from the senior team, the name Northern Eagles was born. The name Northern Eagles had little relevance to North Sydney with many people feeling the word Northern represented the Northern Beaches and not the word Norths or North used to describe North Sydney since 1908. The word Eagles reflected the Eagle or Sea Eagle of the Manly club and had nothing to do with the beloved Bear mascot of the North Sydney club. The originally mooted Northern Phoenix was dismissed by the dominant Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles faction. The team colours were larely based on the old Manly colours, another reason most Bears' fans refused to support the joint venture.
The joint venture club played out of North Power Stadium (now Blue Tongue Central Coast Stadium) at Gosford, a ground largely developed by the Bears and Brookvale Oval, but poor on-field performances and factional fighting led to the collapse of the Northern Eagles in 2002, after only three years. Bears fans' worst fears were realised when the Northern Eagles' licence then reverted to Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles, leaving the foundation club out of the top flight of rugby league in Australia after more than 90 years.
[edit] The New South Wales Cup
North Sydney currently play in the second-tier NSW Cup competition, serving as the reserve side for the South Sydney Rabbitohs. They have also been affiliated with the Warriors and the Storm in the past. In the 2007 NSWRL Premier League the North Sydney Bears made the Grand Final facing off against Sydney rivals Parramatta. They were beaten 15-20 by Weller Hauraki, scoring a controversial try with just 10 seconds to go, on the '7th' tackle. The team is consisted of players from the South Sydney full time squad and North Sydney part time squad. North Sydney finished the 2008 season as NSW Cup minor premiers.
[edit] The Central Coast Bears
There is a movement among Bears' fans for a return to first-grade Rugby League, with the North Sydney Bears moving to Gosford (on the Central Coast, New South Wales) and becoming the Central Coast Bears. The Bears bid committee is currently in the process of lobbying the NRL for inclusion as the next expansion team. They are headed up by Perry Lopez and Greg Florimo and likely to be backed by John Singleton.The proposed team would play 10 games in Gosford and 2 games at North Sydney Oval (obviously against Manly and one other Sydney team). North Sydney legend David Fairleigh would become the inaugural coach. Prominent rugby league personalities who have publicly back the club include Phil Gould, Andrew Johns and Peter Sterling while support has also come from as high up as Federal Shadow Treasurer and North Sydney MP Joe Hockey.[3]
North Sydney Bears fan Alan McLoughlin, a Central Coast resident, has set up a Facebook petition[4] to bring the Bears to Gosford.[5]
[edit] Team of the Century
On the 26th of August 2006 the club announced their "Team of the Century".[6]
| Position | Player |
|---|---|
| FB | Brian Carlson |
| WG | Ken Irvine |
| CE | Jimmy Devereux |
| CE | Greg Florimo |
| WG | Harold Horder |
| FE | Tim Pickup |
| HB | Duncan Thompson |
| PR | Gary Larson |
| HK | Ross Warner |
| PR | Billy Wilson |
| SR | David Fairleigh |
| SR | Mark Graham |
| LK | Peter Diversi |
| Bench | Sid Deane |
| Bench | Ken McCaffery |
| Bench | Billy Moore |
| Bench | John Gray |
| Coach | Chris McKivat |
[edit] Former Players of Note
|
Australia |
New Zealand Scotland |
[edit] Coaches
- Chris McKivat^ 1921-22
- Arthur Edwards 1933
- Frank Burge^ 1935 & 1945
- Laurie Ward 1937
- Bob Williams^ 1939
- Arthur Halloway 1940-1941
- Roy Thompson 1941
- Jack O'Reilly 1942
- Frank Hyde 1943-1944 & 1950
- Harry Forbes 1946
- Cliff Pearce 1947-1948
- Harry McKinnon 1949
- Laurie Doran, 1951
- Ross McKinnon^ 1952-53 & 1959
- Rex Harrison 1954-1955
- Bruce Ryan^ 1956
- Trevor Allan 1957-1958
- Greg Hawick 1960-1985
- Bob Sullivan 1961-1962
- Fred Griffiths 1963-66
- Billy Wilson 1967
- Col Greenwood 1968
- Roy Francis^ 1968-1970
- Merv Hicks 1971-1972
- Noel Kelly^ 1973-76
- Bill Hamilton 1977-1978
- Tommy Bishop^ 1979
- Ron Willey^ 1980-82
- Greg Hawick 1982-1985
- Brian Norton 1985-86
- Frank Stanton^ 1987-89
- Steve Martin^ 1990-92
- Peter Louis^ 1993-99
- Keiran Dempsey^ 1999
^ Did not play first grade for Norths
[edit] Club Records
[edit] Club Records
5 Biggest Wins
- 62 points, 62-0 against North Queensland Cowboys at North Sydney Oval on August 23, 1998
- 54 points, 60-6 against North Queensland Cowboys at North Sydney Oval on April 16, 1995
- 52 points, 64-12 against Balmain at North Sydney Oval on May 30, 1999
- 52 points, 55-3 against Penrith at North Sydney Oval on, July 16, 1978
- 45 points, 45-0 against Cumberland at Wentworth Park on July 25, 1908
Biggest Loss
- 56 points, 3-59 against Glebe at Wentworth Park on July 17, 1915.
Highest Points
- 64 points, Norths defeated Balmain Tigers 64-12 at North Sydney Oval on May 30, 1999.
Highest Score Conceded
- 60 points, Brisbane Broncos defeated Norths 60-6 at QSAC Stadium on April 26, 1998.
Most Consecutive Wins
- 9 matches, July 24, 1920 - May 14, 1921
- 9 matches, June 13 - August 14, 1994
Most Consecutive Losses
- 12 matches, June 3 - August 26, 1979
[edit] Club Honours
Premierships: (2) 1921, 1922
Runners-Up: (1) 1943
Minor Premierships: (2) 1921, 1922
Finals Appearances: 1908, 1921, 1922, 1928, 1935, 1936, 1943, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1964, 1965, 1982, 1991, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998
Undefeated Season: 1921 (8 games: 7 wins 1 draw)
Reserve Grade Premierships: 1940, 1942, 1955, 1959, 1989, 1991, 1992, 1993
Third Grade Premiership [and equivalent competitions]: 1937, 1945, 1946, 1959
President's Cup: 1918, 1933
H 'Jersey' Flegg Memorial Trophy: 1998
Sevens: Runners-Up: 1996, 1997
City Cup: Winners: 1920, 1922 Runners-Up 1913, 1959
League Cup: Runners-Up: 1919
State Championship: Runners-Up: 1945
Pre-season Competition: Runners-Up: 1964, 1966, 1977
Midweek Cup [as Amco Cup]: Runners-Up: 1976
Channel 10 Challenge Cup: Winners: 1978
[edit] Australian Internationals
- George Ambrum 1972
- Martin Bella 1986-1989
- Tom Berecry 1911-1912
- Cec Blinkhorn 1921-1922
- Albert Broomham 1909-1912
- Michael Buettner 1996
- Brian Carlson 1958-1961
- Tedda Courtney 1910
- Arch Crippin 1936
- Brett Dallas 1996
- Sid Deane 1908-1914
- Jim Devereaux 1908-1909
- Peter Diversi 1954-1955
- David Fairleigh 1994-1996
- Greg Florimo 1994-1995
- Nevyl Hand 1948-1949
- Harold Horder 1920-1922
- Ben Ikin 1998
- Ken Irvine 1959-1968
- Clarrie Ives 1921-1922
- Peter Jackson 1991-1992
- Les Kiss 1986
- Gary Larson 1995-1997
- Dinny Lutge 1908-1909
- Ken McCaffery 1957
- Don McKinnon 1982
- Keith Middleton 1950
- Billy Moore 1995-1997
- Andy Morton 1908-1909
- Fred Nolan 1937-1938
- Herman Peters 1921-1922
- Tim Pickup 1972-1974
- Con Sullivan 1910-1914
- Bob Sullivan 1954
- Duncan Thompson 1919-1922
- Roy Thompson 1937-1938
- Laurie Ward 1937-1938
- Lloyd Weier 1965-1966
- Billy Wilson 1963
[edit] 2008 Results from NSDRLFC
Joint NSDRLFC-MWDRLFC Grand Finals
- A Grade : Berowra 22 Valley 14
- A Reserves: Valley 16 Berowra 6
- U19: Berowra 40 Christian Brothers 4
- U17: Cromer 32 Manly Cove 28
- U16: North Curl Curl 36 Willoughby 8
NSDRLFC Grand Finals
- A3: Cromer 16 Nth Ryde 12
- U/15: Berowra 28 Asquith 12
- U/13: Berowra 26 Hills Hawks 24
- U/12: Pennant Hills/Cherrybrook 26 Hills Hawks 10
- U/11: Pennant Hills/Cherrybrook Red 34 Berowra 0
- U/10: Pennant Hills/Cherrybrook 18 Asquith 12
- U/9: Berowra Maroon 26 Willoughby 18
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Dillon, Robert (2009-05-07). "Burraston fears full-time Central Coast team". theherald.com.au. http://www.theherald.com.au/news/local/sport/rugby-league/burraston-fears-fulltime-central-coast-team/1506565.aspx. Retrieved on 2009-05-24.
- ^ Headon, David (October 1999). "Up From the Ashes: The Phoenix of a Rugby League Literature" (pdf). Football Studies Volume 2, Issue 2. Football Studies Group. http://www.la84foundation.org/SportsLibrary/FootballStudies/1999/FS0202i.pdf. Retrieved on 2009-07-07.
- ^ Bears get logo, now for an NRL jersey Adrian Proszenko
- ^ Facebook Central Coast Bears petition group
- ^ Heighington can bear to wait if Central Coast get up
- ^ http://www.eraofthebiff.com/p-82.html
[edit] External links
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