Brisbane Bombers
Encyclopedia
The Brisbane Bombers are a proposed Australian professional rugby league football club to be based in the city of Brisbane
, the capital of the state of Queensland
. Founded in 2011, the Bombers are seeking an National Rugby League
(NRL) expansion licence for the 2013, 2014 or 2015 NRL premiership seasons.
In response to speculation of NRL expansion in the 2013 season to coincide with the leagues next media deal, the club was founded in January 2011 by Nicholas Livermore, Bill Rae and Craig Davidson (a former Brisbane Broncos
Thoroughbreds chairman). Channel 9 CEO David Gyngell
has publicly stated the NRL's upcoming 2013 media rights negotiations would be more attractive if the competition included a second Brisbane based NRL side.
The bids initial stratergy was based on a “Battle for Brisbane”, seeking to provide an alternative to the Broncos in Australia’s 3rd largest city. The club intends to play all home games at Suncorp Stadium
. Former player Billy Moore
is the bids main ambassador.
Rival bids include Western Corridor bid
, WA Reds, Central Coast Bears
, Central Queensland
, a Papua New Guinea
bid and New Zealand bid.
sides. It was the bids intention not to form agreements with clubs that had prior agreements with the Brisbane Broncos. They have formed separate agreements with the Souths Logan Magpies (who were formerly had a feeder arrangement with the Canberra Raiders
), Redcliffe Dolphins
and Sunshine Coast Sea Eagles
(who were formerly a feeder club to the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
) as feeder clubs.
After 12,000 responses, on 14 July, the bid launched its brand at Albion Park, revealing the bid clubs name, colours and logo. However, there has been some speculation that the club name had been settled upon as early as February 2011, as the bid took out a trademark application for the name “Brisbane Bombers Rugby League Football Club”, which calls into question the validity of the public consultation.
. The clubs colours are to be navy blue and orange with maroon trim. These colours are very similar to the former Brisbane based ARL
side, the South Queensland Crushers
.
.
The bid nominated three locations for a potential training base, including Davies Park in South Brisbane, Dolphin Park, Redcliffe
and two locations in Redlands.
It is speculated that the bid will now be based at Albion Park, currently a Racing Queensland venue which is in the process of relocation. This would provide the bid a training base close to the city near Allan Border Field
, the home ground site of the former QRL Cup team Brisbane Valleys. The announcement of the bid branding was conducted at Albion Park, and whether it is adopted is dependent on the sale of the Park by Queensland Racing.
and Cooper Cronk
about joining the club if it were to be successful in gaining an NRL licence. It has been noted that at brand launch in July, the bid had 18 letters of intent from current NRL players to join the club in 2013 should the bid be successful.
Former Brisbane Broncos
fullback and Karmichael Hunt
has also been identified as a target signing for the Brisbane bid. Queenslander and Canberra Raiders
prop David Shillington
has an agreement with the Raiders that he can be released from his current contract to join the Bombers.
In addition to approaches to NRL players, Rugby Union players Quade Cooper
(Queensland Reds
) and former Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs second rower Sonny Bill Williams
’s manager had been approached by the bid group about joining the club.
It has been speculated that several current and former NRL coaches may link to the team, including Ivan Henjak
, Wayne Bennett and Mal Meninga
.
club Essendon Bombers, who have sought legal advice in regards to trademark infringement. The name is also aviation themed, similar to expansion rival, the Western Corridor bid, which is being driven by a QRL Cup side, the Ipswich Jets
.
The bid has also attracted general criticism from the Central Queensland bid team.
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
, the capital of the state of Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
. Founded in 2011, the Bombers are seeking an National Rugby League
National Rugby League
The National Rugby League is the top league of professional rugby league football clubs in Australasia. The NRL's main competition, called the Telstra Premiership , is contested by sixteen teams, fifteen of which are based in Australia with one based in New Zealand...
(NRL) expansion licence for the 2013, 2014 or 2015 NRL premiership seasons.
In response to speculation of NRL expansion in the 2013 season to coincide with the leagues next media deal, the club was founded in January 2011 by Nicholas Livermore, Bill Rae and Craig Davidson (a former Brisbane Broncos
Brisbane Broncos
The Brisbane Broncos are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the city of Brisbane, the capital of the state of Queensland. Founded in 1988, the Broncos play in Australasia's elite competition, the National Rugby League premiership. They have won six premierships and two...
Thoroughbreds chairman). Channel 9 CEO David Gyngell
David Gyngell
David Gyngell is the CEO of Australian commercial broadcasting network Channel Nine. He is currently serving his second stint as CEO after resigning from the job in May 2005...
has publicly stated the NRL's upcoming 2013 media rights negotiations would be more attractive if the competition included a second Brisbane based NRL side.
The bids initial stratergy was based on a “Battle for Brisbane”, seeking to provide an alternative to the Broncos in Australia’s 3rd largest city. The club intends to play all home games at Suncorp Stadium
Suncorp Stadium
Lang Park is the original name of the site located in the Brisbane suburb of Milton, Queensland, Australia, now occupied by the major sports facility known by its sponsorship name, Suncorp Stadium...
. Former player Billy Moore
Billy Moore
Billy Moore may refer to:*Billy Moore , Australian rugby league footballer*Billy Moore , Welsh dual-code rugby player*Billy Moore , English footballer-See also:...
is the bids main ambassador.
Rival bids include Western Corridor bid
Ipswich Jets
The Ipswich Jets are an Australian rugby league football club based in Ipswich, Queensland.Their name comes from nearby RAAF Base Amberley, one of the largest airbases in Australia. The Jets compete in the Queensland Cup competition...
, WA Reds, Central Coast Bears
Central Coast Bears
The Central Coast Bears are a proposed rugby league club on the Central Coast of Australia. There is a movement for a return to first-grade Rugby League for the once proud club, with the North Sydney Bears moving to Gosford and becoming the Central Coast Bears...
, Central Queensland
Queensland Rugby League Central Division
The Central Division of the Queensland Rugby League is responsible for the promotion, administration and facilitation of rugby league throughout Central Queensland. The Division's boundaries take in Miriam Vale and Gladstone to the south, out to Winton in the west and north to Moranbah. There are...
, a Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea , officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands...
bid and New Zealand bid.
Queensland Cup affiliation
The Brisbane Bombers have sought affiliation with several Queensland CupQueensland Cup
The Queensland Cup is the premier rugby league football competition in the State of Queensland, Australia.It is a statewide competition with the majority of teams based in South East Queensland but also including sides based in Cairns, Mackay and Rockhampton.The competition began in 1996 as a...
sides. It was the bids intention not to form agreements with clubs that had prior agreements with the Brisbane Broncos. They have formed separate agreements with the Souths Logan Magpies (who were formerly had a feeder arrangement with the Canberra Raiders
Canberra Raiders
The Canberra Raiders are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the national capital city of Canberra, Australian Capital Territory. They have competed in Australasia's elite rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership since 1982...
), Redcliffe Dolphins
Redcliffe Dolphins
The Redcliffe Dolphins are a rugby league team from the city of Redcliffe in Queensland, Australia. The Redcliffe Dolphins were founded in 1947, accepted into the Brisbane Rugby League premiership in 1960, and since 1996 have played in the Queensland Cup....
and Sunshine Coast Sea Eagles
Sunshine Coast Sea Eagles
Sunshine Coast Sea Eagles are a professional rugby league team currently playing in the Queensland Cup they are a new team to the competition. They previously played under the name of the Sunshine Coast Falcons but were booted from the competition...
(who were formerly a feeder club to the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
The Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles are an Australian professional rugby league club based on the Northern Beaches of Sydney. They compete in the National Rugby League's Telstra Premiership, the premier rugby league competition of Australasia...
) as feeder clubs.
Name and Emblem
After conducting market research, in March 2011, the bid group announced 15 shortlisted names fans could nominate via the bid website, along with colours and jersey designs, and the winning name would be announced via a radio sponsor. The shortlisted names were:| Location Name | Mascot |
|---|---|
| Brisbane | Barracudas, Bayliners, Bobcats, Bombers, Braves, Brewers, Buccaneers, Heat |
| Eastern | Stingrays |
| Rivercity | Kookaburras |
| South Queensland | Cyclones, Dolphins, Rogues, Spartans, Taipans |
After 12,000 responses, on 14 July, the bid launched its brand at Albion Park, revealing the bid clubs name, colours and logo. However, there has been some speculation that the club name had been settled upon as early as February 2011, as the bid took out a trademark application for the name “Brisbane Bombers Rugby League Football Club”, which calls into question the validity of the public consultation.
Colours
The club has a jersey manufacture agreement with New Zealand sports goods company CanterburyCanterbury of New Zealand
Canterbury of New Zealand is a New Zealand-based sports apparel company that focuses on rugby football. The company is named after the Canterbury area in New Zealand where the company started to make knitwear. Other than producing rugby kits, the brand is also known for their rugby protective wear...
. The clubs colours are to be navy blue and orange with maroon trim. These colours are very similar to the former Brisbane based ARL
Australian Rugby League
The Australian Rugby League is the governing body for the sport of rugby league in Australia. It is made up of state bodies, including the New South Wales Rugby League and the Queensland Rugby League...
side, the South Queensland Crushers
South Queensland Crushers
The South Queensland Crushers were an Australian rugby league football club based in Brisbane, Queensland. In 1992 it was decided that the team would be admitted into the New South Wales Rugby League competition, along with three other teams, as part of the League's expansion plans for professional...
.
Grounds
The Brisbane Bombers intend on playing all home games at Brisbane’s Suncorp StadiumSuncorp Stadium
Lang Park is the original name of the site located in the Brisbane suburb of Milton, Queensland, Australia, now occupied by the major sports facility known by its sponsorship name, Suncorp Stadium...
.
The bid nominated three locations for a potential training base, including Davies Park in South Brisbane, Dolphin Park, Redcliffe
Redcliffe, Queensland
Redcliffe is a residential suburb of the Moreton Bay Region in the north-east of the Redcliffe peninsula, approximately north-northeast of Brisbane, the state capital of Queensland, Australia...
and two locations in Redlands.
It is speculated that the bid will now be based at Albion Park, currently a Racing Queensland venue which is in the process of relocation. This would provide the bid a training base close to the city near Allan Border Field
Allan Border Field
Allan Border Field is a small cricket ground in the Brisbane suburb of Albion in Queensland. The Australian Cricket Academy has been based at the oval since 2004 using it as a base for the development of elite cricketers throughout Australia....
, the home ground site of the former QRL Cup team Brisbane Valleys. The announcement of the bid branding was conducted at Albion Park, and whether it is adopted is dependent on the sale of the Park by Queensland Racing.
Possible NRL players and coaching staff
The Bombers have approached several current NRL players, including, Petero CivonicevaPetero Civoniceva
Petero Civoniceva is an Australian professional rugby league footballer currently contracted to the Brisbane Broncos of the National Rugby League...
and Cooper Cronk
Cooper Cronk
Cooper Patrick Cronk is an Australian professional rugby league footballer currently playing for the Melbourne Storm of the NRL...
about joining the club if it were to be successful in gaining an NRL licence. It has been noted that at brand launch in July, the bid had 18 letters of intent from current NRL players to join the club in 2013 should the bid be successful.
Former Brisbane Broncos
Brisbane Broncos
The Brisbane Broncos are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the city of Brisbane, the capital of the state of Queensland. Founded in 1988, the Broncos play in Australasia's elite competition, the National Rugby League premiership. They have won six premierships and two...
fullback and Karmichael Hunt
Karmichael Hunt
Karmichael Neil Matthew Hunt is an Australian professional multi-code football player, currently playing Australian rules football for the newly formed Gold Coast Suns in the Australian Football League ....
has also been identified as a target signing for the Brisbane bid. Queenslander and Canberra Raiders
Canberra Raiders
The Canberra Raiders are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the national capital city of Canberra, Australian Capital Territory. They have competed in Australasia's elite rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership since 1982...
prop David Shillington
David Shillington
David Shillington is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who currently plays for the Canberra Raiders of the National Rugby League...
has an agreement with the Raiders that he can be released from his current contract to join the Bombers.
In addition to approaches to NRL players, Rugby Union players Quade Cooper
Quade Cooper
Quade S. Cooper is a New Zealand born Australian rugby union player.He currently plays for the Queensland Reds in the Super Rugby competition and the Australia national rugby union team, generally as fly-half.-Career:...
(Queensland Reds
Queensland Reds
The Queensland Reds represent Queensland in the sport of rugby union in the Southern Hemisphere Super Rugby competition. Prior to 1996 they were a representative team selected on merit from the rugby union club competitions in Queensland...
) and former Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs second rower Sonny Bill Williams
Sonny Bill Williams
Sonny William 'Sonny Bill' Williams is a New Zealand rugby union player and former rugby league player. He is only the second person to represent New Zealand in rugby union after first playing for the country in rugby league. In rugby union he usually plays as a centre...
’s manager had been approached by the bid group about joining the club.
It has been speculated that several current and former NRL coaches may link to the team, including Ivan Henjak
Ivan Henjak
Ivan Henjak is an Australian professional rugby league football coach and former player. He was the former head coach for the Brisbane Broncos of the National Rugby League, having taken over from Wayne Bennett in 2009...
, Wayne Bennett and Mal Meninga
Mal Meninga
Malcolm Norman Meninga AM is an Australian former rugby league test captain and current coach of Queensland's State of Origin team. As a player he was a legendary goal-kicking centre, counted amongst the finest footballers of the 20th century...
.
Criticism
The mascot choice has caused some consternation, particularly from the AFLAustralian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
club Essendon Bombers, who have sought legal advice in regards to trademark infringement. The name is also aviation themed, similar to expansion rival, the Western Corridor bid, which is being driven by a QRL Cup side, the Ipswich Jets
Ipswich Jets
The Ipswich Jets are an Australian rugby league football club based in Ipswich, Queensland.Their name comes from nearby RAAF Base Amberley, one of the largest airbases in Australia. The Jets compete in the Queensland Cup competition...
.
The bid has also attracted general criticism from the Central Queensland bid team.
Sponsors
Several sponsors that have publicly backed the bid, including- Jersey Manufacturer – CanterburyCanterbury of New ZealandCanterbury of New Zealand is a New Zealand-based sports apparel company that focuses on rugby football. The company is named after the Canterbury area in New Zealand where the company started to make knitwear. Other than producing rugby kits, the brand is also known for their rugby protective wear...
- Automotive Sponsor – JeepJeepJeep is an automobile marque of Chrysler . The first Willys Jeeps were produced in 1941 with the first civilian models in 1945, making it the oldest off-road vehicle and sport utility vehicle brand. It inspired a number of other light utility vehicles, such as the Land Rover which is the second...
- Beverage Sponsor – Bundaberg RumBundaberg RumBundaberg Rum is a dark rum produced in Bundaberg, Australia, often referred to as "Bundy".The Bundaberg Distilling Company owns its own cola-producing facility, which supplies the cola for its ready-to-drink Bundaberg Rum and Cola products.-History:...
- Radio Sponsor – B105.3 (Austereo)
- Centrebet
- RCI Military Logistics