North Queensland Young Guns
Encyclopedia
The North Queensland Young Guns were a rugby league
team competing in the Queensland Cup
. They acted as a feeder team for the North Queensland Cowboys
. The Cowboys had previously entered reserve grade teams in the Australian Rugby League
and Super League
competitions. However, to prevent a drain on travelling expenses, the Cowboys applied to join the Queensland Cup
for the 1998 season. Competing as the Townsville Stingers, the reserve grade team had some initial success before narrowly missing the finals. The team was excluded from the 1999 Queensland Cup season, and the Cowboys decided to enter their teams into the predominantly New South Wales
-based First Division for the 2000 and 2001 seasons. Readmitted to the Queensland Cup in 2002, the Young Guns (as they were then known) would win the competition in 2005 with a 36-6 win against defending premiers Burleigh Bears
in the grand final.
The Stingers/Young Guns record in the Queensland Cup is 67 wins, 5 draws and 38 losses.
by 2 points in a match in last round of the regular season at Dairy Farmers Stadium on 18 August. The regular season had a tight finish as usual: the teams below the Dolphins
, the Tweed Heads Seagulls
and the Ipswich Jets
all finished 3 points below the Young Guns.
After such a great season, the Young Guns went into the finals as favourites.
In the finals, the Young Guns were given a bye in the first round. In the 2nd round they faced the 2nd placed Dolphins
but lost 28-18. They still had a 2nd chance, however, and they just needed to beat the Tweed Heads Seagulls
who were in red hot form to make their 2nd Queensland Cup
Grand Final appearance. They didn't, they choked at the last hurdle before the Grand Final and lost by a whopping margin of 24 points to the Seagulls
, the final score was an embarrassing 34-10.
This would be the Young Guns final Queensland Cup Match as they were now officially out of the Cup
due to the fact they had been merged/replaced with/by Northern Pride
, based in Cairns and owned by the Cairns Taipans
Australian NBL
Team.
The last Young Guns squad (2007) was :
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
team competing in the Queensland Cup
Queensland 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...
. They acted as a feeder team for the North Queensland Cowboys
North Queensland Cowboys
The North Queensland Cowboys are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Townsville, Queensland. They compete in Australasia's elite rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership...
. The Cowboys had previously entered reserve grade teams in the Australian Rugby League
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...
and Super League
Super League (Australia)
Super League was an Australian rugby league football administrative body that conducted professional competition in Australasia for one season in 1997. Along with Super League of Europe, it was created by News Corporation during the Super League war which arose following an unsuccessful attempt to...
competitions. However, to prevent a drain on travelling expenses, the Cowboys applied to join the Queensland Cup
Queensland 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...
for the 1998 season. Competing as the Townsville Stingers, the reserve grade team had some initial success before narrowly missing the finals. The team was excluded from the 1999 Queensland Cup season, and the Cowboys decided to enter their teams into the predominantly New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
-based First Division for the 2000 and 2001 seasons. Readmitted to the Queensland Cup in 2002, the Young Guns (as they were then known) would win the competition in 2005 with a 36-6 win against defending premiers Burleigh Bears
Burleigh Bears
The Burleigh Heads Rugby League Football Club are one of the oldest rugby league football clubs on the Gold Coast, Australia. Originally formed in 1934 playing out of Rudd Park, the club relocated to Pizzey Park in 1971, their current home ground....
in the grand final.
The Stingers/Young Guns record in the Queensland Cup is 67 wins, 5 draws and 38 losses.
2007 - final Queensland Cup season
Their 2007 coach was Matt Parish, replacing Mick Crawley for the season. They narrowly won the Minor Premiers Trophy by beating the DolphinsRedcliffe 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....
by 2 points in a match in last round of the regular season at Dairy Farmers Stadium on 18 August. The regular season had a tight finish as usual: the teams below the 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....
, the Tweed Heads Seagulls
Tweed Heads Seagulls
The Tweed Heads Seagulls, often referred to simply as Tweed or Seagulls, is a rugby league club based in Tweed Heads, New South Wales, and is the only non-Queensland team to play in the Queensland Cup.-History:...
and 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...
all finished 3 points below the Young Guns.
After such a great season, the Young Guns went into the finals as favourites.
In the finals, the Young Guns were given a bye in the first round. In the 2nd round they faced the 2nd placed 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....
but lost 28-18. They still had a 2nd chance, however, and they just needed to beat the Tweed Heads Seagulls
Tweed Heads Seagulls
The Tweed Heads Seagulls, often referred to simply as Tweed or Seagulls, is a rugby league club based in Tweed Heads, New South Wales, and is the only non-Queensland team to play in the Queensland Cup.-History:...
who were in red hot form to make their 2nd Queensland Cup
Queensland 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...
Grand Final appearance. They didn't, they choked at the last hurdle before the Grand Final and lost by a whopping margin of 24 points to the Seagulls
Tweed Heads Seagulls
The Tweed Heads Seagulls, often referred to simply as Tweed or Seagulls, is a rugby league club based in Tweed Heads, New South Wales, and is the only non-Queensland team to play in the Queensland Cup.-History:...
, the final score was an embarrassing 34-10.
This would be the Young Guns final Queensland Cup Match as they were now officially out of the Cup
Queensland 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...
due to the fact they had been merged/replaced with/by Northern Pride
Northern Pride RLFC
The Northern Pride RLFC is a Queensland rugby league club founded in 2007. Based in Cairns, Queensland they compete in the Queensland Cup.-History:...
, based in Cairns and owned by the Cairns Taipans
Cairns Taipans
The Cairns Taipans are an Australian professional basketball team competing in the Australasian National Basketball League. The club is based in the northern Queensland city of Cairns. The Taipans, named after a species of venomous snake native to Australia, entered the NBL in the 1999/2000 season...
Australian NBL
National Basketball League (Australia)
The National Basketball League, also known as the iiNet NBL Championship for sponsorship reasons, is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in Australasia....
Team.
The last Young Guns squad (2007) was :
- James Andersen
- Brett Anderson Brett AndersonBrett Lewis Anderson is an English singer-songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist of the band Suede. After Suede disbanded in 2003, he briefly fronted The Tears, and has released four solo albums...
- Daniel BackoDaniel BackoDaniel Backo is an Australian professional rugby league footballer. Son of former international forward Sam Backo, he currently plays for the North Queensland Cowboys in the National Rugby League competition.While attending Palm Beach Currumbin, Backo played for the Australian Schoolboys team in...
- Ryan Bartlett
- Steven Beaumont
- Scott BoltonScott BoltonScott Bolton is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who currently plays for the North Queensland Cowboys in the National Rugby League ....
- Brandon Boor
- Samuel James Bowie
- Greg Byrnes
- Sam FaustSam FaustSam Faust was an Australian professional rugby league player who played for the North Queensland Cowboys in the National Rugby League competition.-Playing career:...
- John FrithJohn FrithJohn Frith was an English Protestant priest, writer, and martyr.Frith was an important contributor to the Christian debate on persecution and toleration in favour of the principle of religious toleration...
- Jamie Frizzo
- Obadiah Geia
- Luke Hume
- Toshio LaiseniToshio LaiseniToshio Laiseni is a Tongan rugby league footballer. His position of choice is either at fullback or on the wing.-Early career:...
- Keiron LanderKeiron LanderKeiron Lander is an Australian professional rugby league player for the North Queensland Cowboys in the National Rugby League competition.-Club career:-External links:*...
- Ben Lowe
- Shane Muspratt
- Jackson NicolauJackson NicolauJackson Nicolau was an Australian Rugby league footballer who played for the Gold Coast Titans and North Queensland Cowboys in the NRL....
- Brady Payne
- Dean Payne
- Scott Smith
- Ben VaeauBen VaeauBen Vaeau is a rugby league player who currently plays for Brisbane Easts in the Queensland Cup. His position of preference is at prop.-Playing career:Vaeau played for the Manukau Magpies in the 2002 Auckland Rugby League competition....
- Colin Wilkie
Results
- 1998 (as Townsville Stingers) - 7th
- 2002 - 6th
- 2003 - 7th
- 2004 - 7th
- 2005 - Premiers
- 2006 - 4th
- 2007 - 1st(Minor Premiers)