GOLD COAST v BRISBANE
at SKILLED STADIUM
7.30pm Friday
HEAD TO HEAD
Played: 16 (1988-1998, 2007) Brisbane 13, Gold Coast 3 *
* record includes the Gold Coast as the Giants, Seagulls, Chargers and Titans
First clashes: Gold Coast 25 beat Brisbane 22 at Seagulls Stadium, 1988 (Rd 10)
THE JERSEYS
The Gold Coast Titans will be wearing a variation of the old Gold Coast Seagulls striped jersey (which was black and white), incorporating the Titans primary colours of gold and blue.
The Brisbane Broncos will be wearing a replica of their original 1988 jersey, featuring across the front the years of each premiership they have won since entering the competition.
THE RIVALRY
After playing the first three seasons with the Broncos, Wally Lewis was the first player to move from Brisbane to the Gold Coast (for the 1992 season), after the Broncos did not re-sign him.
Players who have appeared for both clubs include Dale Shearer, Kevin Campion, Ben Ikin, Stuart Kelly, Brett Plowman, Craig Teevan, and Wally Lewis.
The record crowd between these two clubs of 22,688 at Carrara, 1994 (Rd 2) is likely to be broken in this clash.
In 1988, the Giant’s first win over Brisbane (25-22) at Seagulls Stadium was a huge upset; they had lost nine straight matches, while Brisbane had won seven of their opening nine games and were equal competition leaders.
THE HISTORY
GOLD COAST
Entered competition: 1988
Premierships: None
Most games: Jamie Goddard – 86
Most points: Brendan Hurst – 285
Most tries: Danny Peacock – 28
KEY EVENTS
1988 The Gold Coast-Tweed Giants are one of three clubs invited into the NSW Rugby League premiership, with Bob McCarthy as the first coach.
1990 Club becomes the ‘Seagulls’.
1991 Wally Lewis joins Gold Coast as a player, later coach, but fails to lift the club from the bottom of the ladder. The side finished last in all three seasons Lewis was involved, winning just one game in 1993.
1995 By August, a moribund Gold Coast outfit seems doomed. However, after a farcical period in the midst of the Super League war, the ARL provides support for the club to continue in 1996.
1996 Coached by Phil Economidis, the team is now known as the ‘Chargers’.
1997 In a divided year featuring two competitions, the Chargers qualify for the ARL semi finals — beating Illawarra before going down to Sydney City.
1998 The club resists joint-venture overtures and finishes equal last. On December 3, with ARL support withdrawn, club chairman David Barnhill announces the closure of the Chargers.
2005 The NRL grants a totally new entity from the Gold Coast a licence to join a 16-team competition in 2007. Preston Campbell (Penrith) and Luke Bailey (St George Illawarra) are named as the venture’s first signings. In September, the club announces they will be known as the ‘Titans’.
2006 Luke Bailey and Scott Prince are named co-captains.
2007 Coached by John Cartwright, the Titans are gallant in defeat in their first NRL match, falling 20–18 to St George Illawarra at Suncorp Stadium. Winger Chris Walker scores the first Titans try. The team wins 10 of its 24 matches in a first season full of promise. A home crowd average of 21,489, second in the NRL, suggests a bumper future.
2008 The campaign starts spectacularly on March 14, as the Titans down the Cowboys 36–18 in the first game at Skilled Park, the club’s new stadium. Winger Jordan Atkins produces a remarkable four tries on debut – in front of a full-house crowd of 26,974, the biggest crowd to watch a league match on the Gold Coast.
DID YOU KNOW?
The Gold Coast rejected a merger with News Limited’s Hunter Mariners for the 1998 season, after less than two years earlier deflecting a merger offer from the South Queensland Crushers. By 1999, all three clubs were defunct.
Current strength and conditioning coach Billy Johnstone was the (previous) Gold Coast’s captain in their first match, against his old club Canterbury, in 1988
The 1978 Kangaroo winger Larry Corowa holds the record of Gold Coast’s oldest player, making a comeback at age 34 in 1991. He played only two first grade games though, scoring one try.
Gold Coast’s seventh place in the split competition of 1997 is the club’s best, and only time it made the finals. Coach Phil Economidis was chosen as ARL coach of the year.
Current managing director Michael Searle was a member of the Gold Coast side from their first season to 1993, playing 40 first grade games as a second-rower and hooker.
THE HISTORY
BRISBANE
Entered competition: 1988
Premierships: Six (1992, 1993, 1997 (Super League), 1998, 2000 and 2006)
Most games: Darren Lockyer – 278
Most points: Darren Lockyer – 1,138
Most tries: Steve Renouf – 142
KEY EVENTS
1988 In their debut match, the Wally Lewis-led Brisbane Broncos crush defending premiers Manly 44–10 at Lang Park.
1989 The Broncos earn their first title, beating Illawarra 22–20 in the Panasonic Cup final.
1990 Brisbane qualify for finals for the first time, but fall 32–4 to Canberra in the preliminary final.
1992 The Broncos become the first interstate team to win the premiership, defeating St George 28–8 in the grand final.
1992 The club claims the World Club Championship, downing Wigan 22–8 at Central Park.
1993 A crowd of 51,517 watch the Broncos’ first match at ANZ Stadium: a 12–8 loss to Parramatta.
1993 A second successive grand final victory, over St George 14–6.
1994 The club is warned it faces expulsion from the competition over links with proposed Super League.
1995 Brisbane participates in an historic match against Auckland Warriors to launch an expanded 20-team ARL competition.
1997 The Broncos win the Super League grand final, defeating Cronulla 26–8 at ANZ Stadium before a crowd of 58,912. The club also claims Super League’s World Club Challenge, disposing of the Hunter Mariners 36–12 in Auckland
1998 Brisbane wins the first NRL competition, beating Canterbury 38–12 in the grand final
1999 Skipper Allan Langer stuns the league world when he announces his sudden retirement eight games into the season with the Broncos having just one win and a draw.
2000 A fifth premiership title, as the Sydney Roosters are defeated 14–6 in the grand final, with Kevin Walters as skipper
2003 The Broncos play their first match at the revamped Suncorp Stadium, but go down 32–22 to Newcastle
2006 Brisbane claim their sixth premiership title, upsetting minor premiers Melbourne 15–8 in the grand final.
2008 Coach Wayne Bennett announces he will leave the club at the end of the season after 21 years in charge.
DID YOU KNOW?
When the Broncos entered the competition in 1988 they did it with just three players who had played in the NSWRL premiership – ex-Dragons Billy Noke and Chris Johns and Roosters recruit Terry Matterson. The rest came from Queensland or the bush.
Johns became the first Queensland-based player to play for NSW when chosen for the Blues in 1989.
Despite being one of the game’s most dominant players and winning the Dally M for his position six times (three as fullback, three as five-eighth), Darren Lockyer has never been close to winning the Dally M Medal – his best finish being sixth.
Brisbane has never lost a grand final, winning all six premiership deciders they’ve contested.
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