DIEHARD
----
- Messages
- 7,037
Brothers Rugby League Club
From the The Sun Book of Rugby League punblished 1983
There may never have been a Brothers Rugby League Club had there not been a dispute over lack of insurance cover of rugby union players in 1919.
Brothers, a top Rugby Union outfit which won the competition in 1918, decided to switch to Rugby League, joining Coorparoo, Bulimba, Valleys, Wests and West End in the League.
The great Duncan Thompson was captain of West End, but he did not frighten the converted top union players including Pat Murphy and Bluey Thompson.
Another switch was crack former AIF player Vince Mooney, but a serious knee injury proved a set back for him.
Brothers players remained amatuers and found it difficult at first adjusting to the new code. But in 1923 they won their first trophy, the Pike Cup. and the following season were runners-up to Valleys in the Premiership.
The 1924 season included an incredible match against Coorparoo at the Exhibition Ground. Coorparoo won, but Brothers protested on the grounds that the referee wrongly awarded a try.
They claimed five-eighth George Draney had taken the Coorparoo try scorer over the touchline, bowling over the corner flag in the process.
Brothers were granted a replay and, in fact, the rules were subsequently changed to give a touch judge the power to over rule a referee's decision on awarding a try.
The replay was also spiced with controversy and drama. Brothers has to be talked into playing under the referee and when they finally took the field it was only 10 minutes before the grandstand caught fire - and both teams raced off to save their gear.
In 1926 Brothers signed the great Tom Gorman from Toowoomba and paid him a 400 pound signing on fee. He became the club's first paid player and it was money well spent.
Gorman inspired the club to win its first premiership. He also became Brothers' first international and in 1928-29 was captain of the Kangaroos touring tea, in England.
Gorman is still the only Queenslander ever to captain a Kangaroos touring side.
Brothers did not win another premiership until 1935 when they won a thrilling grand final 17-15. It was 10-all at fulltime and an extra 10 minutes each way was ordered.
As the final bell sounded skipper Eric Hogan landed a penalty goal from the sideline to win the match for Brothers.
Brothers then went into the doldrums for three seasons before they lured crack NSW winger Len Dawson and a huge centre Dick Roser to the club.
It was mainly Dawson's brilliance which enabled Brothers to capture another premiership.
Brothers were trailing Valleys 19-9 well into the second half, but Dawson got them out of jail with three great tries in only 10 minutes and Brothers won 21-9.
In the grand final they beat Norths 11-9 and Dawson again was the star, along with a pack of forwards dubbed The Terrible Six by famous league writer Laurie Kearney.
The Terrible Six were Bill Law, Jack Little, Vince Hogan, Jack Ryrie, Larry Gillespie and Bill Dall.
Brothers twice won the premiership during World War II, but then came a long run of outs.
From Toowoomba after the war came tough forward Eddie Brosman, who toured with the 1948 Kangaroos.
And after the war one of Australia's all time greats Brian Davies worked his way through the club's ranks and into the Australian test side.
Davies didn't like football as a schoolboy, but as an apprentice plumber he played in the Commerical League.
He was spotted by a Brothers official and talked into playing reserve grade. But he didn't stay there long.
Davies played 27 tests and was captain coach of Australia in the 1958 Ashes series against England. He will always be remembered as one of the greatest players ever to wear a Brothers jersey.
With Bob Bax as coach and Davies as captain, Brothers picked up Brisbane premierships in 1956 and 1958.
But Bax clashed with officials in 1959 and walked out, joining Norths, whom he coached to six successive premierships.
Current club President Frank Melit was an outstanding winger in the 1950s, scoring a record 34 tries in 1956 and 132 overall in first grade.
Melit also coached Brothers before Brian Davies returned from Canterbury-Bankstown in Sydney to take over the job.
He won premierships in 1967 and 1968 with a side that contained such outstanding performers as internationals Peter Gallagher, Noel Cavanagh, Dennis Manteit and Johnnt Gleeson.
Prop Gallagher became only the second Brothers player after Gorman to captain Australia. Gallagher, Gleeson and Manteit toured with the 1967 Kangaroos.
Prop David Wright (1975) and centre Mark Thomas (1977) also played for Australia.
Brothers have gone 14 years without adding to their nine premierships and during that time have appeared in only one grand final, against Valleys in 1974.
From the The Sun Book of Rugby League punblished 1983
There may never have been a Brothers Rugby League Club had there not been a dispute over lack of insurance cover of rugby union players in 1919.
Brothers, a top Rugby Union outfit which won the competition in 1918, decided to switch to Rugby League, joining Coorparoo, Bulimba, Valleys, Wests and West End in the League.
The great Duncan Thompson was captain of West End, but he did not frighten the converted top union players including Pat Murphy and Bluey Thompson.
Another switch was crack former AIF player Vince Mooney, but a serious knee injury proved a set back for him.
Brothers players remained amatuers and found it difficult at first adjusting to the new code. But in 1923 they won their first trophy, the Pike Cup. and the following season were runners-up to Valleys in the Premiership.
The 1924 season included an incredible match against Coorparoo at the Exhibition Ground. Coorparoo won, but Brothers protested on the grounds that the referee wrongly awarded a try.
They claimed five-eighth George Draney had taken the Coorparoo try scorer over the touchline, bowling over the corner flag in the process.
Brothers were granted a replay and, in fact, the rules were subsequently changed to give a touch judge the power to over rule a referee's decision on awarding a try.
The replay was also spiced with controversy and drama. Brothers has to be talked into playing under the referee and when they finally took the field it was only 10 minutes before the grandstand caught fire - and both teams raced off to save their gear.
In 1926 Brothers signed the great Tom Gorman from Toowoomba and paid him a 400 pound signing on fee. He became the club's first paid player and it was money well spent.
Gorman inspired the club to win its first premiership. He also became Brothers' first international and in 1928-29 was captain of the Kangaroos touring tea, in England.
Gorman is still the only Queenslander ever to captain a Kangaroos touring side.
Brothers did not win another premiership until 1935 when they won a thrilling grand final 17-15. It was 10-all at fulltime and an extra 10 minutes each way was ordered.
As the final bell sounded skipper Eric Hogan landed a penalty goal from the sideline to win the match for Brothers.
Brothers then went into the doldrums for three seasons before they lured crack NSW winger Len Dawson and a huge centre Dick Roser to the club.
It was mainly Dawson's brilliance which enabled Brothers to capture another premiership.
Brothers were trailing Valleys 19-9 well into the second half, but Dawson got them out of jail with three great tries in only 10 minutes and Brothers won 21-9.
In the grand final they beat Norths 11-9 and Dawson again was the star, along with a pack of forwards dubbed The Terrible Six by famous league writer Laurie Kearney.
The Terrible Six were Bill Law, Jack Little, Vince Hogan, Jack Ryrie, Larry Gillespie and Bill Dall.
Brothers twice won the premiership during World War II, but then came a long run of outs.
From Toowoomba after the war came tough forward Eddie Brosman, who toured with the 1948 Kangaroos.
And after the war one of Australia's all time greats Brian Davies worked his way through the club's ranks and into the Australian test side.
Davies didn't like football as a schoolboy, but as an apprentice plumber he played in the Commerical League.
He was spotted by a Brothers official and talked into playing reserve grade. But he didn't stay there long.
Davies played 27 tests and was captain coach of Australia in the 1958 Ashes series against England. He will always be remembered as one of the greatest players ever to wear a Brothers jersey.
With Bob Bax as coach and Davies as captain, Brothers picked up Brisbane premierships in 1956 and 1958.
But Bax clashed with officials in 1959 and walked out, joining Norths, whom he coached to six successive premierships.
Current club President Frank Melit was an outstanding winger in the 1950s, scoring a record 34 tries in 1956 and 132 overall in first grade.
Melit also coached Brothers before Brian Davies returned from Canterbury-Bankstown in Sydney to take over the job.
He won premierships in 1967 and 1968 with a side that contained such outstanding performers as internationals Peter Gallagher, Noel Cavanagh, Dennis Manteit and Johnnt Gleeson.
Prop Gallagher became only the second Brothers player after Gorman to captain Australia. Gallagher, Gleeson and Manteit toured with the 1967 Kangaroos.
Prop David Wright (1975) and centre Mark Thomas (1977) also played for Australia.
Brothers have gone 14 years without adding to their nine premierships and during that time have appeared in only one grand final, against Valleys in 1974.
