Past Brothers

Brothers

File:Brothers.png
File:Leprechaun
Club information
Full name	Brothers Rugby League Football Club
Colours	navy blue, white
Founded	1922
Current details
Ground(s)	Corbett Park, Crosby Park (1989, 1992, 1998), Lang Park (1993), Bray Park (1994-7), ANZ Stadium (1998), Gibson Park (2006)
Competition	Brisbane Rugby League, Queensland Cup, QRL South East Division
1998	Semi-finalists
Records
Premierships	1926, 1935, 1939, 1942, 1943, 1956, 1958, 1967, 1968, 1987

Past Brothers Rugby League Football Club, more commonly known as 'Brothers', 'The Brethren' or as 'the Leprechauns', were a rugby league club in Brisbane, Australia, that played in the top level of football since their foundation in 1922 until 1998.

History

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 Brisbane competition, due to a despute over lack of insurance cover for players in 1919. Their first season in Queensland Rugby League was in 1922. Brothers remained amateurs 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. In 1926 Brothers signed Tom Gorman from Toowoomba and paid him a 400 pounds signing-on fee making him the clubs first paid player. Gorman inspired the club to win it's first premiership in 1926, he also became the clubs first international and in 1928 captained the Kangaroo tour thus becoming the first Queenslander to captain a Kangaroo touring side on the 1928 Kangaroo Tour to the United Kingdom. Brothers did not win another premiership until 1935, but quickly backed it up with more in 1939, 1942 and 1943. When district football was introduced in the 1930s, Brothers clearly defied the idea as, unlike their competition counterparts Valleys, Norths, Souths, Easts and Wests, they were not a location in Brisbane. And although pressure was placed upon them by governing bodies, they were allowed to keep their unique name.

In the 1960s, while playing for Brothers, Peter Gallagher was selected as captain of Australia.

Brothers' last success was as premiers in 1987, defeating the Redcliffe Dolphins in the Grand Final. They had been runner-up to the Wynnum-Manly Seagulls the year before in 1986. By the time the Brisbane Broncos entered the New South Wales Rugby League in 1988, they were in financial trouble that only got worse as the years progressed. They were forced out of their traditional home at Corbett Park by financial administrators, and after temporarily playing out of Crosby Park, they relocated to Bray Park, renaming the club Pine Rivers Brothers. In 1998, they moved back to Brisbane under the name Brisbane Brothers and became a feeder club to the Broncos, before closing at season's end.

Seemingly out of their financial hardship by the turn of the century, Brothers applied for a position in the 2000 and 2001 Queensland Cups, but were ultimately unsuccessful. In 2002, they merged with Valleys, and formed Brothers-Valleys, playing in the Quest Cup before re-entering the Queensland Cup in 2004. They finished last, with their only point coming from a draw in Round 1. A new name and jersey was planned for the following year, but on 22 November the Queensland Rugby League announced:

The only club not participating in 2005 will be Brothers Diehards. While the QRL acknowledges the rich history associated with the organisation, the club’s inability to meet specified guidelines has resulted in this situation.

At present, Past Brothers competes in the South East Division junior competitions, playing out of Gibson Park in Stafford.

Crest and colours

Traditionally the club wears a predominantly navy blue jersey with white butcher stripes (irregular hoops), although for a time they wore an all-navy blue jersey with a thick white bar through the middle. The numbers on the backs of the players' jerseys were normally red on a white background, although, depending on the jersey design being used, they were sometimes white on a blue background.

Home grounds

Traditionally the club's home ground was Corbett Park in Grange, however they were forced out by financial administrators when the club's financial position severely worsened. They temporarily played out of Crosby Park in Albion and Lang Park, but in 1996 they relocated to Bray Park in the Pine Rivers Shire, hoping for greener pastures. This proved unsuccessful, and in 1998 they were back in Brisbane. Through their feeder club arrangement with the Brisbane Broncos, they played some "home" games as curtain-raisers at ANZ Stadium, with the remainder at Crosby Park, sharing the venue with Brothers Rugby Club

Sources

1. World of Rugby League's Past Brothers page retrieved 6 December 2005
2. Brisbane Rugby League 1st Grade Grand Final Results retrieved 6 December 2005
3. "Brothers Return To Stafford" by the Queensland Rugby League, retrieved 6 December 2005
4. Lester, Gary. The Sun Book of Rugby League