Western Clydesdales

Last updated

Western Clydesdales
Western Clydesdales Logo 2023.png
Club information
Full nameWestern Clydesdales RLFC (founded as Toowoomba Clydesdales RLFC)
Colours Sky Blue

 Dark Blue
 Red

 Gold
Founded1919;105 years ago (1919)
Exited2006;18 years ago (2006)
Readmitted2023;1 year ago (2023)
Website https://www.westernclydesdales.com.au/home/
details
Ground(s)
CEOShane Sullivan
Coach Jason Alchin
Captain Darryn Schonig & Emry Pere
Competition Queensland Cup
Wooden spoons 0
Premierships (2nd grade)1 (2001)
Runners-up (2nd grade)2 (2000, 2006)
Minor premierships (2nd grade) 2 (2001, 2006)
Premierships (3rd grade)1 (1996)
Minor premierships (3rd grade) 1 (1996)

The WesternClydesdales (formerly Toowoomba Clydesdales) are a rugby league football club based in Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia. The Clydesdales originally played in the Queensland Cup from the competition's inception in 1996 until 2006, and were the feeder club for the Brisbane Broncos between 1999 and 2006. They re-entered the Queensland Cup in 2023 as the Western Clydesdales.

Contents

History

"Galloping Clydesdales"

Historically, the Clydesdales were the representative team for the Toowoomba competition. They competed in the Bulimba Cup between 1925 and 1972, winning on sixteen occasions. In 1924, the team defeated England, New Zealand, Brisbane, Ipswich, the New South Wales state side and New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership holders, South Sydney. [2] The win against the English touring side was noteworthy as it was the first time England had ever lost to a provincial side. [3] The team, with a large number of incumbent Australian and Queensland players, was coined the "Galloping Clydesdales". [4]

Players to represent Australia while playing for the Clydesdales include Herb Steinohrt, Duncan Thompson, Tom Gorman, Mick Masden, Dan Dempsey and Duncan Hall.

Winfield State League (1982-1995)

In 1982, the Clydesdales joined the Winfield State League. They were eliminated in the semi-final stage in the 1987, [5] 1988, [6] 1989, [7] 1992, [8] 1993 [9] and 1995 [10] seasons. During the 1992 season, Toowoomba was re-named the South-West Division.

Queensland Cup (1996-2006)

Toowoomba played in the inaugural season of the Queensland Cup in 1996, finishing as minor premiers. They claimed their first premiership with a 8-6 win against the Redcliffe Dolphins at Lang Park. The next two seasons were not as successful, with Toowoomba dropping to 15th place in the 1998 Queensland Cup regular season.

The former Toowoomba Clydesdales logo Toowoomba Clydesdales.png
The former Toowoomba Clydesdales logo

The Clydesdales formed a feeder club arrangement with the Brisbane Broncos ahead of the 1999 Queensland Cup season, which saw fringe and up-and-coming players from the NRL club turn out for Toowoomba in the Queensland Cup. The Clydesdales were the competition's big improvers as they finished in fourth place and were ultimately eliminated by the defending premiers, Norths Devils.

The following season, 2000, resulted in Toowoomba finishing third and qualifying for their second Queensland Cup grand final, beating Redcliffe 46-12 in the major semi-final. The Dolphins would gain their revenge in the grand final, defeating the Clydesdales 14-6.

2001 saw the Queensland Cup return to Toowoomba, as the Clydesdales finished minor premiers with just one loss and one draw all season. In a reverse of the previous year's finals, the Redcliffe Dolphins defeated Toowoomba in the major semi-final to advance directly to the grand final. Toowoomba were able to overcome the Burleigh Bears in the preliminary final, before facing Redcliffe in a rematch of the previous year's grand final. Halfback Casey McGuire scored the winning try inside the last minute of the game, giving the Clydesdales a famous 28-26 victory.

Toowoomba would miss the finals during the next two seasons, before returning to the finals in 2004 and 2005, but were eliminated by the Wynnum-Manly Seagulls and Redcliffe Dolphins respectively, each game in extra time.

The Clydesdales would return to the minor premiership of the Queensland Cup in 2006. They would once again ultimately face the Redcliffe Dolphins in the grand final. After scoring the first try of the game, the Clydesdales would eventually lose 6-27.

The Broncos wound up the feeder club arrangement with the Clydesdales in December 2006, resulting in Toowoomba withdrawing from the Queensland Cup. [11] With the creation of the Townsville Blackhawks in 2015, Toowoomba would be the largest regional centre without a Queensland Cup side.

Return to Queensland Cup (2023)

In July 2022, the Queensland Rugby League announced the Clydesdales would return to the Queensland Cup for the 2023 season. [12] The bid to return a Toowoomba team to the Queensland Cup initially planned to call the team the Western Mustangs [13] after the existing junior representative team. But in August 2021 it was announced the team, if readmitted, would be named the Western Clydesdales in order to represent both the western Queensland and Toowoomba elements of the club. [13] The Clydesdales announced a partnership with the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, whereby the NRL club would establish an academy servicing Toowoomba and south-west Queensland and integrate with Clydesdales coaching staff on and off the field. [14]

Former Bulldogs NRL player Jason Alchin was named as the head coach of the Western Clydesdales for the 2023 season. [15]

Notable players

Many Australian and Queensland representatives have played for Toowoomba during their career.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Queensland Cup</span> Australian rugby league competition

The Queensland Cup, currently known as the Hostplus Cup for sponsorship reasons, is the highest-level regional rugby league football competition in Queensland, Australia. It is run by the Queensland Rugby League (QRL) and is contested by fifteen teams, thirteen of which are based in Queensland, with one based in New South Wales and one in Central Province, Papua New Guinea.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dolphin Stadium (Brisbane)</span> Stadium in Kippa-Ring, Queensland, Australia

Dolphin Stadium is a sports stadium in the suburb of Kippa-Ring in the City of Moreton Bay, north of the adjoining Brisbane metropolitan city, Queensland, Australia. Formerly known as Moreton Daily Stadium under a previous naming rights agreement, the stadium serves as the home ground for the Redcliffe Dolphins rugby league club in the Queensland Cup, and NRL club, the Dolphins.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shane Perry</span> Australian rugby league footballer

Shane Perry is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 2000s whose usual position was halfback. He played in the National Rugby League for the Western Suburbs Magpies, Canterbury-Bankstown and the Brisbane Broncos, as well as in the Super League for French club Catalans Dragons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">FOGS Colts Challenge</span>

The FOGS Colts Challenge is an 11-team rugby league competition run by the QRL. It is the highest level of junior rugby league in Brisbane before players move into senior rugby. FOGS in an acronym for Former Origin Greats.

The 2007 Queensland Cup season was the 12th season of Queensland's top-level statewide rugby league competition run by the Queensland Rugby League. The competition, known as the Queensland Wizard Cup due to sponsorship from Wizard Home Loans featured 11 teams playing a 26-week long season from March to September.

The 1996 Queensland Cup season was the 1st season of Queensland's premier statewide competition. It had been formed after the Winfield State League was closed after the end of the 1995 Season. It was subsequently superseded by the Queensland Cup. At this time it was considered as the second highest league, directly under the Brisbane Rugby League. It would run under the BRL until 1998 when it would become the highest rugby league competition in the state.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lachlan Burr</span> Australian professional rugby league footballer

Lachlan Burr is a former Australian professional rugby league footballer who last played as a lock and prop for the North Queensland Cowboys in the NRL.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tom Opacic</span> Australian rugby league footballer

Tom Opacic is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who plays as a centre for the Hull Kingston Rovers in the Betfred Super League.

The 2018 Intrust Super Premiership NSW season was the tenth season of the New South Wales Cup, the top rugby league competition administered by the New South Wales Rugby League. The competition acts as a second-tier league to the ten New South Wales-based National Rugby League clubs, as well the Canberra Raiders and New Zealand Warriors. The winner of the Premiership, the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, competed against the winner of the 2018 Queensland Cup, the Redcliffe Dolphins in the 2018 NRL State Championship, which they won 42-18. The Penrith Panthers were the defending champions, following their 20-12 victory against the Wyong Roos in the 2017 Grand Final.

Trent Leis is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played as a winger and fullback for the North Queensland Cowboys in the NRL.

The 1999 Queensland Cup season was the 4th season of Queensland's top-level statewide rugby league competition.

The 2000 Queensland Cup season was the 5th season of Queensland's top-level statewide rugby league competition run by the Queensland Rugby League. The competition, known as the Bundy Gold Cup due to sponsorship from Bundaberg Rum, featured 12 teams playing a 26-week long season from February to August.

The 2001 Queensland Cup season was the 6th season of Queensland's top-level statewide rugby league competition run by the Queensland Rugby League. The competition, known as the Bundy Gold Cup due to sponsorship from Bundaberg Rum, featured 11 teams playing a 26-week long season from March to September.

The 2002 Queensland Cup season was the 7th season of Queensland's top-level statewide rugby league competition run by the Queensland Rugby League. The competition featured 12 teams playing a 26-week long season from March to September.

The 2006 Queensland Cup season was the 11th season of Queensland's top-level statewide rugby league competition run by the Queensland Rugby League. The competition, known as the Queensland Wizard Cup due to sponsorship from Wizard Home Loans featured 11 teams playing a 26-week long season from March to September.

George Wilson is an Australian former rugby league professional footballer who played for Paris Saint-Germain in the Super League and the North Queensland Cowboys in the National Rugby League. He primarily played centre and wing.

Adam Warwick is an Australian former rugby league footballer who played for the North Queensland Cowboys and Brisbane Broncos in the National Rugby League. He primarily played wing.

Darryn “Big Diesel” Schonig is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who plays as a prop for the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, contracted to their feeder side Clydesdales based in Toowoomba, Queensland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aaron Pene</span> Australian rugby league footballer

Aaron Pene is a professional rugby league footballer who plays as a prop for the Melbourne Storm in the National Rugby League (NRL).

Don Saunders is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s.

References

  1. ↑ "Clive Berghofer Stadium (Toowoomba Sports Ground) | Austadiums". austadiums.com.
  2. ↑ Writer, The Creative (30 June 2021). "The All-Conquering 1924-25 Toowoomba Clydesdales". The Creative Writer. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
  3. ↑ Writer, The Creative (30 June 2021). "The All-Conquering 1924-25 Toowoomba Clydesdales". The Creative Writer. Retrieved 19 September 2022.
  4. ↑ Writer, The Creative (30 June 2021). "The All-Conquering 1924-25 Toowoomba Clydesdales". The Creative Writer. Retrieved 19 September 2022.
  5. ↑ "Queensland Rugby League". 5 February 2012. Archived from the original on 5 February 2012. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
  6. ↑ "Queensland Rugby League". 5 February 2012. Archived from the original on 5 February 2012. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
  7. ↑ "Queensland Rugby League". 5 February 2012. Archived from the original on 5 February 2012. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
  8. ↑ "Queensland Rugby League". 5 February 2012. Archived from the original on 5 February 2012. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
  9. ↑ "Queensland Rugby League". 5 February 2012. Archived from the original on 5 February 2012. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
  10. ↑ "Queensland Rugby League". 5 February 2012. Archived from the original on 5 February 2012. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
  11. ↑ "Clydesdales quit Qld Cup". ABC News. 6 December 2006. Retrieved 19 September 2022.
  12. ↑ "Western Clydesdales prepare for entry into 2023 Hostplus Cup". Queensland Rugby League. 16 June 2022. Retrieved 23 June 2022.
  13. 1 2 RLFC, Western Clydesdales. "Clydesdales name returns as club calls on community to support ISC bid". www.westernclydesdales.com.au. Retrieved 7 September 2021.
  14. ↑ "Bulldogs and Clydesdales announce affiliation agreement". Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs. 9 March 2022. Retrieved 19 September 2022.
  15. ↑ "Bulldog's Jason Alchin announced Western Clydesdales Head Coach". Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs. 23 June 2022. Retrieved 19 September 2022.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.