2010 Northern Pride RLFC season

2010 was the third competitive season for the Cairns based Skill360 Northern Pride Rugby League Football Club'. They were one of 12 clubs that played in the fifteenth season of Queensland's top rugby league competition, QRL's Intrust Super Cup, with each team playing 11 home games and 11 away games over 25 weeks between March and August.

The CEO, Denis Keeffe left the Pride to become CEO of the Central Queensland NRL bid. He was replaced by board member and former QRL Northern Division chairman, John Moore. Another board member, Nigel Tillett resigned to concentrate on his CDRL commitments.

Pride assistant coach David Maiden was appointed head coach, replacing Andrew Dunemann who had taken up a new role assistant coach at the NRL's Newcastle Knights. Maiden had coached the Pride's Mal Meninga Cup U-18 side to the grand final last season.

Chris Sheppard was named captain for the third (and final) year, with Ryan Stig taking on the role for the Pre-season Trial against the Windsor Wolves, and Mark Cantoni stepping in as captain between Round 8 and Round 12 when Sheppard was out with a facial fracture.

On 1 April 2010 the Pride launched a Facebook page, 'northernpriderugbyleague', and from Round 3 they started posting live score updates during matches. At away games various staff members and the coaches' wife Juanita Maiden posted scores. At home games Cairns Post sports journalist Andrew Piva posted scores.

The Pride's main sponsor, CRGT (Cairns Region Group Training), became Skill360. CRGT/Skill360 were the Pride's main sponsors for the Pride's first six years. Skytrans Airline sponsored the Pride's 'Take Pride' youth community program.

The Pride played most of their home games at Barlow Park this season, but during May the ground was unavailable while the athletics track was replaced. The Pride played their two May home games at Pride Oval, Irene Street, Manunda, winning both of them.

Rugby League Magazine tipped the Pride to win the competition this year, but the start of the season under their new coach did not go well. Round 1 was a rematch with the Sunshine Coast Sea Eagles, who had beaten the Pride in last year's grand final. Although the Pride had the home game advantage and a new, bulkier front row, and the Sea Eagles had lost many of last year's grand final players, the Pride lost the match. The Pride went on to lose Round 2 to Wynnum Manly, and suffer their greatest defeat, 60-12 in Round 3 to Souths Logan, putting them at the bottom of the table for the first time in their history. In Round 12 Daly Cherry-Evans's Sea Eagles defeated the Pride again, with a humiliating 64-0 defeat.

After thirteen rounds they had only had five wins, but then, in the latter half of the season they won nine consecutive matches to finish in fourth place. The final match of the regular season saw the Pride beat Burleigh Bears 54-6, their biggest win. This game was also the first time the Pride fielded a team without any North Queensland Cowboys.

The Pride had the home game advantage in week one of the finals, when they faced Wynnum Manly. The Pride had lost both regular season games to the WM Seagulls, but this time they beat them 28-12, before going on to beat the minor-premiers, Souths Logan, who had handed them the humiliating defeat in Round 3. Now in their second consecutive Grand Final, the Pride beat Norths Devils 30–20 at Suncorp Stadium to become Premiers for the first time. Captain Chris Sheppard won the Duncan Hall Medal for his man-of-the-match performance in the Grand Final, which was his last game before retirement.

2010 Season – Skill360 Northern Pride

 * Competition: Intrust Super Cup
 * Sponsor: Skill360

Coaches/Trainers

 * Coach: David Maiden
 * Assistant coach: David Westley
 * Mal Meninga Cup U-18s coach: Cameron 'Spilla' Miller
 * Cyril Connell Cup U-16s coach:
 * Strength and conditioning coach: Scott Callaghan
 * Strapper: Kev Anderson

Captains

 * Chris Sheppard
 * Ryan Stig (Pre-season Trial 4)
 * Mark Cantoni (Rounds 8 to 12)

Managers

 * Operations manager: Chris Sheppard
 * Team manager: Rob White
 * Office Manager: Sheron McDougall
 * Club captain: Ben Laity
 * Chief executive: John Moore.
 * Chairman: Bob Fowler
 * Board of Directors: Nigel Tillett, Craig Meiklejohn, Bob Fowler.

2010 squad
The Pride used 36 players this season. Sixteen players from last year signed with the club again, and seven of the Cowboys allocation players from last year were assigned to the Pride again this year. Thirteen new players made their debut this season; ten were new signings (Aisea Namoa, Ben Fitzpatrick, Ben Spina, Brenton Bowen, Jaiman Lowe, Jay Aston, Mark Dalle Cort, Ryan Stig, Taputoa Sonny Rea and Theeran Pearson), and three were new Cowboys allocation players (Dane Hogan, Kaine Manihera and Michael Bani).

Chris Sheppard (c)

Aisea Namoa

Alex Starmer

Ben Fitzpatrick

Ben Laity

Ben Spina

Brenton Bowen

Brett Anderson

Chey Bird

Chris Riesen

Drew Campbell

Jaiman Lowe

Jamie Frizzo

Jason Roos

Jay Aston

Joel Riethmuller

Mark Cantoni

Mark Dalle Cort

Noel Underwood

Quincy To'oto'o-ulugia

Rod Griffin

Rod Jensen

Ryan Stig

Taputoa Sonny Rea

Theeran Pearson

Darryl Grant

Freddie Fauid

Nick Obodin

Nigel Naawi

Siaosi Liumaunu

Carl Webb*

Clint Amos*

Dane Hogan*

James Tamou*

John Williams*

Kaine Manihera*

Manase Manuokafoa*

Michael Bani*

Nick Slyney*

Steve Southern*

Ty Williams*

Cowboys NYC U-20s

Aidan Day

James Segeyaro

Players suspended
Quincy To'oto'o-ulugia was suspended for six-months and fined $2500 after pleading guilty to public nuisance.

2010 season launch

 * Pre-Season Training: 23 November 2009.
 * Pre-Season Boot Camp: Undara, 23–24 January 2010.
 * Season Launch: 6 March 2010, 9.00am-11.00am, Airfirst, 124 Anderson Street, Manunda.

2010 player awards

 * Cairns Post most improved player: Noel Underwood
 * Cairns Colonial Club Resort best back: Brett Anderson
 * Taxsmart best forward: Mark Cantoni
 * Skytrans players' player: Ben Laity
 * QCCU John O'Brien club person of the year: Cameron 'Spiller' Miller
 * Skill360 Australia player of the year: Joel Riethmuller
 * Duncan Hall Medal Winner: Chris Sheppard

Grand Final Premiers Presentation

 * 21 September 2010, 4.00pm at the Cairns Esplanade. Cairns Regional Council Mayor Val Schier presented the team with a commemorative plaque.

2010 Queensland Residents team

 * Clint Amos*

2010 Jerseys
The NAIDOC Week jersey was unveiled at the launch of the Pride's 'Reconciliation Action Plan', which had been accepted by Reconciliation Australia, a first for any rugby league club in the country. The jersey was designed by local indigenous artists, Aboriginal man Kevin Edmondston and Torres Strait Islander Joey Laifoo, and was manufactured by EMU Sportswear in Townsville. The Pride wore it in they Round 16 clash against the Ipswich Jets at Barlow Park.

Northern Pride (regular season 2010)

 * Win = 14 (9 of 11 home games, 5 of 11 away games)
 * Loss = 8 (2 of 11 home games, 6 of 11 away games)

Finals Series
In 2010, the competition used a modified version of the six-team finals format that they implemented a year earlier.

Grand Final
The Norths Devils finished the regular season in second and defeated the minor premiers Souths Logan in the first week of the finals. In the preliminary final they thrashed Mackay 56–12 to qualify for the second Grand Final and their first since 1998. The Pride finished fourth and defeated Wynnum Manly in an elimination final. In the preliminary final, they upset Souths Logan 28–8 to qualify for their second straight Grand Final.

First half
The Pride started the first half on fire, scoring three tries inside the first 20 minutes. They kicked it off with a try to prop Noel Underwood in the 4th minute before centre Rod Jensen helped double his side's lead in the 15th minute. Winger Michael Bani was the next to score, stepping through some soft defence to push the Pride's lead to 18. It took 37th minutes for the Devils to finally post their first points when second rower Brendon Gibb barged over.

Second half
The Pride regained their 18-point lead when bench forward Rod Griffin steamrolled his way through to score four minutes after the break. Norths hit back quickly this time, crossing just five minutes later through Luke Samoa. They made it back-to-back tries not long after when winger Gideon Mzembe dived over in the right corner. The comeback attempt was short lived, as the Pride scored their fifth try of the game when Nick Slyney* crossed. Samoa scored off a Pride error in the 72nd minute to give his side a slight chance but it was too little too late. The Pride won their first premiership and became the second club from outside south east Queensland to lift the trophy.

Pride halfback and captain Chris Sheppard was awarded the Duncan Hall Medal in his final game before retirement.

2010 venues
The Pride played matches at 18 different venues this year, 17 in Queensland and one in NSW:
 * Barlow Park, Cairns.
 * Jones Park, Cairns.
 * Pride Oval, Cairns.
 * Tully Showgrounds, Tully.
 * Davies Park, Mareeba.
 * Davies Park, Brisbane.
 * North Ipswich Reserve, Ipswich.
 * Langlands Park, Brisbane.
 * Albert Bishop Park, Brisbane.
 * Stockland Park, Sunshine Coast.
 * BMD Kougari Oval, Brisbane.
 * Cudgen Park, Kingscliff.
 * Mackay Junior Fields, Mackay.
 * Browne Park, Rockhampton.
 * Dolphin Oval, Redcliffe.
 * Pizzey Park, Gold Coast.
 * Davies Park, Brisbane.
 * Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane.

2010 Televised Games
In 2010 games were televised by ABC TV and shown live across Queensland through the ABC1 channel at 2.00pm (AEST) on Saturday afternoons. The commentary team was Gerry Collins, Warren Boland and David Wright.

The Pride appeared in five televised games this season:
 * Round 5: Northern Pride lost to Ipswich Jets 16–22 at North Ipswich Reserve, Ipswich.
 * Round 10: Northern Pride lost to Norths Devils 14–26 at Bishop Park, Nundah.
 * Round 22: Northern Pride beat Burleigh Bears 54–6 at Pizzey Park, Miami, Gold Coast.
 * Semi-Final: Northern Pride beat Souths Logan Magpies 28–8 at Davies Park, West End, Brisbane.
 * Grand Final: Northern Pride beat Norths Devils 30–20 at Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane.

2010 Season

 * 2010 Northern Pride photo gallery (Cairns Post)
 * 2010 Northern Pride match video highlights
 * 2010 Northern Pride match video highlights