OCTOBER 1992
BRONCOS’ heavies, John Ribot and Paul ‘Porky’ Morgan travelled to Townsville to add their support to the Cowboys’ bid to be the next side in the NSWRL, with the Brisbane club keen to keep the State capital to themselves.
The Queensland Rugby League believed the new team should come from the more heavily populated south east corner of the State, and the controlling body was preparing a submission to put to the NSWRL by the October 31 deadline. It seemed as if the QRL held all the trump cards, because it had to give approval for any new side.
Relations between the QRL and Broncos were strained, with the Broncos preparing to play home games out of QEII Stadium at Nathan, instead of the traditional home of the game at Lang Park, Milton.
Ribot said it was not ‘expansion’ to locate another team in Brisbane, and the people of the north had shown their love for rugby league with huge crowds for Foley Shield matches; games against touring sides, and NSWRL trials, with 10,000 attending one such match in Cairns.
The proposed new sides had Castlemaine Perkins (brewers of XXXX) standing by as major sponsors, while the sugar industry had indicated it would support a team from the North.
In addition to being the NSWRL premiers (having beaten St George in the Grand Final), the Broncos also boasted the number one leagues club in Queensland, at least in terms of poker machines, with 131 of the one-armed bandits at their Red Hill HQ. Kedron Wavell had more members than the Broncos – 8,000 compared with 6,500.
The Rugby League Club, located in the Frank Burke Stand at Lang Park, had only 1600 members and 20 poker machines. In 1991 the Rugby League Club gave a $50,000 grant to the QRL, a $5,000 increase on the previous year.
Club secretary manager, Dick Breen boasted that there were few unsavoury incidents on the premises, and he put that down to not employing bouncers.
“I don’t believe in them,” he said. “I lean more towards ex-senior police officers, who know how to handle the public.”
Speaking at the Broncos’ presentation Ball at Brisbane City Hall, club chairman, Morgan said the club could expect a $30 million turnover in 1993. Morgan paid special tribute to retiring players, Tony Currie and Andrew Tessman.
Hooker, Kerrod Walters was named best and fairest player for 1992, with coach, Wayne Bennett saying it was a fitting reward for a real team man. Walters was one eight Broncos named in the Australian squad for the World Cup tour of England. The others were Kerrod’s twin, Kevin; Allan Langer, Michael Hancock, Steve Renouf, Chris Johns, Willie Carne and Glenn Lazarus.
As part of the grand final celebrations the Broncos’ players shaved their heads.
Media personality, Billy J Smith compered the Presentation Ball, and when the players appeared on stage, Smith joked – “All the way from Wacol Prison, the Broncos.”
A few days after the Broncos’ Ball, the Queensland Rugby League Writers’ Association held its annual awards night, with Bennett receiving the Jack Reardon Memorial Award as “Achiever of the Year.” Bennett returned from a coaching camp at Lennox Head in Northern New Wales to receive the award.
“Jack Reardon was a legend as a player and a journalist, so it is appropriate that an award be struck in his honour,” Bennett said. “I feel honoured to follow in the footsteps of previous winners, like Dick Turner, John Lang and David Manson.”
Brisbane Wests’ prop, Darren Shaw was named RL Writers’ Rookie of the Year. A product of Ipswich club, West End, Shaw had been signed by the Broncos for 1993. Shaw toured the Pacific with the Queensland Residents’ side, after helping Wests to the BRL Title.
BRONCOS AWARD WINNERS 1992: First Grade Best and Fairest, Kerrod Walters; best forward and hit of the year, Trevor Gillmeister; Most consistent, Kevin Walters; Most improved, Alan Cann; Club man, Allan Langer.
Reserve grade: Best back, John Plath; best forward; most improved and rookie, Brett Galea; Most consistent, Pat Savage.
Under-21s: Best back, Butch Fatnowna; Best forward, Victor Timms; Most consistent, David Simpson; Most improved, Keiran Meyer.
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