Epic News: BRL and Valleys Diehards are back!!!

[DIEHARD]

Queensland Origin legend Wally Lewis has backed a QRL decision to revive the Brisbane Rugby League

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THE greatest player to come out of the defunct Brisbane Ruby League (BRL), Origin legend Wally Lewis, has thrown his support behind a decision to revive the iconic competition in 2015.

With just six clubs participating in this year’s FOGS Cup — the Intrust Super Cup’s (ISC) reserve grade competition — the Queensland Rugby League (QRL) will pull the pin next season and go back to the future with a BRL-style format.

ISC clubs have been discouraged from entering a side, with the QRL instead encouraging them to form feeder relationships with two teams in the new league.

Clubs have been given until Friday to put forward expressions of interest for a spot in the reborn competition, which was at its peak in the 1980s and unearthed the likes of Lewis and Gene Miles.

The BRL was fully superseded by the Queensland Cup in 1998 but Lewis, who played for Valleys and Wynnum-Manly before signing with the Broncos, said its revival would rekindle a flame for Brisbane footy fans.

“I think everybody agreed it was a shame when (the BRL) disappeared. To have that come back, albeit not quite at the level it once was, will provide a wonderful opportunity for the players to become involved in a great competition,” Lewis said.

“The BRL was where so many good players were born. We grew up watching and taking part in it, doing our apprenticeship.

“It was probably the dream of all young footballers at the time to take part in it. I’m still a Valleys old boy and we still get together all the time.”

The competition restructure has opened the door for historic BRL clubs like Valleys, Brothers and Wests to return to elite football.

Brothers and Valleys have not been seen at stave level since their failed merger in 2004, while Wests’ last year in the Queensland Cup was in 2003.

Wests president Davis Groessler confirmed the club’s interest, but said its involvement would likely be limited to a junior affiliation in 2015.

He said the Panthers would “see how (the competition) pans out next year” but had plans to eventually field its own team.

Brothers and Valleys will both put forward expressions of interest, with Diehards president Danny Walker saying it would be “very exciting” to again see the club’s name up in lights.

“We have expressed an interest and we will now wait to find out more information about the concept and how the competition will work. It would be nice for Valleys to get back into that level of competition,” Walker said.

“Traditional supporters of Valleys would like to see that happen but there is a financial impact. We are a non-profit organisation and have juniors at our club so we will tread carefully.

“The figures that have been mentioned are between $50-70,000 each year to field a team. It would be very exciting to be back there but we need to be realistic too.

“We’ve had discussions with Norths (about a feeder relationship). We are already aligned to Norths through the Northern Broncos program and they supply us with players left over from their FOGS Cup team.”

Norths chief executive Mark Murray backed the QRL’s new competition structure, saying it would create a “vertical pathway from juniors to NRL”.

“I think it fits with the model that the clubs have been pushing for five or six years. (Feeder relationships have) been a big success across the ISC and NSW Cup and it’s now locked into the structure of the game. It’s just repeating that structure at the next level down,” Murray said.

QRL chairman Peter Betros said the rebirth of the competition would bolster the pathway from club to ISC and the NRL.

“It will allow more players an opportunity to play at higher level, create a pathway and raise the standard of the competition,” Betros said.

“One of the weaknesses of our current pathway is that guys get picked up young but some mature later and miss out.

“This will give those guys who didn’t make the 20s competition the chance to get noticed.”

http://www.couriermail.com.au/questnews/

[DIEHARD]

BTQ7 Brisbane Flashback - Brisbane Rugby League

[DIEHARD]

As you can imagine, I have dreamed about this happening for years. And I feel the work we have done with the Diehards Heritage Project has really helped and will play a huge role and rallying support for a new Diehards side.

[TITAN PETE]

Great news for the game

[DIEHARD]

Yea mate. And a stepping stone. About time the QRL spent some money on something good.

[Titanic]

Let's just hope that they truly throw some resources at getting the competition back together again and not just pay the project lip service ... I wonder how many of us can recall the events that surrounded the Broncos being allowed to be formed over the top of the BRL? The amount of backroom dealing that went on was disgusting. I can fully understand Wests stance ... once bitten, twice shy.

[hammer]

Up the mighty Wests Panthers!

[DIEHARD]

I know us Valleys guys are really working the phones. If given the opportunity we want to be professional and give the competition life.

We can adapt a lot of things professional clubs do and devise brand new ones.

Emerson Park at the Grange is a lovely venue.

[hammer]

Or should I say 'once' mighty Wests Panthers!

[DIEHARD]

I can fully understand Wests stance ... once bitten, twice shy.

We got to get Wests back. Over the years there has been a lot of Wests Panthers supporters on here actually. (I made that comment before I saw Hammer's post too!)

[Titanic]

We will be back when we feel we won't get reamed by the QRL again and to Hammer ... we will always be the mighty Wests Panthers ... can you sing it?

Come on and see, come on and see
Wests Panthers mighty team
Come on and see, come on and see
They're the best that's ever been
They can pass a leather ball like you've never seen before
Kick and dodge and run, and win all the scrums and more
They are the bestest team of all, in League football.

Come on and see, come on and see
The Panthers fighting for their cause
Come on and see, come on and see
The Panthers sharpen up their claws
Be sure to wear the red and black and cheer them loudly
Come on and see, come on and see
Wests Panthers mighty team.

Come on and see, come on and see
The Panthers fight out to the end
'cause they're the team, 'cause they're the team
Who simply will not bend
And if you want to know the team to win the grand final
Come on and see, come on and see
Wests Panthers mighty team.

Wests 02A.jpg

Looking at the crowd in the background makes me want to weep.

[DIEHARD]

Logan Brothers could be part of a renewed Brisbane A-grade rugby league competition

THE Queensland Rugby League says the return of Brisbane’s A-grade competition will strengthen the pathway to the NRL for the state’s best players.

The QRL will scrap the current FOGS A-grade competition at the end of the 2014 season and reintroduce the Brisbane format for 2015.

QRL chairman Peter Betros said the rebirth of the competition that, which was famous in the 1980s and unearthed the likes of Wally Lewis and Gene Miles, would bolster the pathway from club to Intrust Super Cup and the NRL.

“It will allow more players an opportunity to play at a higher level and create a pathway and raise the standard of the competition,” Betros said.

The FOGS competition was introduced in 2001 with 11 teams to support the Intrust Super Cup.

But as Queensland’s top tier has grown, teams have opted to leave to play in their own region with just six left at the end of this year.

The new-look competition will see the return of proud Brisbane rugby league clubs such like Brothers and Fortitude Valley.

Logan Brothers met with QRL officials on Thursday, August 14, to provide an expression of interest for the competition and president Matt Mead said the competition would improve all clubs involved.

“It shows our juniors a stronger pathway towards the highest level,” Mead said.

“It will be great for Logan City because it will give people the chance to cheer on a really high quality side.”

http://www.couriermail.com.au/

[DIEHARD]

I'd welcome Logan Brothers. A very strong club in a very important region.

May also be good for a future Brothers NRL side to have more feeders. They could point to Logan Brothers in the NRL and go look, we have a pathway in Logan.

[DIEHARD]

Valleys 2015 BRL Team

As reported in the Courier Mail the QRL will be ceasing the current FOGS cup (reserve grade to Intrust Super Cup) competition and replacing it with a Brisbane Rugby League (BRL) competition which existed in the good old days.

Valleys has expressed an interest in placing a team in the BRL competition which is the first step to restoring the club to its former glory during the good old BRL days.

We are looking for sponsors who may be interested in sponsoring such a side. The professional nature of the competition will see you get great exposure for your sponsorship.

Anyone interested please contact Club President Danny Walker on 0410 465 549. Full information can be found on our website in the link. PLEASE SHARE THIS POST ON YOUR WALL to spread the word.

UP THE DIEHARDS!!

[DIEHARD]

Dear Club Members and Supporters of Valleys Diehards

Please find attached a letter written by me in relation to our 2015 Brisbane Rugby League Bid. This is an exhilarating time for our club and is certainly news worthy given the interest it has created in rugby league circles. In the media, Wally Lewis was quoted as saying he fully supported our inclusion into the new BRL competition and the BRL competition revival will rekindle a flame for Brisbane footy fans.

I can advise that your current Valleys Committee has expressed an interest for a spot in the reborn competition with a further submission to be provided within the next few days to finalise our entry. Based on my calculations we are looking at a figure of approximately $60,000 to enter a team with 40% of this cost to be funded by the QRL and our yet to be decided Intrust Super Cup partner. As you can appreciate a lot of work needs to be done to raise the shortfall that will remain

I respectfully ask that you read my letter and if you or anyone who you may know is interested in being a sponsor, I request you contact me immediately. Once notified by the QRL of our acceptance into the BRL competition, which is likely to happen early next week, wonderful promotional and publicity opportunities will be afforded to our iconic rugby league brand Valleys Diehards. There are $7500, $5000 and $2000 sponsorship packages available and I can be contacted at any time on mobile 0410 465549 to discuss further.

Go the DIEHARDS!!!!

Danny Walker

President

Valleys Junior Rugby LeagueB

Bega Street, Grange