2009 Queensland Cup


The 2009 Queensland Cup season was the 14th 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 12 teams playing a 25-week long season from March to September.
The Sunshine Coast Sea Eagles, in their first season back in the competition, won their first premiership after defeating the Northern Pride 32–18 at Stockland Park. Burleigh Bears' Scott Smith was named the competition's Player of the Year, winning the Courier Mail Medal.

Teams

In 2009, the Queensland Cup featured 12 teams for the first time since the 2004 season. The Sunshine Coast Falcons, re-branded as the Sunshine Coast Sea Eagles, returned to the competition after the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles injected $1 million into the club and formed a partnership.
ColoursClubHome groundHead coachCaptainNRL Affiliate
Burleigh BearsPizzey ParkJim LenihanScott Smith Gold Coast Titans
Central CometsBrowne ParkWayne BarnettNat Bowman Brisbane Broncos
Easts TigersLanglands ParkDarren Smith → Jason GaineyBen Vaeau Brisbane Broncos
Ipswich JetsBriggs Rd Sporting ComplexGlenn LazarusDanny Coburn Gold Coast Titans
Mackay CuttersMackay JRL GroundsShane MusprattJardine Bobongie North Queensland Cowboys
Northern PrideBarlow ParkAndrew DunemannChris Sheppard North Queensland Cowboys
Norths DevilsBishop ParkMark Gee → Kevin CarmichaelMark Leafa Brisbane Broncos
Redcliffe DolphinsDolphin OvalGary O'BrienDanny Burke Brisbane Broncos
Souths Logan MagpiesMeakin Park, Davies ParkPaul BramleyPhil Dennis Canberra Raiders
Sunshine Coast Sea EaglesStockland ParkBrandon CostinCameron Joyce Manly Warringah Sea Eagles
Tweed Heads SeagullsNed Byrne FieldSteve Anderson → Steve LaceyBrad Davis Gold Coast Titans
Wynnum Manly SeagullsBMD Kougari OvalShane McNallyDarren Bain Brisbane Broncos

Ladder

Final series

In 2009, after using a five-team finals series for 10 years, the Queensland Cup used a six-team system. The competition used a six-team format from 1996 to 1998, although the system used in 2009 was two weeks shorter.

Grand Final

Northern PridePositionSunshine Coast
Sea Eagles
Chey BirdFBDennis Sandow
Josh VaughanWGMichael Chapman
Rod JensenCEShane Neumann
Jamie FrizzoCEAndrew Suniula
Germaine PaulsonWGRyan Walker
Tom HumbleFETony Williams
Chris Sheppard HBTrent Hodkinson
Ben LaityPRPhil Morwood
Jason RoosHKCameron Joyce
Alex StarmerPRJunior Palau
Nick SlyneySRVic Mauro
Mark CantoniSRJon Grieve
Joel RiethmullerLKJon Muir
Luke MillwoodBenchTim Browne
Greg ByrnesBenchRob Godfrey
Chris ReisenBenchSteve McPhee
Rod GriffinBenchHeath L'Estrange
Andrew DunemannCoachBrandon Costin

The Northern Pride, who finished the regular season in second, qualified for their first Grand Final after a 22–10 win over the Central Comets in the preliminary final. They were joined by the Sunshine Coast, who finished fourth in their return season, after they defeated reigning premiers Souths Logan 30–26 in the preliminary final.

First half

The Pride opened the scoring in the fifth minute when they created an huge overlap, with centre Jamie Frizzo finishing off the play with a try. The Sunshine Coast responded quickly when five-eighth Tony Williams bumped off a defender and threw an offload to centre Shane Neumann who crossed for his first try. The Sea Eagles hit the lead in the 27th minute when winger Michael Chapman scored untouched in the corner. They scored again four minutes later when Ryan Walker scored in the opposite corner. Poor goal kicking kept the Pride in the contest, as Williams missed all three conversion attempts. The Pride converted a penalty from right in front on the stroke of half time to trail by just eight at the break.

Second half

The Sunshine Coast extended the lead to 10 in the 47th minute when Williams dived over for a try of his own. The Sea Eagles kept the points coming when Neumann dived over in the corner for his second just six minutes later. With just over 10 minutes remaining, the Pride gave themselves a chance when Rod Jensen scored and cut the Sea Eagles' lead to 10. Three minutes later, the Sunshine Coast all but sealed victory when halfback Trent Hodkinson scored close to the posts. The Pride scored a late consolation try when Humble latched onto a wayward Sea Eagles' pass and ran 80 metres to score under the uprights. In the final minute, Neumann crossed for his hat trick as the Sea Eagles' wrapped up a 14-point victory.
Tony Williams, who was awarded the Duncan Hall Medal, and second rower Vic Mauro would go onto play in the Manly Sea Eagles' 2011 NRL Grand Final win over the New Zealand Warriors.

End of season awards