Queensland derby

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For the horse race, see Queensland Derby.

Queensland derby[1][2]
LocationAustralia Queensland
TeamsBrisbane Broncos
North Queensland Cowboys
First meeting8 April 1995
Broncos 20–12 Cowboys
Latest meetingFriday 29th March 2024
Broncos 38–12 Cowboys
Next meeting10 March 2023
Broncos vs. Cowboys
StadiumsQE II Stadium
Lang Park
Willows Sports Complex
North Queensland Stadium
Statistics
Meetings total57
Most winsBrisbane Broncos (36)
Most player appearancesCorey Parker (32)
Top scorerJohnathan Thurston (204)
All-time seriesBroncos: 36
Drawn: 2
Cowboys: 19
Largest victoryBroncos 58–4 Cowboys (12 April 1998)

The Queensland derby refers to rugby league matches between National Rugby League (NRL) clubs, the Brisbane Broncos and North Queensland Cowboys, first contested in 1995. The rivalry features the two longest-serving Queensland based clubs in the ARL/Super League/NRL competitions. They have met 53 times since 1995, with Brisbane leading the head-to-head series 35–18; with two drawn matches.

The derby is also known as the XXXX Derby, due to sponsorship from Castlemaine XXXX.[3]

In 2015, the clubs played in the first all-Queensland grand final, with North Queensland defeating Brisbane 17–16 in golden point extra time to win their first premiership.

History[edit]

Main articles: History of the Brisbane Broncos and History of the North Queensland Cowboys

Early years[edit]

The Brisbane Broncos entered the New South Wales Rugby League premiership in 1988 alongside fellow Queensland club, the Gold Coast Giants. Under the coaching of Wayne Bennett and led by such players as Allan Langer, Kevin Walters, Glenn Lazarus and Steve Renouf, the Broncos established themselves as Queensland's premier rugby league club in the early 1990s. By the time the North Queensland Cowboys, based in the north Queensland city of Townsville, entered the competition in 1995, the Brisbane side were already two-time premiership winners and perennial finalists.

The first meeting between the two teams occurred in Round 5 of the 1995 ARL season, when North Queensland hosted Brisbane at the Stockland Stadium. The Cowboys, who went into the game in last place, kept the scores level at 4–all at halftime, before star halfback Allan Langer set up three tries and scored one himself to give the Broncos a 20–12 victory.[4] Over the next nine seasons, Brisbane maintained a stranglehold over the fixture, winning 13 of the 15 games played. The lone bright spot for North Queensland were two drawn games in Round 11 1997 and Round 8 1999 (both 20–all).[5][6] Despite the regular losses, the game was a highlight in the season for North Queensland, regularly drawing crowds of 20,000+ in Townsville.

2004–2010[edit]

It would not be until 2004 that the North Queensland side would become a serious threat to the Brisbane Broncos, when the club finished in the top eight for the first time and qualified for their first finals series. North Queensland won their Week 1 finals match, while the Broncos lost theirs, meaning North Queensland would play as the "home" team when the two sides would meet at Sydney Football Stadium a week later. At the behest of both clubs, and in accordance with Sydney Football Stadium management, the NRL agreed to move the game to Townsville's Dairy Farmers Stadium.[7] North Queensland won the game 10–0, giving them their first ever win over the Broncos and eliminating from the finals in the process. The game was Brisbane captain and club legend Gorden Tallis' last, who incidentally was born and raised in Townsville.[8]

The following season, Brisbane would regain control of the derby, winning both games in 2005.[9][10] That season the Cowboys qualified for their first Grand Final, losing to the Wests Tigers. Between March 2006 and March 2007, North Queensland defeated Brisbane three straight times, including a 36–4 win in Round 1 2006, their biggest victory over Brisbane.[11] Despite North Queensland's success in the derby, Brisbane would go on to win the 2006 NRL Grand Final and record their sixth premiership victory. From July 2007 to 2010, Brisbane would again dominant the derby, winning seven straight games.

2011–2019[edit]

North Queensland marked their resurgence as a finals contender in Round 1 of the 2011 NRL season with a victory over Brisbane, their first win over Brisbane in four years.[12] In Round 23 2011, the Broncos won the derby fixture 34–16, in Darren Lockyer's record-breaking 350th NRL game.

In 2012, North Queensland defeated Brisbane three times, a first for either club. In Round 2, they won 28–26 in Brisbane, thanks to a late Matthew Bowen try.[13] In Round 15, they kept Brisbane scoreless in a 12–0 victory in Townsville and on 18 September, the two sides met in the finals for the second time, with the Cowboys eliminating the Brisbane club with a 33–16 win.[14][15] Cowboys' halfback Michael Morgan scored a hat trick, becoming the first halfback to do so in a finals game. The game was also the last for Brisbane club legend Petero Civoniceva, who retired after 309 NRL games.

The Brisbane side defeated North Queensland in both encounters in 2013 and in Round 2 of the 2014 season recording their longest winning streak in the Queensland derby since 2010.[16][17][18] In 2014, the two sides met for the first time outside of the NRL competition, or pre-season trials, in the final of the inaugural Auckland Nines competition. North Queensland triumphed 16–7 to win their first major trophy.[19]

In 2015, the two sides played each other four times, with both clubs coming away with two wins. After splitting the series in the regular season, the clubs met in the finals series for the third time. The Brisbane side prevailed at home, 16–12, in what was called one of the season's best games.[20] Three weeks later the rivals met again in the 2015 NRL Grand Final, the first in history to feature two Queensland-based clubs. North Queensland won the game 17–16 in golden point extra time, with Johnathan Thurston kicking the winning field goal. The loss was the Broncos first in a Grand Final, having won on their six previous attempts.

The match, particularly due to its dramatic ending, was quickly hailed as one of the greatest Grand Finals in rugby league history, drawing comparisons with the 1989 NSWRL Grand Final and the 1997 ARL Grand Final.[21]

2020–present[edit]

In Round 1 of the 2020 NRL season, the sides faced each other in the first NRL match to be played at the new North Queensland Stadium.[22] Brisbane won the match 28–21 in front of a crowd of 22,459.[23]

In the final round of the 2020 NRL season, Brisbane who were running last had the opportunity to avoid their first ever wooden spoon if they could defeat North Queensland who were sitting in 14th position. North Queensland would go on to defeat Brisbane 32-16 at Suncorp Stadium and condemn Brisbane to the wooden spoon.[24]

Starting from round four of the 2024 NRL season, the man of the match will be awarded the Carl Webb Medal, as a tribute to the forward who represented both clubs in the noughties. Webb died on 21 December 2023 following a battle with motor-neurone disease.[25]

All-time results[edit]

Head to Head[edit]

Team Played Won Drawn Lost PF PA PD
Brisbane Broncos 58 36 2 20 1406 1044 +362
North Queensland Cowboys 58 20 2 36 1044 1406 -362

This table only includes competitive matches, excluding all pre-season and exhibitions matches

Regular season[edit]

This table only shows competitive regular season matches, and not pre-season or exhibition matches.[26]
Date Round Home team Score Away team Venue Attendance
8 April 1995 5 North Queensland Cowboys
12 – 20
 Brisbane Broncos Stockland Stadium 24,855
21 April 1996 5 Brisbane Broncos
58 – 14
 North Queensland Cowboys ANZ Stadium 18,609
5 April 1997 6 North Queensland Cowboys
16 – 42
 Brisbane Broncos Stockland Stadium 30,122
25 May 1997 11 Brisbane Broncos
20 – 20
 North Queensland Cowboys ANZ Stadium 14,167
12 April 1998 5 Brisbane Broncos
58 – 4
 North Queensland Cowboys ANZ Stadium 20,904
8 August 1998 22 North Queensland Cowboys
10 – 22
 Brisbane Broncos Malanda Stadium 30,250
25 April 1999 8 North Queensland Cowboys
20 – 20
 Brisbane Broncos Dairy Farmers Stadium 30,302
11 March 2000 6 North Queensland Cowboys
8 – 50
 Brisbane Broncos Dairy Farmers Stadium 27,643
10 June 2000 19 Brisbane Broncos
6 – 16
 North Queensland Cowboys ANZ Stadium 10,455
17 February 2001 1 North Queensland Cowboys
17 – 18
 Brisbane Broncos Dairy Farmers Stadium 21,729
27 May 2001 14 Brisbane Broncos
50 – 6
 North Queensland Cowboys ANZ Stadium 14,714
16 March 2002 1 North Queensland Cowboys
6 – 24
 Brisbane Broncos Dairy Farmers Stadium 24,212
16 June 2002 14 Brisbane Broncos
52 – 8
 North Queensland Cowboys ANZ Stadium 10,215
5 April 2003 4 North Queensland Cowboys
24 – 32
 Brisbane Broncos Dairy Farmers Stadium 25,242
11 May 2003 9 Brisbane Broncos
38 – 12
 North Queensland Cowboys ANZ Stadium 13,197
17 April 2004 6 North Queensland Cowboys
12 – 19
 Brisbane Broncos Dairy Farmers Stadium 25,986
13 March 2005 1 Brisbane Broncos
29 – 16
 North Queensland Cowboys Suncorp Stadium 43,488
14 May 2005 10 North Queensland Cowboys
6 – 23
 Brisbane Broncos Dairy Farmers Stadium 22,477
12 March 2006 1 Brisbane Broncos
4 – 36
 North Queensland Cowboys Suncorp Stadium 46,229
22 July 2006 20 North Queensland Cowboys
26 – 10
 Brisbane Broncos Dairy Farmers Stadium 24,658
16 March 2007 1 Brisbane Broncos
16 – 23
 North Queensland Cowboys Suncorp Stadium 50,416
13 July 2007 18 North Queensland Cowboys
16 – 24
 Brisbane Broncos Dairy Farmers Stadium 25,926
28 March 2008 3 Brisbane Broncos
36 – 2
 North Queensland Cowboys Suncorp Stadium 50,612
18 July 2008 19 North Queensland Cowboys
18 – 32
 Brisbane Broncos Dairy Farmers Stadium 22,048
13 March 2009 1 Brisbane Broncos
19 – 18
 North Queensland Cowboys Suncorp Stadium 45,022
28 August 2009 25 North Queensland Cowboys
10 – 16
 Brisbane Broncos Dairy Farmers Stadium 24,332
12 March 2010 1 Brisbane Broncos
30 – 24
 North Queensland Cowboys Suncorp Stadium 48,516
6 August 2010 22 North Queensland Cowboys
26 – 34
 Brisbane Broncos Dairy Farmers Stadium 20,148
11 March 2011 1 Brisbane Broncos
14 – 16
 North Queensland Cowboys Suncorp Stadium 45,119
12 August 2011 23 North Queensland Cowboys
16 – 34
 Brisbane Broncos Dairy Farmers Stadium 26,463
9 March 2012 1 Brisbane Broncos
26 – 28
 North Queensland Cowboys Suncorp Stadium 43,171
15 June 2012 15 North Queensland Cowboys
12 – 0
 Brisbane Broncos Dairy Farmers Stadium 20,367
12 April 2013 6 Brisbane Broncos
12 – 10
 North Queensland Cowboys Suncorp Stadium 42,556
26 July 2013 20 North Queensland Cowboys
16 – 18
 Brisbane Broncos 1300SMILES Stadium 17,702
14 March 2014 2 Brisbane Broncos
16 – 12
 North Queensland Cowboys Suncorp Stadium 42,203
9 May 2014 9 North Queensland Cowboys
27 – 14
 Brisbane Broncos 1300SMILES Stadium 21,340
20 March 2015 3 Brisbane Broncos
44 – 22
 North Queensland Cowboys Suncorp Stadium 40,047
15 May 2015 10 North Queensland Cowboys
31 – 20
 Brisbane Broncos 1300SMILES Stadium 24,531
25 March 2016 4 Brisbane Broncos
21 – 20
 North Queensland Cowboys Suncorp Stadium 46,176
20 May 2016 11 North Queensland Cowboys
19 – 18
 Brisbane Broncos 1300SMILES Stadium 25,163
10 March 2017 2 Brisbane Broncos
20 – 21
 North Queensland Cowboys Suncorp Stadium 47,703
31 August 2017 26 North Queensland Cowboys
10 – 20
 Brisbane Broncos 1300SMILES Stadium 23,321
16 March 2018 2 Brisbane Broncos
24 – 20
 North Queensland Cowboys Suncorp Stadium 46,080
9 August 2018 22 North Queensland Cowboys
34 – 30
 Brisbane Broncos 1300SMILES Stadium 19,663
22 March 2019 2 Brisbane Broncos
29 – 10
 North Queensland Cowboys Suncorp Stadium 45,023
8 August 2019 21 North Queensland Cowboys
14 – 18
 Brisbane Broncos 1300SMILES Stadium 17,530
13 March 2020 1 North Queensland Cowboys
21 – 28
 Brisbane Broncos Queensland Country Bank Stadium 22,459
24 September 2020 20 Brisbane Broncos
16 – 32
 North Queensland Cowboys Suncorp Stadium 17,174
8 May 2021 9 North Queensland Cowboys
19 – 18
 Brisbane Broncos Queensland Country Bank Stadium 22,222
30 July 2021 20 Brisbane Broncos
37 – 12
 North Queensland Cowboys Suncorp Stadium 29,136
27 March 2022 3 Brisbane Broncos
12 – 38
 North Queensland Cowboys Suncorp Stadium 37,761
2 July 2022 16 North Queensland Cowboys
40 – 26
 Brisbane Broncos Queensland Country Bank Stadium 23,531
10 March 2023 2 Brisbane Broncos
28 – 16
 North Queensland Cowboys Suncorp Stadium 43,162
5 August 2023 23 North Queensland Cowboys
14 – 30
 Brisbane Broncos Queensland Country Bank Stadium 22,659
29 March 2024 4 Brisbane Broncos North Queensland Cowboys Suncorp Stadium
10 August 2024 23 North Queensland Cowboys Brisbane Broncos Queensland Country Bank Stadium

Finals series[edit]

This table only shows competitive finals series matches.[27]
Date Round Home team Score Away team Venue Attendance
18 September 2004 SF North Queensland Cowboys
10 – 0
 Brisbane Broncos Dairy Farmers Stadium 24,989
8 September 2012 EF North Queensland Cowboys
33 – 16
 Brisbane Broncos Dairy Farmers Stadium 21,307
13 September 2014 EF North Queensland Cowboys
32 – 20
 Brisbane Broncos 1300SMILES Stadium 25,120
12 September 2015 QF Brisbane Broncos
16 – 12
 North Queensland Cowboys Suncorp Stadium 50,388
4 October 2015 GF Brisbane Broncos
16 – 17
 North Queensland Cowboys ANZ Stadium 82,758
16 September 2016 SF North Queensland Cowboys
26 – 20
 Brisbane Broncos 1300SMILES Stadium 23,804

NRL Nines[edit]

Playing in the NRL Nines does not count as a senior first grade appearance.
Date Round Home team Score Away team Venue Attendance
16 February 2014 Final Brisbane Broncos
7 – 16
 North Queensland Cowboys Eden Park -
14 February 2020 Pool 4 North Queensland Cowboys
17 – 11
 Brisbane Broncos HBF Park -

Statistics[edit]

Most appearances[edit]

Player Team Games
Corey Parker Brisbane Broncos 32
Matthew Scott North Queensland Cowboys 31
Johnathan Thurston North Queensland Cowboys 31
Darren Lockyer Brisbane Broncos 29
Sam Thaiday Brisbane Broncos 28
Alex Glenn Brisbane Broncos 27
Andrew McCullough Brisbane Broncos 27
Gavin Cooper North Queensland Cowboys 26
Jason Taumalolo North Queensland Cowboys 24

Top pointscorers[edit]

Player Team Tries Goals FG Points
Johnathan Thurston North Queensland Cowboys 6 88 4 204
Corey Parker Brisbane Broncos 6 57 0 138
Darren Lockyer Brisbane Broncos 9 27 1 91
Michael De Vere Brisbane Broncos 3 30 0 72
Jordan Kahu Brisbane, North Qld 9 12 0 60
Matthew Bowen North Queensland Cowboys 13 0 2 54
Valentine Holmes North Queensland Cowboys 3 20 1 53
Jamayne Isaako Brisbane Broncos 1 23 0 50
Kyle Feldt North Queensland Cowboys 10 3 0 46
Josh Hannay North Queensland Cowboys 2 19 0 46

Top tryscorers[edit]

Player Team Games
Matthew Bowen North Queensland Cowboys 13
Michael Morgan North Queensland Cowboys 11
Gavin Cooper North Queensland Cowboys 10
Kyle Feldt North Queensland Cowboys 10
Shaun Berrigan Brisbane Broncos 9
Jordan Kahu Brisbane, North Qld 9
Darren Lockyer Brisbane Broncos 9
Steve Renouf Brisbane Broncos 8
Wendell Sailor Brisbane Broncos 8
Brent Tate Brisbane, North Qld 8

Carl Webb Medal[edit]

Attendances[edit]

Shared player history[edit]

When the Cowboys entered the competition in 1995, they had three former Broncos (Jason Erba, Willie Morganson and Paul Morris) in their inaugural squad, with Morganson being the first player to play for both clubs. Cowboys' junior Scott Prince was the first player to play for both clubs in the Queensland derby. Ben Hannant is the first and, so far, only player to win premierships with both clubs (Brisbane in 2006 and North Queensland in 2015). Tariq Sims and Will Tupou both played NYC for the Broncos and later moved to the Cowboys, where they played first grade.

Player Brisbane Broncos career North Queensland Cowboys career
Span Games Tries Goals Points Span Games Tries Goals Points
New Zealand Isaak Ah Mau 2008 4 0 0 0 2010–11 5 0 0 0
Samoa John Asiata 2021 10 1 0 4 2014–20 128 4 0 16
Republic of Ireland Kevin Campion 1998–00 80 9 0 36 2003–04 39 2 0 8
Lebanon Michael Coorey 2001–03 7 0 0 0 1996, 98 18 1 0 4
Australia Tom Dearden 2019–201 22 2 0 8 2021–present 15 7 0 28
Australia Jason Erba 1992 1 0 0 0 1995 5 0 0 0
Australia Shaun Fensom 2019 2 0 0 0 2017–18 35 2 0 8
Australia Jake Granville 2013–14 10 2 0 8 2015–present 160 22 0 88
Australia Paul Green 2004 5 0 0 0 1999–00 35 7 0 28
Australia Ben Hannant 2006–08, 11–14 148 12 0 48 2015–16 52 0 0 0
Australia Corey Jensen 2022–present 1 0 0 0 2017–21 58 1 0 4
New Zealand Jordan Kahu 2013–18, 2020 97 42 145 461 2019 19 1 40 86
Australia Patrick Mago 2018 12 0 0 0 2017 2 0 0 0
Australia Josh McGuire 2009–18 194 11 0 44 2019–21 38 0 0 0
Australia Scott Minto 2002–06 39 12 0 48 2007 14 3 0 12
Samoa Tautau Moga 2017 27 10 0 40 2014–16 18 3 0 12
Cook Islands Francis Molo 2014–15 6 0 0 0 2018–21 70 6 0 24
Australia Willie Morganson 1991–93 18 4 0 16 1995–96 12 4 0 16
Australia Paul Morris 1994 4 1 0 4 1995 1 0 0 0
Australia Julian O'Neill 1991–95 105 33 169 479 2000–01 47 14 122 300
Australia Tom Opacic 2016–18 19 5 0 20 2019–20 24 9 0 36
Australia Scott Prince 2001–03, 13 50 8 59 150 1998–01 53 9 17 70
Australia Dale Shearer 1990–91 27 15 48 156 1998 13 2 2 12
Fiji Ashton Sims 2008–09 56 2 0 8 2011–14 91 2 0 8
Australia Nick Slyney 2008, 10 5 1 0 4 2012–13 6 1 0 4
New Zealand Robert Tanielu 2002 1 1 0 4 2006 3 0 0 0
Australia Brent Tate 2001–07 114 41 0 164 2011–14 67 28 0 112
Australia Shane Tronc 2010–11 22 0 0 0 2004–09 125 10 0 40
Cook Islands Ben Vaeau 2006 1 0 0 0 2007–08 19 1 0 4
Australia Adam Warwick 2000 1 0 0 0 1997–98 13 2 0 8
Australia Derrick Watkins 2008 4 0 0 0 2002–03 3 0 0 0
Australia Carl Webb 2000–04 66 21 0 84 2005–10 115 16 0 64
Samoa Antonio Winterstein 2009–10 47 19 0 76 2011–18 167 78 0 312

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Broncos win thrilling Queensland derby". 12 September 2015.
  2. ^ "Broncos prevail 16-12 over Cowboys in frenetic Queensland derby". ABC News. 12 September 2015.
  3. ^ "The QLD Legend of the XXXX Derby". 18 March 2019.
  4. ^ "ARL 1995 - Round 5 - Rugby League Project".
  5. ^ "Super League 1997 - Round 11 - Rugby League Project".
  6. ^ "NRL 1999 - Round 8 - Rugby League Project".
  7. ^ "Townsville set to host all-Queensland showdown". 12 September 2004.
  8. ^ "Cowboys shut out Broncos in NRL semi". 18 September 2004.
  9. ^ "NRL 2005 - Round 1 - Rugby League Project".
  10. ^ "NRL 2005 - Round 10 - Rugby League Project".
  11. ^ "NRL 2006 - Round 1 - Rugby League Project".
  12. ^ "NRL 2011 - Round 1 - Rugby League Project".
  13. ^ "NRL 2012 - Round 2 - Rugby League Project".
  14. ^ "NRL 2012 - Round 15 - Rugby League Project".
  15. ^ "NRL 2012 - Qualif Final - Rugby League Project".
  16. ^ "NRL 2013 - Round 6 - Rugby League Project".
  17. ^ "NRL 2013 - Round 20 - Rugby League Project".
  18. ^ "NRL 2014 - Round 2 - Rugby League Project".
  19. ^ "Auckland Nines: North Queensland Cowboys beat Brisbane Broncos to win inaugural trophy". 16 February 2014.
  20. ^ "Broncos win thrilling Queensland derby". 12 September 2015.
  21. ^ Brad Walter (5 October 2015). "NRL Grand Final 2015: North Queensland Cowboys triumph in top three grand final wins of all time". The Sydney Morning Herald. Sydney, NSW. Retrieved 7 October 2015.
  22. ^ Read, Brent (24 October 2019). "Cowboys stadium to open with Broncos blockbuster". The Australian. Retrieved 25 October 2019.
  23. ^ Gould, Joel (13 March 2020). "Fifita's solo special helps Broncos spoil Cowboys party". NRL.com. Retrieved 3 April 2020.
  24. ^ "Brisbane get wooden spoon as North Queensland finish on a high". www.nrl.com. 24 September 2020.
  25. ^ Edwards, Colleen (29 March 2024). "Broncos, Cowboys pay tribute to 'inspirational' Carl Webb". National Rugby League. Retrieved 29 March 2024.
  26. ^ "Custom Match List - Rugby League Project".
  27. ^ "Custom Match List - Rugby League Project".

External links[edit]

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